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Update from our Kenya Project Manager, Tesni Anderson Newsletters » January/February 2008 » Update from our Kenya Monday, 7 January 2008 On Sunday night we heard the news that over 1000 displaced people (due to post election violence) had been moved to the police station opposite Brackenhurst where our volunteer base is. Now there are 2 'refugee camps’ in our Limuru area, one at the police station, the other at the Red Cross Centre. Together, there are probably around 1500 refugees. A lot of them have no food, water or shelter, and many have lost their homes and everything that they have. Our AI Kenya project had come to a halt the last week with all the unrest, leaving our volunteers somewhat frustrated. Now suddenly we were faced with this overwhelming need. I did not even know where to begin. The volunteers safety always being our first concern, I went to visit the refugee camps to see if they were safe enough for the volunteers to come in and help. Both places were very secure and were thrilled at the offer of extra helping hands. The Red Cross gave me a list of their most urgent needs (soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, sanitary pads, dry foods, Vaseline etc). From our project fee, we split up the items and did our best to dominate the list. The volunteers spent the morning at the centre helping to prepare food, sorting out clothing and dressing refugees and distributing food. The situation at the police station was much less organized, as the refugees had only arrived the night before. They hadn't eaten or had water for the last 2 days. We spent the afternoon cleaning water bottles that can be used for containers, cooking rice for 800 people (72kg's), and then distributing the food. We delivered water to the refugees in the evening, which was received with great delight. Volunteers only left the refugee camp at 18h30, exhausted, but satisfied. Between AI and the Red Cross, they asked us to be responsible for cooking the food at the police station. We decided our volunteers would do the lunch every day. This does not mean only cooking, but also a lot of preparing. Stripping spinach, cutting cabbage, peeling potatoes, the works!! They have been fantastic! Some of our volunteers have taken the kids under their wings and have played with the kids for hours on end! Despite the sad things we have seen here in Kenya and the terrible stories we have heard, it has been very rewarding to be able to get involved and to help in some small way. I feel so proud of our volunteers for the way they have gotten stuck in, never complaining, but serving wholeheartedly, with a fantastic attitude. We hope and pray that Kenya will very soon be restored and its people able to live in peace once more.    Tesni Anderson African Impact Project Manager - Kenya Medical & Community Program Other news this month... Update from David Youldon, the ALERT Update from our Kenya Project Manager, Tesni Anderson Big 5 Conservation Expedition Special Offer! Volunteer Feedback: Steven Heritage Rural Pre-School & Medical Project African Impact Volunteer Reunion Expeditions News snippets Subscribe to our free newsletter Africa volunteer opportunities       print this page | bookmark this page (CTRL-D) | send to a friend back to top