Local work requires local inputs. The input is of course very different depending with whom one talks. It is our job to make an objective verification of the data we are gathering.
We did on Friday two interviews with local people in Nakuru. Getting their experiences and perspectives on e-government and e-voting. Absolutely eye opening interviews. They went directly into my heart. Was bit shaken as well when hearing the details of what happened here in 2007 in the post-election riots.
A very positive experience fit into that day as well. I got so happy about this occurrence after our experience in Nairobi at a restaurant in Mamba village. Namely in Mamba village a waiter was trying to sell us coke for 100 KES, when the real price would have been 60 KES. We spotted that, thanks to our Indian colleagues, who hold count on the budget. The feeling that someone, in a proper restaurant thinks it's just okay to pull a higher prices from you(even if prices are in the price list visible to us)...just because you are not local made us upset.
On Friday we got the opposite example here in Nakuru. Waiter at the Giliani's restaurant, where we went also on Wednesday was amazing. He was relieved to see us and after we had settled he came to talk to us. He said that since Wednesday he had been with guilty conscious. He had gotten confused with our 2 tables and how the bills were supposed to be split and he charged from our table accidentally extra.
He had tried to run after us, as he realized it but we were gone already.
So, on Friday he wanted to settle the difference. What a honest and honorable person.
He also was one of the persons we interviewed on Friday and gave fantastic perspective to things.
People here have hope and they want the change; change of Kenya towards positive development. Meeting the local people here has touched all our hearts. At times must admit, that one has to deal with the emotions involved. One would want to help in all possible ways, but we cannot do everything...and what ever we do here, will be part of the bigger wheel.
I am really glad to be part of, even if on a small scale, the change.
We have the community days coming up...again another way to help and be part of the change. So looking forward to give the toys I gathered in Finland from friend, family and neighbors, to the local kids at orphanage.
When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown #ibmscs Kenya 3
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