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FROM AUSTRALIA WITH LOVE – AND LOTS OF HARD WORK
By Godfrey Kimega
(Posted April 2005)

Villagers on the plains of Katolo in Kenya’s Nyanza province continue to gain from community volunteer services offered by Australian youth and a non-governmental organization in a partnership that is now in its second year.

12 youths of various walks of life from Australia worked among villagers from January 2005 to early February, building a nursery school classroom and youth centre. The 11 young women and one man also put up a perimeter fence spanning 800 metres. They engaged local youth in sporting activity and talks on sexuality. “There was a lot of cultural exchange which benefited both sides,” said one of the Australian volunteers. Their work was made easier by the hospitality of the local community led by Mr. Joab Othatcher of TEMAK.

The 12 came to Kenya with the World Youth International (WYI), an Australian organization that recruits volunteers and assigns them to developing countries. In Kisumu, WYI has worked with TEMAK in the Katolo area commencing late 2003 when the first batch of volunteers put up the initial structures of the Katolo Community Centre. The Australian youth say WYI gave them an opportunity to put their skill into projects aimed at the poor in Africa. Coming from different backgrounds, the youth did not know each other until they landed in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. However, the level of team work exhibited at the site belied this fact.

The year’s mission to Katolo was to expand on the work began in December 2003 when the Katolo Community Centre was first put up. The structure now accommodates a tailoring/dressmaking workshop, a community pharmacy and shop. This time, the 12 Australians were to build a similar structure for a nursery classroom and community resource centre. They would also put up a perimeter fence to clearly demarcate the centre’s land as well as to protect crops from wandering livestock. A masonry room was erected as an extension to the original Katolo Community Centre. The room is intended to train local youth in masonry – a skill that would help get casual jobs in construction sites. Working with hot iron sheets in sweltering heat is a challenging task, as the Australians discovered, but the job had to be done. Gallons of water were gulped from plastic bottles to quench thirst.

Katolo is located on a flood plain where trees are sparse. The Australian youth worked with TEMAK in planting tree seedlings within the compound of the Katolo Community Centre. The trees, when mature, will provide shade. Quick growing trees were planted in 2 foot holes dug by the Australians, using rudimentary tools and bare hands.

The Australians mingled with local villagers, some of whom assisted with construction work at the site. There were counseling sessions with youth on sexuality. Such topics as HIV/Aids, Sexually Transmitted Infections, abortion and relationships were discussed often with great humor. An interpreter was at hand to translate for some of the local youths who could not communicate in English. The volunteers from WYI also visited area schools to offer lessons in mathematics and the English language. Soccer matches with children were organized and which turned out to be great fun for all, especially because the villagers aren’t used to seeing girls playing soccer.

Cultural exchange took place in the form of story telling and the sharing of cooking recipes. The Australians visited homes and were taught how to cook and eat indigenous dishes. In turn they shared their knowledge on Australian cuisine.

On weekends, the WYI volunteers would organize fun activities for orphans after it had dawned on them that orphans have no one to engage them in outings and games. Many can be found neglected and lonely, wandering on roads and shopping centres where they can fall prey to negative influences. During the fun days, the Australians would keep the orphans busy in various games and in the making of craft items. This activity helped build confidence between the community and the WYI volunteers.

The Australians slept in a house owned by TEMAK’s Joab Othatcher. There is neither electricity nor piped water, but a well dug in mid 2004 helped the Australian youth take a well deserved bucket bath at the end of each hard day’s work. Drinking water had to be treated with a dose of treatment chemical bought from pharmacists. Mosquito nets were used to keep away the buzzing parasites, while anti-malaria medication helped keep the group relatively healthy during the 6 weeks they were at Katolo.

The WYI youth left Katolo in the second week of February but they weren’t going home straight away! They had organized a short tour for themselves around Kenya to appreciate the world famous wildlife and natural landscapes.

Meanwhile, the Katolo Community Centre continues with its mission of serving the people. The Katolo community centre is training boys and girls in carpentry, masonry, dressmaking, hairdressing, craft, electronics, motor vehicle mechanics and entrepreneurship. A pharmacy and clinic are in place as part of a community healthcare program. There's a store and village shop acting as a collecting point for produce and the exchange of food. School children can borrow books and obtain reference material from the community resource centre and library at the centre. Farmers and livestock owners in Katolo will benefit from training in crop husbandry and livestock development.

Knowledge of computers and the Internet is a must in the 21st century and the Katolo community centre is expected to offer Internet connectivity, community telephone services and computer training. Television and video will beam news and information from the rest of the world.

Future cooperation between TEMAK and World Youth International in Katolo area is aimed at further tackling the problems of poverty, orphaned children and inadequate education in the locality.

See Photo Gallery of this construction project.

Selling crafts for a good cause.

Mrs Aloo, a woman in dire straits.

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