Off on an adventure!

At 7:00 AM this morning, we were up to meet the 8^th grade for a special project. The kids learn so much about AIDS in school, and they have all the facts memorized. They can name how it is spread, all the stages, and they can even explain the science behind the virus in detail. However, when it comes to actually talking about AIDS, there is a lot of stigma. When we asked a large group of girls on camera if they knew anyone with AIDS, they all said no, although 1 in 5 Kenyans have AIDS. So, yesterday, we taught a science class. The kids made posters, and today for class they got to hang up in their communities to inform people and try and start conversations. This kind of community involvement and “outside the book” kind of learning had never been done before at Highway Academy. The teacher was fascinated and very supportive, and the impressively focused and empowered by their opportunity. They all held up their posters with big proud grins, and wanted their picture taken. We hung them all over town.

Sara and Esther are also working with them to do skits to film and make a video about AIDS.

Then after class, it was time to go to Lake Victoria. We had arranged for a van, and bumping and jumping and swerving along potholed roads, we made our way along, stopping to take a picture straddling the equator. Two and a half hours later, we arrived at Lake Victoria. Wow! The second biggest lake in the world????? Pretty cool, huh? Well… not really. In fact, when we got to the weed-filled edges of this famous landmark, we were all pretty disappointed. It was just a big green lake. However, that was before we found out that the lake was full of hippos, the second most dangerous animal in Africa, after the Malaria-carrying mosquito.

That’s when our adventure really got started. We rode with Kenyans on the back of their motorcycles to go to the location of the boat ride (Safetly, Mom, don’t worry). We saw all sorts of birds and plants in Lake Victoria, and we got really close to the hippos. They are amazing looking, and did you know that they are pink?

We will spend the night here in Kisumu and then head to Massai Mara tomorrow for a safari.

Love,

Laura