Submitted by damon on Tue, 2014-08-12 10:02
- STORIES FROM MAAI MAHIU, KENYA -
Blog by: Jennifer Goode, Master of International Affairs Student at Columbia University
I touched down in Maai Mahiu, Kenya exactly 5 weeks ago today. With a little over a week to go before heading home, the time has absolutely flown by and I’m planning to finish in my typical fashion: being as productive as I can while having as much fun as I can.
As a current Master of International Affairs student at Columbia University, I began considering how I would fulfill my internship requirement from the moment I started the program nearly a year ago. CTC International was my first consideration, in part due to the fact that the U.S. office is based out of my hometown (Austin, TX) but even more so because I was intrigued by their approach to international development and wanted to see for myself how things were working on the ground. The fact that CTC fosters interconnected, small-scale programs aimed at holistic and sustainable community development absolutely resonated with me and I wanted to be directly involved in that process.
The work that CTC does is challenging, and compared to some larger international development institutions the money does not flow readily, but the staff is knowledgeable and the targets are achievable, allowing CTC to have established many “firsts” in Maai Mahiu and the surrounding area. The first school for kids with special needs, the first waste management system in the community, and the best coffee and pizza this side of Nairobi have put CTC on the map while making tremendous strides in quality of life for the residents here.
Typical. Tusker, butternut squash, and kale
Coming with the intention of carrying out impact assessment has turned into much more than that while working alongside various members of the staff. I’ve waited tables at Café Ubuntu’s first-ever brunch, coached soccer for a group of teenage girls (after quitting the sport approximately 7 years ago), and ventured out into Maasai territory on more than one occasion. My time working here has been extremely well divided among the various programs, and although I’ve worked a great deal inside the office it has not prevented me from getting my hands a little dirty (or rather, feet, considering the dust that currently covers the ground in this eastern pocket of the Rift Valley).
The first, and only, time I was put to work in a Café Ubuntu apron.
Explaining only the work I’ve done while here, without mentioning the local staff who have guided and instructed me, would not do the program justice or paint an accurate picture of what CTC looks like here in Maai Mahiu. Traveling on several stints before - whether it be for education, volunteer work, or employment - has taught me that often the best expectations to have are none at all. However, the interactions that I’ve had and the care that I’ve received from the staff have far exceeded anything I even hoped for. The fact that I’ll be leaving Maai Mahiu with a new, extended family attests to what an invaluable experience this has been for me. Watching the effort and consideration that CTC’s Kenyan staff devotes to their work is of constant inspiration and allows me to have nothing but confidence in the future of the organization, which I plan to remain involved with in whatever ways I can.
The eastern ridge of the Great Rift Valley. Hiking Mount Longonot.