Teaching our Youth about HIV/AIDS in Kenya's Rift Valley

It is raining here in Kenya, and it’s the best time for women and men in our communities to put seed in the ground and begin to nurture it 'til it matures. In this way, we do our part to assure a bumper harvest in future.
This weekend OTEPIC did some nurturing of our youth through Youth C.R.E.W. (Cultivating Respect for the Environment and the World). We organized an HIV/AIDS campaign for the residents of Mitume and taught about the dangers of HIV/AIDS.
We instructed the young people about prevention as well as how to care for AIDS patients. Youths came in large numbers to learn and to enjoy music, a dancing and singing competition, poetry recitations and plays. I believe that the youths bring people down to earth. They encourage us to learn the ways of our grandparents, and in doing so, help our nation and civilization to rest upon the strong foundation our ancestors created.

Making Charcoal Briquettes in Kenya

Our community came together to make charcoal briquettes and show our guests, including Deborah who was visiting from Switzerland, how to go about making these magical orbs. We collect charcoal dust that would ordinarily be thrown away and then combine it with materials such as grass, corn cobs, etc. We all work together wetting the material and making orbs that we leave to dry in the sun. The combination of materials in the briquettes makes them burn hot and well, and we have created something useful and environmentally friendly out of what would ordinarily be considered trash.

Our Village Tends the Garden

Our garden is growing, and we are grateful. The row of spider herbs forms a beautiful pattern. We are growing "gardens in a bag". See how bountiful our portable garden is! Eric is tending the onions, and we had a visitor from Switzerland, Deborah, who is an environmental student.