So many things have been happening with my project that I haven’t been able to keep up with writing about it. I’ve been through ups and downs, with good news and bad news, with too much to do and too little. I’ve been both so excited about it that I don’t ever want to leave and so frustrated that I want to board the next plane out.
But as I look retrospectively at all these ups and downs, I realize they are the result of the tug of war between what I want to do to help KGSA and what is realistically achievable with my limited time, means, energy, and funding. With my remaining two months, I am attempting to address one small need, of one tiny school, in one community, of one country, in a whole world full of people with other needs. Even just looking at KGSA, my work dwindles in comparison to what needs to be done, and it’s easy to get disheartened.
But I’m trying to stay constructive, realistic, narrow and flexible. My central goal is to promote women in science by 1) improving the science education at KGSA and 2) assisting the Form 4 girls in science in transitioning to post-graduate scientific endeavors. So the solar project aligns with both goals in that it gives the girls an exciting, educational lab component to their physics curriculum and gives the girls job skills in an emerging scientific industry in Kenya. But I’m realizing that the solar project will by no means be sufficient in reaching those two goals, and those two goals are perhaps not the only things KGSA needs that I could work for with my time here.
Right now, the solar project is scheduled for next week. The materials are all on hold and I am currently in the process of transferring the money for the purchase. We have 15 girls picked out: eleven Form 3 and 4 physics students, and four eager Form 2 students that we hope will pursue physics after this project. I originally wished to have all the girls make panels, but I’ve decided to focus the solar project on a smaller more realistic group of girls who will get the most out of it: those already with some interest in physics who would be more inclined to work in a career that needs electronics skills. It also wouldn’t make sense to have girls with no class work in electronics building panels--they won't understand what they would be doing.
I also have made some important discoveries and connections that are helping me to redirect the solar project in a more effective and sustainable direction. My first discovery was rather disheartening, but vital to my project’s success. Byronnes Khianga, a previous teacher at the school and Electrical Engineering graduate, heard about my project and wanted to introduce me to a close friend of his who is in the “solar business”. It was a typical Kenyan meeting in that this solar friend was late to our appointment, so late in fact he never showed up. So Byronnes friend’s son showed us the solar products his father was selling. I expected this connection to lead to a new source of raw materials that could help us lower the cost of production of our lamps, but this man didn’t sell raw materials, he sold already manufactured versions of our product. He sold 4 different versions of our lamps: all slightly different in design and of different sizes, all in flashy plastic cases with impressively constructed external panels, all imported from factories in India, all significantly cheaper than we could ever possibly offer. So after the initial impulse to cry and wallow in self pity, Byronnes and I talked things over and decided on a redirection.
We still need to construct the solar panels with KCYP for educational purposes. We have ordered enough materials for each person involved in the project to make two panels. This will allow us to keep an established fleet of panels at the school for girls to check out and take home to study after dark when necessary. The remaining 20 or so panels we can market within Kibera or in the rural areas to people that can afford our price. As impressive as the imported panels are, this man has only casually sold them and has done little to no marketing. So at least our first fleet of panels for sale will have a market, maybe even a second fleet. From this experience, the girls will be educated in basic electronics, basic marketing and basic solar concepts—making perfect candidates to market our products or the imported Indian products. So our hope is that we can work with, rather than against, Byronnes’ friend. Since he has yet to market them in Kibera, what would be better than someone who is extensively familiar with both the product and the market where they will be sold?
Sande at KCYP was entirely un-intimidated by the new products and doesn’t want to abandon further construction. He is confident that the Indian products are of lower quality, comparing them to what are called “China phones”: flashy, attractive, yet poorly made phones imported from China that notoriously break down quickly. Kenyans love having an impressive phone and are teased into buying the gaudy, inexpensive China phones, but after a wave of broken down phones the phase passed and the phones have become infamous. Sande insisted that these Indian panels would be the same in the solar business. When they hit the market but break down, it will actually increase business for us because our product is high-quality and comes with locally available service. He wants to buy and take apart some of the Indian products to get ideas for how to improve our product. He also wants to investigate where these Indian companies get their raw materials. If they are indeed high quality goods, we should look into importing our raw materials from their facility in order to lower our cost of production.
One of my favorite pictures of Abdul
So all in all, the discovery of these products is good news disguised as bad news. From these products we can learn how to improve our own or we can focus on the construction project to an educational endeavor and market these imported products for greater profit and sustainability. And regardless of what direction we go, refining our product or shifting our focus to marketing, this new direction lowers the cost of the solar project so I can consider spending my grant on other ways I could encourage KGSA girls in science. This discovery has also opened my eyes to what scientific careers really consist of in Kenya. Careers in research and development or manufacturing of scientific products are rare in the Kenyan scientific context. Kenyans with degrees or careers in science are more typically involved in marketing of scientific products or electronic maintenance and installation. So the solar project still gives them valuable experience for such careers, but my idea of this project preparing them for jobs in scientific manufacturing industries is unrealistic.
As money and time allows, these are some ideas I have had to encourage KGSA girls in science: 1) Bring speakers and visitors to the school that would be empowering and knowledgeable about what it takes to get a job in science in Nairobi
2) Make connections at scientific industries or with electricians around Nairobi and pair students up with mentors to job shadow with
3) Have Sande train some of the graduating seniors in large scale solar panel installation and funding them to start a business installing panels around Nairobi
4) Put together fun projects and lesson plans for the after school Science Club to boost involvement with the younger students
5) Purchase materials for the physics lab so that the physics curriculum is more complete and to make physics a more tangible subject
6) Improve the consistency and quality of science teaching at KGSA by funding a training of the science teachers by U of Nairobi science professors and paying them a consistent salary so that they stay at KGSA for the long term
But I realize that boosting women in science is not all I can do with my time here. I’ve been meeting with other organizations and people working in Kenya and have been collecting ideas for how to improve KGSA.
My plans for KGSA more broadly are to:1) Improve communications and organization at the school. There is so much going on at the school and only a few people (Abdul, Teka and Ryan in the US) know about all of it. As much as Kenyans are comfortable with a laissez faire way of organizing things, and as much as I don’t want to be the haughty msungu to trump into KGSA and do things in an “American” way, I believe that if things are better communicated and publicized, we could more effectively market the school for donations and we could more effectively delegate school responsibilities and funds to different programs. Of course I’m not the first person with this idea and this is much easier said than done. Abdul, Teka and Ryan have been trying to organize things better since the school began in 2006, but I believe this goal is so central to KGSA that I want to be a part of this effort while I’m here.
2) Get more computers for the school and hire someone to teach computer skills. I feel that computer skills are probably one of the biggest advantages to have in the Kenyan job market. Just yesterday I was hanging out in the school library helping one of the girls start an email account. She didn’t even know how to delete typed text with a backspace/delete button. Growing up with computers all around me, I can't even remember a time when I didn't know that. If our girls graduated with decent competence in computer skills, a huge number of jobs would be opened for them. I am interested in walking into the Nairobi Google office sometime this month and convincing them to invest in the school’s computer resources. Perhaps this will be just another depressing rejection by the Google Company for me, but I have faith that even if Google isn’t the company to do it, we can find money for computer classes for the girls someday.
3) Revamp the student groups and promote student leadership. The many extracurriculars at KGSA have a mixed record of success. In one hand we have the Journalism Club: an entirely student run “Junior Achievement Company” that publishes a quarterly magazine about Kibera and the school. The magazine is sold around Kibera and internationally online. But on the other hand, we have the Science Club, the Human Rights Club, the Scouting Club… all unfunded clubs that, as far as I know, do little more than exist at KGSA. Perhaps these clubs are just another part of KGSA I know little about and they actually are active and functional, but I doubt it. I feel that with a little attention and funding, these clubs could blossom into something as great as the Journalism Club. Also, when I wonder about how I can help the school, I often think to myself that maybe the girls themselves have the best idea. There is a complicated system of class prefects and student leadership that I barely understand, but I haven’t seen too much evidence of the girls being involved in the planning of how to improve KGSA. I feel that this student leadership would help Abdul and Teka who are always busy planning things for the school, but could also be valuable experience for the girls.
4) Individually interview the graduating class about their post-graduation plans and guide them through the transition process. Since the girls don’t graduate until December or January, I am here at the wrong time for this, but I could get a head start now or find a way to stay here until then. I am definitely able to help girls make CV’s and resumes and I could help connect them to people in their industry of interest. I can’t really guarantee that I would be able to get them all jobs or scholarships, but a go-to person or career counselor that could help them search and prepare for the transition couldn’t hurt.
Some of what I aspire to do is probably already being done by Abdul, Teka, Ryan, and the other msungus working at the school. And even in writing my analysis of what’s going on at the school, I feel like I, as a visitor to the school, am in no place to really judge how things are being done and how they should be done. But I think as I enter my 4th month on the ground at KGSA, my 8th month on the ground in Kenya, and my 3rd year in love with Kenya, its time to stop watching and start doing. I’ve learned enough about Kenya to help with an open mind and an open ear; I can help without being “that haughty msungu” stomping in to change things.
I also have made some important discoveries and connections that are helping me to redirect the solar project in a more effective and sustainable direction. My first discovery was rather disheartening, but vital to my project’s success. Byronnes Khianga, a previous teacher at the school and Electrical Engineering graduate, heard about my project and wanted to introduce me to a close friend of his who is in the “solar business”. It was a typical Kenyan meeting in that this solar friend was late to our appointment, so late in fact he never showed up. So Byronnes friend’s son showed us the solar products his father was selling. I expected this connection to lead to a new source of raw materials that could help us lower the cost of production of our lamps, but this man didn’t sell raw materials, he sold already manufactured versions of our product. He sold 4 different versions of our lamps: all slightly different in design and of different sizes, all in flashy plastic cases with impressively constructed external panels, all imported from factories in India, all significantly cheaper than we could ever possibly offer. So after the initial impulse to cry and wallow in self pity, Byronnes and I talked things over and decided on a redirection.
But I realize that boosting women in science is not all I can do with my time here. I’ve been meeting with other organizations and people working in Kenya and have been collecting ideas for how to improve KGSA. 
3) Revamp the student groups and promote student leadership. The many extracurriculars at KGSA have a mixed record of success. In one hand we have the Journalism Club: an entirely student run “Junior Achievement Company” that publishes a quarterly magazine about Kibera and the school. The magazine is sold around Kibera and internationally online. But on the other hand, we have the Science Club, the Human Rights Club, the Scouting Club… all unfunded clubs that, as far as I know, do little more than exist at KGSA. Perhaps these clubs are just another part of KGSA I know little about and they actually are active and functional, but I doubt it. I feel that with a little attention and funding, these clubs could blossom into something as great as the Journalism Club. Also, when I wonder about how I can help the school, I often think to myself that maybe the girls themselves have the best idea. There is a complicated system of class prefects and student leadership that I barely understand, but I haven’t seen too much evidence of the girls being involved in the planning of how to improve KGSA. I feel that this student leadership would help Abdul and Teka who are always busy planning things for the school, but could also be valuable experience for the girls. 
The walk from my home to the school weaves through backroads and neighborhoods that show me new flavors of life in Kibera. I walk past gaggles of unemployed men who day after day just sit idly, chewing mirra leaves, waiting for life to change. I walk past ladies selling vegetables or electronic parts, men pulling carts of water jugs or trash bags—doing anything that pays. I walk down the railroad and am struck by a spectacular view of Kibera, hills and hills of sheet metal stretching as far as the eye can see.
And I walk right past the heart of the post-election violence of December 2007. I see the open space where political rallies started then and are still commonly held now. I see the remnants of houses that have been burnt to the ground and covered in graffiti. Unsurprisingly, the previous inhabitants of the burnt houses were Kikuyus—the tribe of President Mwai Kibaki who many think unrightfully won the election. The violence dissipated when the Luo runner up, Raila Odinga, became Prime Minister. But as is the case with most African coalition governments, it appears as if “Prime Minister” is more of a title than a true governing position. But despite the current peace, those burnt homes are not rebuilt, those inhabitants have not felt safe enough to return, and displaced people still live in tents in the rural areas. 
Coming August 4th, Kenya will vote again. This time it is a referendum vote on a new constitution written to help reduce corruption. I have considered vacationing to my old homestay in Kariakor for the vote just to make sure I’m out of the warzone, but I don’t expect history to repeat itself here. The referendum seems to have at least 70% of Kenyans in favor, with the division seemingly less tribal. And more importantly most politicians are in support of it. So with the “corruptors” on the majority side, I don’t see a huge incentive to rig the results. And without rigged results, I don’t expect such violence to return to Kibera. 
And Kenyans are committed to keeping the peace after this election. “Katiba Mpya, Kenya Moja”, meaning “New Constitution, One Kenya”, is a popular slogan for the Yes campaign. Other non-partisan advertisements show pictures of the 2007 violence and say “whichever way you vote on August 4th… never again”. Then my favorite peace advertiser, a local artist called Solo 7, is all over Kibera once again. After the 2007 election, Solo 7 painted the words “Keep Peace” in hundreds of places around Kibera. But as I walk my old routes in Kibera and discover new ones, I realize that Solo 7 is back at it again. I find notes like “Vote Peacefully, Kenya” and “Chagua Katiba kwa Amani” (Vote for the constitution with Peace) around in his familiar handwriting and I’m warmed by his mysterious messages.
As for my living situation, things have certainly calmed down since the devil worshipping shindig. The next day they finished exams so I picked them up from school and we went for ice cream and got ingredients to make guacamole. Miriam went nuts, hugging me like we were best friends and hadn’t seen each other for years. She trotted me around her school making sure everyone in her class saw her msungu sister. We came home and ate our snack in front of the typical music videos and after that Miriam lost interest in me pretty quickly. 
Then his worst habit is that he’s an early bird and wants to spread the joy. At 7am on a Saturday, I startle from a dream and BAM he’s right there sitting on my bed, patiently waiting for me to get out of bed. I was surprisingly patient with him that time and when I eventually decide I can’t go back to sleep, I follow him down for breakfast. Then today, I’m struggling with some allergies or a cold, but I open my eyes at 7:30am and he’s sitting there again, this time at my desk silently messing around with my little alarm clock. This time it’s not so cute: I feel terrible, I wanted to sleep in today and so I tell him to leave. He does, but comes back in and I open my eyes to see him there again. So then I’m a little harsher and he leaves for good, but leaves the door open. With the noise from the TV and from people in the kitchen and other life going on in the house, I realize I just can’t sleep in. 
Asia works a lot but things are getting a little less busy as her social work organization runs out of funding for the season and the school she works at closes after exams. My new home is a lot busier and noisier. Asia always has music playing (which is usually a good thing) and she loves to go out dancing. With Salomi only speaking Swahili and with the kids loving to speak to me in Swahili, I’m getting a lot better at it. The other day in the matatu, we were stopped at my stage and I was getting off with some other people. But before I had gotten out, the traffic cleared so the driver started driving and I yelled at them to stop there in Swahili, nothing fancy. Not only did they stop to let me out, but everyone in the matatu turned to look at me incredulously. As I got out the driver was saying “Ngai! Msungu anasema Swahili?” (Shoot! The white girl speaks Swahili?) I was pretty pleased with myself.
The living here is pretty much the same as Kariakor except for a little excitement we had the last couple of days. Someone stole or tampered with the transistor that supplies electricity to my block. Evidently some oil that is in the transistor is incredibly valuable, so people steal it and sometimes are burned or electrocuted in the process. Then instead of promptly coming to fix it, the Nairobi Electricity Company dragged their feet waiting for residents to bribe them to fix it faster. I was happy to see Asia giving them a piece of her mind instead of giving them a wad of cash. But despite her angry efforts, we were out of power for 3½, almost 4 days. Take from that what you will: money talks.
