A jewel in Baringo
As we drag an assortment of slippers and sandals through the mud and water puddles formed by the recent deluge, stories of how we are going to take over the wedding reception before us take point. We were going to take it over! Unapologetically! Because that is what we simply do!
The wind is cool and is refreshingly crisp, something not often experienced in these parts, in the north, the hill we so often confused for a mountain is replaced by a crisp grey cover of rains approaching. In the south the Iten mountain ranges popular for honing our marathon champions’ skills seem to have disappeared, a distant blue sky perfectly blending into the grey. Birds seem louder now, their chirps livelier, the green expanse seem to spread across the whole world. In the distance you can see the cows relishing their green meal, overfed, and spoilt for choice. We take it all in privately wondering where the hot, dry and sunny land had vanished to.
A bevy of girls rush past us in the opposite direction, joining in the festival the animals were now preaching; some on bicycles too big for them, some jerricans in hand and some(I believe) there for the much needed company. Off they went towards a well known dam to fetch water. We recognize a few as the same mentees we interacted with earlier, we are proud they are obedient children and helpful to their Parents.
We are part of an NGO, Peace Ambassadors Integration Organization (PAMBIO), in Kenya though we are PAK (Peace Ambassadors Kenya) composed of Kenyan Youths from thirty-seven Universities across the country. We are currently in Baringo County, an area called Mogotio in a school Ngubereti High school, fulfilling one of our projects, Mentor and Mentee (MnM)
We have just completed the second day of mentoring in the high school. A successful two day event that saw us engage in a myriad of activities ; from group discussions, team building activities, boy/girl talk, educational advice and much more, honestly you would have to come experience it to know everything.
We started off in 2012 as a group of youth seeking to sensitize ourselves against violence, since then we have only grown; spreading from university to university, slowly creeping into people’s consciences and pulling them along to good works. Since then we have honestly seen miracles happening, we have seen hundreds of youths visit war-tone areas to participate in community Peace walks, we have had youths travel from far corners of Kenya to participate in Youth Leadership trainings that are characterized by peace forums and youth interactions and so much more. Perhaps the most stunning thing in PAK is the sense of family that is encouraged in the group, the friendliness of the members, the complete lack of pre-judgement, I would like to paste testimonies at this point bt I dare not for we are walking towards a wedding reception.
From the back we hear a steady humm, and students, the ones, hopefully, inspired by our talks and putting in extra hours after school, rush past us in neck-breaking speed. We had learnt to listen to the students’ rain prediction, always serving us well hitherto today, the rains had remembered this little rocky area. We followed suit and took shelter in a small shop served by a state-of-the-art solar bulb, popular for their local ‘ngumu’ owing to their hard exterior.
A few shakes later we were enroute to celebrate a wedding between a former student of Ngubereti High and his beautiful lady. Our invite is a verbal notification from the school Principal, who agreed us to accompany him in presenting the gift. Drenched, muddy, most of us in slippers and sandals and proceeded into the celebrations, joining the already established dancing file. Our different chapter representatives from across the nation took time to introduce a new dancing style: from the popular luhya belly rub, the kamba shoulder jiggle, the Kikuyu stump along with an assortment of new-age dances. Abdallah, the cook from the school we were mentoring was now serving as the chief chef and kept the drinks coming our way, hot steamy and thick tea.
I sat back, and felt proud, proud that miles away from the hustle & bustle of the streets of Nairobi I had come and touched a life, made someone laugh, taught someone some new dance moves and much more. Even prouder that I did it with family from across the nation, met friends from Kakamega, Mombasa and areas I didn’t know existed in Kenya. We walk back home satisfied! Chess and cards are on the menu tonight before we doze off, I remember I have a chess vendetta with a ‘Maureen’, I am psyched.