Mmmmmbita

Doing our "exam" for the health module with beautiful Lake Victoria in the background

We left Kisumu early in the morning and set out for Mbita Point across the bay. We had to take a ferry that reminded me exactly of the Kennebecasis Island ferry except smaller. I was scared our mammoth trucks would sink the ferry but alas we made it just fine. We’ve finished our first session of classes and we still have about a week until all of the professors for the second session are due to arrive so we have about five days in the lovely town of Mbita in which we have a Health “module” set up by the Health director for the trip, Dr. John. In Mbita we are staying at another campus of ICIPE. The campus is a 60-acre enclave of wealth complete with sturdy buildings, a delicious cafeteria, and bougainvillea-lined paved streets along the shore of Lake Victoria. The town of Mbita is not nearly so posh with many dirt roads and stores and residences made out of corrugated metal. Mbita is the capital of Suba District, Nyanza Province. This province is the poorest and most remote in Kenya. It is also where Obama’s grandfather is from. It also has the highest HIV prevalence in the country- nearly three times higher than the national average, making it a very good place to study health issues in Uganda. During these past few days, we’ve received lectures from local clinicians, and HIV support group members, and visited many places like a primary school for AIDS orphans set up by a local grandma called Little Stars Academy; the farm, also set up by grandmothers, that single-handedly provides the food for the Little Stars’ food program; a traditional doctor- these people have been cunningly co-opted by the Ministry of Health so that the two are no longer at odds; and a women’s co-op made up of grandmothers who have taken in AIDS orphans. Despite the seemingly desperate situation in this area I am genuinely uplifted by the incredible work being done by these and other people in the area.

We’re off tomorrow to the famed Maasai Mara and I couldn’t not be more excited. Cross your fingers for rain for the Suba District and also an elephant and hippo sighting in the Mara for my group!