The Back Story

This journey to Kenya is over 40 years in the making. As a beginning teacher in the early 70’s, I applied to be a CUSO volunteer. Some of the reasons were surely my 1960’s idealism, my sense of adventure, my belief in the power of education to create change. But I think there was something else at play. I loved to read about far off places and you couldn’t keep me away from looking at the photos in National Geographic. Then in my first year anthropology course at university, I was fascinated by the concept of ethnocentrism, and in my travels over the years, I have been challenging my own ethnocentric views.

At that long ago time, my application was denied for medical reasons; I was suffering from a fragmented disc and in considerable pain for a few years. However, my dream to someday, somehow participate in international education on the front line remained steadfast.

I decided that when I retired I would do some volunteer work overseas. In the meantime, I was realizing another retirement dream, to work with student teachers. Through one of my former colleagues, I was introduced to ACCES. Wonderful people, great work – providing post secondary educations for Kenyans in Kenya. I could trust that the money I was donating was being spent on tuition. Just when I ‘retired’ from my second job, in the fall of 2010 I spotted an ad in the ACCES newsletter to apply for the 2011 ACCES volunteer representative position for a 6 week stint. I did, and In January 2011 I received a phone call to tell me I’d been selected. This time the timing was perfect.

ACCES operates in Kakamega which is in Western Province, near Uganda and Lake Victoria. Over the years, the ACCES program has evolved.  Post secondary scholarships are administered by Kenyan staff, and ACCES now provides other educational services through CIDA grants, including non-formal elementary schools. I am going not to teach the children but to assist staff in the development of a teacher evaluation process.

My husband Michael will join me after 2 and a half weeks. At the end of the 6 weeks, we will be visiting two game preserves, the eastern coast, and Nairobi.

As I write, it is 7 days before departure. I am taking the typhoid and cholera vaccines, and starting the malaria pills soon. I can hardly wait.