Today I went to the bank with a rucksack FULL of 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, and 20p coins ... all donated by several friends who had the odd jar or cake tin where they chucked small change.
"You can have it if you can be bothered to count it and take it to the bank" said one friend ... so I had it ! #3 daughter and I spend a couple of hours sitting on the floor surrounded by money, sorting and counting it all and it came to £57 !! I was amazed ! So was the bank ... when I went in staggering under a rucksack full of small money.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Friday, 24 December 2010
Boots, boots, boots ...
We have been told for health and safety reasons to wear steel toe cap boots on the building site, but I've been having problems finding some that aren't too expensive and will fit my wide but small feet !
Luckily daughter #3 had a pair of Docs which were small for her, and a bit big for me, but with thick cotton socks, they will do fine. I can find someone to give them to there as she doesn't want them back !
So that's my feet sorted ... big, bov ver boy boots with steel toes !
Luckily daughter #3 had a pair of Docs which were small for her, and a bit big for me, but with thick cotton socks, they will do fine. I can find someone to give them to there as she doesn't want them back !
So that's my feet sorted ... big, bov ver boy boots with steel toes !
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Nice !
I got an information and advice email today from a health organisation we were recommended to join:-
Bed bugs
‘Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!’ is the nightly dictum of the traveller staying in budget accommodation. These oval brown fiends (5-10mm long) usually bite at night and leave a scattering or a line of intensely itchy bites on exposed skin. They can be prevented by choosing good quality accommodation. If you keep a light on at night they will be discouraged from biting, and sleeping under a well-tucked-in permethrin-impregnated bed net will stop them from reaching you. If you have been bitten, do not scratch the bites and take an oral antihistamine (e.g. chlorphenamine or loratidine). Bed bugs do not spread any disease and rarely cause any major harm.
Jiggers
These are sand fleas and are found in many parts of Africa, and in some parts of South America and the Caribbean. Jiggers burrow into the toes or feet, forming pea-size swellings that may ulcerate. The condition that develops is known as tungiasis. They can be easily prevented by wearing sturdy footwear when walking in areas where they occur. In addition, spray your footwear with DEET and inspect your feet periodically, as early removal can help to lessen the infection. If you have a jigger, ask an experienced member of the local community or a medical professional to extract it with a sterile needle and syringe kit. Apply antiseptic afterwards and seek medical advice if you develop redness, pain, pus or swelling. Jiggers pose a tetanus risk so ensure your tetanus boosters are up to date.
Tumbu flies
These live in tropical Africa and, less commonly, South America (also home to the similar bot-fly). Tumbu and bot-flies cause what is known as myiasis – the growth of their larvae in human skin. If you are in an area where these flies are present, watch out for painful boils and make sure there is no maggot inside – they can be identified by two small black dots or the head of a whitish larva. To prevent eggs being laid in your clothes, hot-iron all clothes left to dry outside, including all creases and seams in order to kill the eggs. Better still, dry clothes inside or on a clothes line in full sun. If you do have a larva in your skin, you can kill it by placing a drop of oil or Vaseline on the lesion overnight and then removing the maggot. It is better if a doctor removes it for you, but an experienced local resident may be able to. Ensure that equipment is sterile and that you treat the wound with antiseptic afterwards. Take antibiotics for seven days afterwards. If allergic to penicillin, take either flucloxacillin 500mg four times daily or erythromycin 500mg four times daily.
Ticks
Ticks attach themselves to the body, usually when walking in vegetation or in close proximity to animals. Ticks feed on blood until they enlarge and then fall off. In some cases, they can cause disease (e.g. tick-borne encephalitis, tick-bite fever, some forms of typhus, and Lyme disease). To prevent ticks attaching to you, spray DEET on your skin, or soak your trousers with 100% DEET or permethrin. Tuck your trousers into thick socks and wear sturdy footwear. You can remove ticks by grasping the head end with tweezers and gently pulling them to detach the head-parts. This requires some patience and you should not be tempted to squeeze the tick’s body. Upon removal, apply alcohol to your skin (any spirit will do) and keep an eye out for symptoms of any tick-borne illness occurring.
My #1 daughter got a jigger in her hand when she was at the crawling stage ... it didn't hurt her while it was in her hand, but she didn't like it being removed, for then it did hurt ... the insect produces some sort of anasthetic which numbs the hole they make while it is in situ !
Bed bugs
‘Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!’ is the nightly dictum of the traveller staying in budget accommodation. These oval brown fiends (5-10mm long) usually bite at night and leave a scattering or a line of intensely itchy bites on exposed skin. They can be prevented by choosing good quality accommodation. If you keep a light on at night they will be discouraged from biting, and sleeping under a well-tucked-in permethrin-impregnated bed net will stop them from reaching you. If you have been bitten, do not scratch the bites and take an oral antihistamine (e.g. chlorphenamine or loratidine). Bed bugs do not spread any disease and rarely cause any major harm.
Jiggers
These are sand fleas and are found in many parts of Africa, and in some parts of South America and the Caribbean. Jiggers burrow into the toes or feet, forming pea-size swellings that may ulcerate. The condition that develops is known as tungiasis. They can be easily prevented by wearing sturdy footwear when walking in areas where they occur. In addition, spray your footwear with DEET and inspect your feet periodically, as early removal can help to lessen the infection. If you have a jigger, ask an experienced member of the local community or a medical professional to extract it with a sterile needle and syringe kit. Apply antiseptic afterwards and seek medical advice if you develop redness, pain, pus or swelling. Jiggers pose a tetanus risk so ensure your tetanus boosters are up to date.
Tumbu flies
These live in tropical Africa and, less commonly, South America (also home to the similar bot-fly). Tumbu and bot-flies cause what is known as myiasis – the growth of their larvae in human skin. If you are in an area where these flies are present, watch out for painful boils and make sure there is no maggot inside – they can be identified by two small black dots or the head of a whitish larva. To prevent eggs being laid in your clothes, hot-iron all clothes left to dry outside, including all creases and seams in order to kill the eggs. Better still, dry clothes inside or on a clothes line in full sun. If you do have a larva in your skin, you can kill it by placing a drop of oil or Vaseline on the lesion overnight and then removing the maggot. It is better if a doctor removes it for you, but an experienced local resident may be able to. Ensure that equipment is sterile and that you treat the wound with antiseptic afterwards. Take antibiotics for seven days afterwards. If allergic to penicillin, take either flucloxacillin 500mg four times daily or erythromycin 500mg four times daily.
Ticks
Ticks attach themselves to the body, usually when walking in vegetation or in close proximity to animals. Ticks feed on blood until they enlarge and then fall off. In some cases, they can cause disease (e.g. tick-borne encephalitis, tick-bite fever, some forms of typhus, and Lyme disease). To prevent ticks attaching to you, spray DEET on your skin, or soak your trousers with 100% DEET or permethrin. Tuck your trousers into thick socks and wear sturdy footwear. You can remove ticks by grasping the head end with tweezers and gently pulling them to detach the head-parts. This requires some patience and you should not be tempted to squeeze the tick’s body. Upon removal, apply alcohol to your skin (any spirit will do) and keep an eye out for symptoms of any tick-borne illness occurring.
My #1 daughter got a jigger in her hand when she was at the crawling stage ... it didn't hurt her while it was in her hand, but she didn't like it being removed, for then it did hurt ... the insect produces some sort of anasthetic which numbs the hole they make while it is in situ !
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Update on the Kisumu weather
You can see that now the rainy season has ended, and the weather is steady ... sun all day, temperatures in the low to mid 80's, dropping to a pleasant temperature at night ! Lovely ... and snow is forecast here for tomorrow !
Compare this to the weather chart I put up earlier ...
People are so kind, so very generous
I'm amazed and almost over-whelmed virtually every day at people's generosity towards the project in Kenya; especially the reasons friends give for donating ... in memory of a certain person, or using some of their winter heating allowance. Two more Christmas cards today from friends I haven't seen in years, enclosing cheques ...
I knew in my innermost being that I would be able to raise the necessary money somehow ... Christian faith, maybe ? But I had no idea when I started how it was going to come. This week in our church study group (known rather rudely by its members as 'The God Squad' !) ... we read the story of the poor widow ...
"Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple coffers. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. They gave out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.' "
It is certainly my experience that this is so with giving to charitable causes ...
You know who you are ... thank you, my friends, for your generosity, from the bottom of my heart. All your giving, large or small, has been most gratefully received, and will be used wisely in Kenya.
I knew in my innermost being that I would be able to raise the necessary money somehow ... Christian faith, maybe ? But I had no idea when I started how it was going to come. This week in our church study group (known rather rudely by its members as 'The God Squad' !) ... we read the story of the poor widow ...
"Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple coffers. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small coins. 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. They gave out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.' "
It is certainly my experience that this is so with giving to charitable causes ...
You know who you are ... thank you, my friends, for your generosity, from the bottom of my heart. All your giving, large or small, has been most gratefully received, and will be used wisely in Kenya.
Monday, 13 December 2010
Want a laugh ? Thank you George for this ...
A friend who reads my blog and is good at manipulating photo's thought I might have this sort of bathing arrangement in Kisumu !
Sorry George ... these ladies are Maasai ...
(And oh ! to be that young still !)
Sorry George ... these ladies are Maasai ...
(And oh ! to be that young still !)
Friday, 10 December 2010
The silent day
I managed it !
I attended the coffee morning wearing a placard round my neck saying I wasn't speaking as I had been sponsored to be silent for 24 hours ... and later on, I also attended an evening put on by N., the leader of our group, who had booked the New Rope String Band ... they were fantastic ! Do go and see them if you ever get the chance ... good musicians, comics, story-tellers, clowns, players of odd instruments ... they were all of these !
http://www.newropestringband.co.uk/index.html
Thank goodness laughing wasn't in the silence remit !
Being silent, and making it obvious I couldn't speak by wearing a notice had an odd effect on several of the people I met. It had made me 'disabled' and thus I was out of many peoples experience. Some read the notice when I pointed it out and behaved very oddly ... these weren't total strangers, but people I have known, in some instances, for 30 years ! One friend decided she had to crouch and whisper at me, like to someone mentally handicapped or in a wheel-chair. A second person felt it necessary to raise her voice and speak very simply, like talking to a child. Another couple of people decided it was easiest to ignore me totally, not even catching my glance. Having lived the first 21 years of my life with two moderately physically disabled parents, and observed and been angered by the way they were treated all their lives ... I was still startled to see something of the same behaviour given to me ! People are strange ...
Another odd experience I had today was meeting someone in the supermarket, who said she admired what I was doing, but hadn't I thought it might be a good idea to support Amnesty International ? That got me thinking ...
People who become prisoners of conscience, have actually made a conscious decision to protest about political injustice in their countries, and in making that decision, surely they must have been aware of the risk of imprisonment ? But youngsters living and dying in absolute poverty on the streets of third world countries haven't made a decision to do so for fun or political reasons ! They are trapped in a situation not of their own making ... and so for me, they deserve much more help and support than political prisoners ...
... and yes, I do support Amnesty and have written the letters ...
1 comment:
Charlotte said...
Good on you . What you are doing is wonderful. Yes, your analysis of the difference between prisoners of conscience and those who are caught in poverty and ignorance is helpful and perceptive.
11 December 2010, 09:57
I attended the coffee morning wearing a placard round my neck saying I wasn't speaking as I had been sponsored to be silent for 24 hours ... and later on, I also attended an evening put on by N., the leader of our group, who had booked the New Rope String Band ... they were fantastic ! Do go and see them if you ever get the chance ... good musicians, comics, story-tellers, clowns, players of odd instruments ... they were all of these !
http://www.newropestringband.co.uk/index.html
Thank goodness laughing wasn't in the silence remit !
Being silent, and making it obvious I couldn't speak by wearing a notice had an odd effect on several of the people I met. It had made me 'disabled' and thus I was out of many peoples experience. Some read the notice when I pointed it out and behaved very oddly ... these weren't total strangers, but people I have known, in some instances, for 30 years ! One friend decided she had to crouch and whisper at me, like to someone mentally handicapped or in a wheel-chair. A second person felt it necessary to raise her voice and speak very simply, like talking to a child. Another couple of people decided it was easiest to ignore me totally, not even catching my glance. Having lived the first 21 years of my life with two moderately physically disabled parents, and observed and been angered by the way they were treated all their lives ... I was still startled to see something of the same behaviour given to me ! People are strange ...
Another odd experience I had today was meeting someone in the supermarket, who said she admired what I was doing, but hadn't I thought it might be a good idea to support Amnesty International ? That got me thinking ...
People who become prisoners of conscience, have actually made a conscious decision to protest about political injustice in their countries, and in making that decision, surely they must have been aware of the risk of imprisonment ? But youngsters living and dying in absolute poverty on the streets of third world countries haven't made a decision to do so for fun or political reasons ! They are trapped in a situation not of their own making ... and so for me, they deserve much more help and support than political prisoners ...
... and yes, I do support Amnesty and have written the letters ...
1 comment:
Charlotte said...
Good on you . What you are doing is wonderful. Yes, your analysis of the difference between prisoners of conscience and those who are caught in poverty and ignorance is helpful and perceptive.
11 December 2010, 09:57
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Motivation
I've been asked several times lately WHY I'm doing this ... one person even added 'at your age' !! I wrote my thoughts about this when I started this blog, but it never hurts to re-visit thoughts and ideas, to see if one still thinks the same.
Yesterday, I visited a school in Hereford to see a nativity play. The children were delightful, the school was warm, clean, well-equipped, comfortable. The children were obviously well cared for and happy, and appeared to have everything a child could want to eventually grow into a well rounded and carefree young adult.
Children in Kisumu who had all that the Hereford children had would definitely be in a small minority, from very priviledged families, maybe with parents who were government ministers or well paid surgeons. There are a huge number of AIDS/HIV orphans in Kisumu, either totally family-less, or cast out onto the streets by the remaining relatives they do have, for lack of money, housing, clothes, and the ability to care for them. Maybe an extended African family has lost all working adults and only very frail grandparents are left, with perhaps 20 children to look after. How can they ? So children as young as four or five have to manage to survive on the streets.
When I see and think about my own priviledged grand-children, this knowledge of Kisumu children touches me deeply. What can I do ? Well, in the long term, perhaps nothing ... but this project WILL help just a few of them, some of the teenagers anyway, to learn a simple trade which will ultimately get them off the streets and into employment. My father, himself a disabled orphan, had to work hard to be able to buy carpentry tools, which earned him money, so his tools will be going to Kenya with me, to give to the carpentry workshop for the boys to use. And I will tell them the story of the tools and my father ... that they CAN make their lives better ...
Remember the story of the starfish I related here at the end of this entry ...
http://luolaughter.blogspot.com/2010/07/little-about-geography-and-its-effect.html
I doubt that being a Christian makes much difference to my motivation ... many, many good people feel like I do about third world issues and the problems that AIDS/HIV has brought to developing countries ... but I do have to admit that my faith does have something to do with my motives. Perhaps its that which made me get off my backside and DO something to help ... or perhaps if I'm honest its also the fact that I know Kisumu and the Luo people and something of the language. I never thought I'd go back to Africa again, so when this opportunity came up, I grabbed it; it seemed like it was meant to be ... that the project was in the part of Africa that I love so much.
Yesterday, I visited a school in Hereford to see a nativity play. The children were delightful, the school was warm, clean, well-equipped, comfortable. The children were obviously well cared for and happy, and appeared to have everything a child could want to eventually grow into a well rounded and carefree young adult.
Children in Kisumu who had all that the Hereford children had would definitely be in a small minority, from very priviledged families, maybe with parents who were government ministers or well paid surgeons. There are a huge number of AIDS/HIV orphans in Kisumu, either totally family-less, or cast out onto the streets by the remaining relatives they do have, for lack of money, housing, clothes, and the ability to care for them. Maybe an extended African family has lost all working adults and only very frail grandparents are left, with perhaps 20 children to look after. How can they ? So children as young as four or five have to manage to survive on the streets.
When I see and think about my own priviledged grand-children, this knowledge of Kisumu children touches me deeply. What can I do ? Well, in the long term, perhaps nothing ... but this project WILL help just a few of them, some of the teenagers anyway, to learn a simple trade which will ultimately get them off the streets and into employment. My father, himself a disabled orphan, had to work hard to be able to buy carpentry tools, which earned him money, so his tools will be going to Kenya with me, to give to the carpentry workshop for the boys to use. And I will tell them the story of the tools and my father ... that they CAN make their lives better ...
Remember the story of the starfish I related here at the end of this entry ...
http://luolaughter.blogspot.com/2010/07/little-about-geography-and-its-effect.html
I doubt that being a Christian makes much difference to my motivation ... many, many good people feel like I do about third world issues and the problems that AIDS/HIV has brought to developing countries ... but I do have to admit that my faith does have something to do with my motives. Perhaps its that which made me get off my backside and DO something to help ... or perhaps if I'm honest its also the fact that I know Kisumu and the Luo people and something of the language. I never thought I'd go back to Africa again, so when this opportunity came up, I grabbed it; it seemed like it was meant to be ... that the project was in the part of Africa that I love so much.
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Catch up
Goodness ! Its eight days since I up-dated this.
I've been busy writing Christmas cards, and am sending most people that I haven't seen or spoken to this year, information about the charity ... in the hope I'll get a few more sponsors !
My dear #3 daughter has sponsored me NOT to speak for a whole day on 9th December ... when a friend is holding another coffee morning for my funds ... and I've got to be there, to explain about the charity, where it is, what is it, etc ... all in sign language ! Could be interesting ! I've decided to at the very least wear a sign round my neck, saying
So for volunteers going to central Africa, the answer is 'keep out of fresh-water lakes and slow moving streams'
I hope I haven't put you off your supper !
I've been busy writing Christmas cards, and am sending most people that I haven't seen or spoken to this year, information about the charity ... in the hope I'll get a few more sponsors !
My dear #3 daughter has sponsored me NOT to speak for a whole day on 9th December ... when a friend is holding another coffee morning for my funds ... and I've got to be there, to explain about the charity, where it is, what is it, etc ... all in sign language ! Could be interesting ! I've decided to at the very least wear a sign round my neck, saying
I'm being sponsored
not to speak ...
but I can talk in gestures !
Welcome; come in, have some coffee
and a cake or two !
The rest I'll have to work out gestures for ... and I'll take photos and a map and some info to give out. At least I can pour the coffee ! And wash the dishes afterwards.
######
I continue with the injections ... last Hepatitus B one this week, plus first of the 3 rabies shots which cost £50 per shot, three in total ... and the vaccine is purple, like meths ! The Hep B jabs have made my arm ache for a couple of weeks; the rabies just itches ! And I've bought a large box of anti-malarials ... I'll be a walking chemists by the time I leave UK !
######
Bilharzia (or schistosomiasis) ...
I was going to write about another nasty African disease, when I mentioned that certain storks eat the snails which act as a host for the parasites.
Lake Victoria, and all the fresh-water lakes of central Africa harbour these snails, which in turn harbour the parasite causing this disease. The life cycle is human waste containing the parasite eggs >> into water >> into snails >> from the snails to water again in a mature form >> into human, where the parasite enters the body through the skin or by drinking the water ... and the parasites travel through the body to the liver and spleen ... etc etc.
It is not at first fatal; treatment is effective, but prevention is far better by not going into or drinking water from the lakes. Children with bilharzia are often recognisable by their distended stomachs ...
So for volunteers going to central Africa, the answer is 'keep out of fresh-water lakes and slow moving streams'
I hope I haven't put you off your supper !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)