December in Kenya, lots going on
The Shoe4Africa IMAN cosmetics Make-Over program in Kibera
So this event was on Dec 19th... it seems like a year ago. We were honored that International model "Ajuma" - Kenya's most famous model who has worked with many of the world's top designers, and continues to work with Vivienne Westwood.
It was a whirlwind week because we took a photographer, Mike Kobal, with us and the first day he arrived were walking round Kibera visiting the homes of the ladies who were participating. The following day was the day of the project and that took all morning. Soonafter it was meeting with our lawyer before jumping in the car and driving up to Nakuru. Just before Nakuru the car had some issues and we literally limped into Lanet before having an art competition at the Patrick Chege Orphan's Memorial Home. Pictures from this event are coming soon!
The next day we were off again but had serious car issues again (same problem) getting up to Eldoret. The delay was meaning that were unable to change money and buy food for the planned next day's Feeding project. The journey took double the usual time, but we were really relieved to finally get there, to Iten... albeit many hours later. The car meanwhile was left at a garage in Eldoret. Thanks to Chris Cheboiboch who drove us to Iten.
The next day I had to visit the new director of the hospital I am partnering with, and that meeting went great - we also took a brief tour of the hospital. Then with the two Luke's (world champion Luke Kibet & Commonwealth Games Champ Luke Kipkosgei) we set off into deep deep countryside along with my friend Haron lagat, who lives in Lubbock Texas. And of course Siamanda who was on all and every project of course!!
Sponsored by board member Stacey Kelly and her husband Hal we had a fantastic event in the Marakwet district. The road was so bad that even one of our pick-ups, a Toyota landcruiser pick-up, got stuck in the mud!! Many hungry children were given big bags of Sugar and rice - commodities that they have been missing. This is also the area where Sally Kipyego lives, and we announced that a Shoe4Africa School will be built here in honor of how far Sally has traveled!
We got back dusty, dirty and tired. The next day I spent sorting out shoes to give out at the race and fixing race logistics. We started the registration for the race. With very little publicity 700 women turned up to register on the very first day. Wow, Siamanda and I had been making posters that we planned to put up around Iten but we did not even bother! Mike helped us sort the shoes - a very dirty job and one that took the whole morning. In the afternoon we went into Eldoret to meet Claudio Berardelli who helps me with S4A. Leaving his house were escaped a road accident by a fraction as a drunk driver sped through a junction weaving all over the road, ten seconds later he also nearly collided with a 10-ton truck. Eldoret had run dry of gasoline and it a gridlock town of narrow streets we dove from gas station to gas station till we finally managed, at the sixth place, to fill the tank. After a run in with a mercedes who was driving on the wrong side of the road, we finally got back to Iten to resume jobs with the race.
The next morning we finally managed to get a run in! A quick 30-minutes but it was great to stretch the legs. Soon after we jumped into the car to drive to the home of Janeth Jepkosgei where we have built our second school. We opened the school along with the Head of Athletics Kenya, Mr. Isaiah Kiplagat who came as he lives very close by, also a Bishop. Great to see many friends and nice to walk around the new school and think of the next generation of kids who will attend this establishment. Martin Lel, whom we built the first school for, also dropped by with many of the other elite athletes. Driving back to Eldoret we stopped at the hospital for Mike to capture some more pics. Our car was now working great! Thank goodness as we were driving distances a lot!
The next morning I was up at dawn, when I woke I could not remember what I had to do... was it a school to open, orphans art, people to feed, shoes to hand out? Serious, I was so so so tired and wiped out that it took moments before I clicked.... 'Ah yes, a race!' I jumped out of bed, loaded the car with all the T shirts, 1200, and drove to the registration place to set up a base, back for breakfast, back with the poles for the set up etc etc... the race was simply amazing and I was shocked how fast Joyce ran to win, if you could see the course - Gosh! The media were great and over the last few days had been providing me with lots of coverage on the TV and the newspapers. My fully charged phone battery went flat continually as my phone was ringing constantly... but there were no hitches - I have to say a big big thanks to the many volunteers who stepped up on race day to help, many of the international runners who were staying in Iten!
So that has been the last few days... now let me take a breath and drink my favorite Kenyan coffee --
Asante, thanks for being a friend of Shoe4Africa
