Today felt very productive. Rachel, Joakim and I spent an hour or so setting up the cameras and audio, making sure the two connected. We then travelled by coach to Cham Gi Wadu, to meet the community this all revolves around! From a large, empty, echoy room, we set up chairs and a table in a way that would work with the camera shots. We filmed the panel of women at the front from one camera, and from the other we filmed a closer shot of the panel, and another of the audience. We recorded the audio through a zoom and a handheld, wireless microphone. The talk itself was powerful. Despite having heard about the issues back in Brighton, it was eye-opening and hit harder, hearing it from the community themselves. The three female social workers spoke of child pregnancies, child marriages and FGM within the community, and how the radio would help open up the discussion on such topics. The most hitting point was about education, their words being, “we do not know our rights.” This is what the radio will spread awareness of, alongside sharing knowledge on farming crops of higher yields etc. It was enriching to meet some of the community and I’m looking forward to meeting more members tomorrow! We stopped off at a supermarket on the way back to the hotel and played cards and werewolves at our usual table. A couple of us are getting ill – thought to be the price of the sugar cane!
Today, we met the Vice Chancellor of Rongo University. Peter told him more about the project and the work we have been contributing towards, the fundraising and the kit bought. The VC was very thankful, making us feel welcome – as everybody here has been. Peter then ran a lecture for us and the Rongo students, discussing allegories and the history of community radio. After this, we divided into teams of videographers, photographers, and audiographers. As part of the videography team, we set up two static cameras at the gates and filmed Joakim and Rachel in an interview style, with two differing camera angles – using the 180° rule. Back at the class, we discussed our findings – that everyone is very equally matched and we were mutually exchanging skills and questions with one another. It was a long day and most went to bed after a delicious dinner including local fish, noodles and vegetables. A couple of us waited up for Rachel’s suitcase – a trip highlight!
We went to Cham go Wadu, all in the big blue Rongo University bus. Everywhere here is as beautiful as a photograph; I should know, I feel like I am constantly chasing a perfect representation of what I can glimpse out the bus windows.
The talk was really powerful. Hearing the women speak with such passion about their community and those that have fallen victim to horrific crime makes me grateful that I am here. It really solidified that I am a part of something, something that means something to these people. Their speeches were so emotive I had to keep distracting myself by checking the focus of the camera because I was getting tears in my eyes. The struggles that these people endure are things I can’t even wrap my brain around, yet here they are looking out for others and finding time to talk to me. Not just talk to me, but really pull back the curtain and let me hear the ugly part of their community which I can’t even imagine how difficult that must be.
It made me look forward even more to meeting those in the community over thee next couple of days. I just feel so lucky; I feel myself repeating that a lot these days.
Later, we heard some singing. It was in sync, on beat, with harmonies to boot; it was so impressive even Peter called from the balcony that we should get a closer look. A few of us walked over and sat on benches facing them and watched. They noticed us but they didn’t seem fazed by our presence. They either didn’t care or were having too much fun or some mixture of both. They just kept singing and singing, doubling over laughing until they couldn’t breath and then back to the singing. They were so good; I wanted to pull out my camera and get closer and try to capture the joy they were omitting, but I opted for just sitting from afar as to not disturb the magic.
After dinner, we all piled into the van to make our way back to the hotel. Maybe I was subconsciously thinking about those students singing, but just as I suggested we sing a song, Anya burst out singing. We started playing a game, all singing different words of a song to try and piece together the whole melody. I cried with laughter and sang at the top of my lungs (sorry to everyone) and we carried on until we just couldn’t anymore.
I can’t help but find a beautiful parallel between the African students singing and us singing. Yes, we were off key and Joakim didn’t know any of the words to the songs, but we both found joy in singing in a circle with friends. I believe that we do have community and culture; it just might be more transparent to use because we are in it. It’s like we can’t see the whole forest because we are in the trees; we cannot see our own culture because we are constantly surrounded by it.
I look at the Kenyans with envy because they have a deep connection with their community and their culture which I wondered if I had, or have ever had. Maybe my feelings of doubt are right, and we don’t. But when I see their connection mirrored back into my own world, I realise that that sense of community is all around me.
I awoke with a sense of excitement and trepidation. This was the first Community Media 4 Kenya trip to Rongo in 4 years. A lot had happened in this period. Over 2 years of the Covid19 pandemic and ensuant lockdown as well as a road traffic accident in Nairobi and 4 major reconstruction surgeries on my arm. I’d been in Nairobi for 2 days making plans and awaiting the arrival of the students. Would these students be as enthusiastic as previous groups I’d taken? Would the community not have become disillusioned and moved on due to the enforced break? How would Rongo University, our initial partners in CM4K (there are 2 more universities waiting to join up with CM4K – Machakos & Kibabi), receive us? Much had changed at Rongo since our last visit. Isabel Zattu a founder member of CM4K from Rongo had completed her Master’s and had gained promotion in another job at Kibabi University. Jerry Agalo, former Dean of the School of Infocoms and the main driving force at Rongo had retired but was now teaching part-time and Professor of Outreach & Community Research. It felt like a tipping point. Either we would move on and CM4K would evolve and live up to its pre-Covid potential or it would fade into a natural passing. 10 years of amazing people and experiences through which we have been able to share knowledge, transform our worldviews, learn much and make many friends.
As I pondered these matters, I prepared to meet the students at Jomo International Airport, Nairobi for our internal flight to Kisumu, where Jerry would be waiting for us with a University bus. As I walked from the carpark to the arrivals gate, I saw the student group walking outside into the waiting embrace of the many taxi drivers, sales-folk and scammers that accost tourists as the arrive. I smiled to myself, having danced that jig many times over the years. I got to them and we all smiled and I urged them to bring it in as we embraced in a rather clumsy group hug. They were certainly excited and please to be here. Their trip was not without incident as Rachael’s case had been left in Istanbul. This was to prove to be a 5+ day saga, that I will leave to Rachael to share. Except to say a special thanks to Okope & Jerry who took 7 hours out of their days to drive to Kisumu and collect it when it finally arrived.
The flight to Kisumu was uneventful and we met Jerry & Charles (driver) on time. We stopped at a bank in Kisumu so they could withdraw money as well as a supermarket to get water and provisions. The trip to Rong was filled with excitement and yells of glee and joy as they snapped as many pictures as possible of the new environment and scenes of rural life that the cramped minibus would permit. We were all glad to finally arrive in Rongo at the Treat House Resort. I have stayed here many times and the staff and I have become very close over the years. The students disappeared to their rooms for a deserved sleep/rest, although some did venture into the pool for a short swim. I bought them all dinner and the traditional first ‘pint’ before finally retiring to my room for a well-earned rest. I had forgotten how fielding the bombardment of questions from excited young people could drain you but I went to sleep with a smile on my face as I was getting a good feeling about the group.
Today was a good day. It was finally time to go to Chamgiwadu, the community we are setting up a community radio station in and have been thinking about for 4 months. It took a little while to get there as we had to wait for a bigger bus to arrive, but it meant we had time to sort out some of audio equipment and decide what we wanted to use. After another great lunch and a scenic drive we arrived at the village. The plan was for 3 social workers to give a talk on some of the issues in the community and how radio would help solve them, so we had to document it through video, photography and audio. We had to move rooms initially as it was too echoey, so we moved into a larger hall and started to set up the cameras.
The process was a little challenging, with the set up of the room and it’s lighting. We are still getting used to working with each other and the equipment so there was a lot of differing opinions on angles and settings, but this is what working with others is all about and I think we are satisfied with the result.
The talk itself was incredibly insightful and inspiring, hearing about all the issues surrounding FGM and violence against women and children and how these women plan to address them with community radio. One thing that stuck with me was that without the knowledge, people don’t know their own rights so don’t actually know that they shouldn’t have to be put through violence. This is something I think community radio could really help start conversations about.
the full group!
After the talk finished and questions were asked, we packed up and hung out outside for a bit and took photos. We went back to the university and had some more great fried fish. Back at the hotel we played a game and had a beer to unwind. Tomorrow we are back to Chamgiwadu to meet the Chief and meet some more community members.
What a weekend spent discovering Kenya’s sights! We began with a long, bumpy ride to the archeological site of Thimlick Ohinga – thankfully the bus survived it! Though the anthropological history was incredible to learn about, I was distracted by the colony of bats in the ‘first wife’s’ bedroom. They were rascals to photograph and film but a few of us hung back and, with patience, Ellie managed to capture a beautiful photo! We also spotted a couple of nests, huge clusters in the trees belonging to hamerkops! Along the walk through the settlements were swallowtails, but sadly no sightings of monkeys. The following day, a long journey to Lake Simbi paid off as we witnessed a group of wild flamingos wash and feed on algae. A few local folk told us tales about the lake and how it came to be. Fascinatingly, no animals survive in Lake Simbi. Besides the algae, there is no life! Around the lake, it was thriving however, with cattle and many birds, big and small. We stopped off at Homa Bay, walking down a jetty on Lake Victoria. We could just distinguish mountains in the distance, across the largest lake in Africa. The marabout storks were fascinating to watch, perched in trees, on telephone poles, flying above us, and walking the streets, shoulder height with passers by. Finishing by watching the sunset, it’s fair to say we each felt particularly mesmerized by Kenya after this weekend.
After a good night’s sleep and a filling breakfast, we squished onto the minibus and headed to Rongo University. We couldn’t meet the Vice Chancellor, but we enjoyed icebreaker and name-learning games with Rongo’s info-coms students. Everyone immediately connected and got along! We also walked the campus a little and passed time playing on the grass! Peter held a seminar for Brighton and Rongo students, dissecting ‘community radio’ and establishing the difficulty in defining ‘community’. We believe it encompasses connection, collaboration, support networks, shared beliefs, benefits and interests, common ground, and a sense of cohesion and togetherness. We are hoping the radio will facilitate communication, share voices of the community and help to connect members. This was the first meeting between students since 2019, and we are off to a very good start!
After a gruelling 26 hour journey from my door in Brighton, England to the Treat House Resort here in Rongo, Kenya, spanning 1 train, 3 planes, and 1 van, we finally arrived. Sleep deprived and hot, there was very little we could do except relax and (eventually) enjoy a lovely vegetable curry.
After a long sleep, we set out to Rongo University to meet the Vice Chancellor and some of the students. Unfortunately he had been called away to a meeting in Nairobi, so we spent some time on the campus exploring the grounds. We had already felt some Kenyan hospitality, but it was amazing how welcoming everyone was, taking time to come and say hello to us and tell us we are most welcome. A maths teacher called Bob Omandi took a break from his lesson to come and talk to us, telling us about how people here are named. After a delicious lunch, we met the Rongo media students and had discussions on what community and community radio means to us all.
The next day was Saturday, so we drove for about 2 hours to the Thimlich Ohinga archeological site. Sitting at the back of the bus on the dirt roads was an experience but the views on the way were worth it! The site is a 14th century Luo settlement of four walls with huts inside for the chief and his wives (polygamy!). We were guided round the site by a very knowledgeable host but poor Libby had sun stroke so she just slept under a tree. We also met a very sweet dog who we called Lentil as we fed him some lentil samosas! We got back to the hotel and played a very hectic game of Irish snap, which I think amused (bemused) the staff and other guests!
the team under a huge cactus
On Sunday we were promised some flamingos which we were all very excited about, so we drove off to Lake Simbi. When we arrived there were none in sight, but thankfully we turned a corner and there they were! Not too many of them mind, and they weren’t pink (which Anya had spookily predicted in her dream), but we were thrilled nonetheless. Some locals told us the myth of how the lake came to be. Apparently there was once a village on top of a hill where the lake is, but when a women visited and was treated without welcome, the rains started and sank the village and the hill to become a holy lake. In reality (and just as interestingly), it is a volcanic crater without any inlet or outlet. Nobody knows how deep it is and it sustains no life due to its high alkalinity. On the way back we stopped at Homa bay and walked up the pier a bit. There were huge Storks the size of children there! We went back to the hotel and played some more cards but we got an early night as the next day we had to get to work.
flamingos!
On Monday morning we drove to Rongo University, and met the Vice Chancellor in his fancy office and listened to him and Peter speak about the progress of the radio station. The project seems to have stalled because they want it to be a state of the art, modern station, but as we learnt later in Peter’s lecture on the characteristics of community radio, it should suit the economic ability of the region and be run by members of said region. Everything is ready to start broadcasting, so hopefully this will happen soon! After the lecture we got hands on with the equipment, splitting us and the Kenyan students up into groups of video, photography and audio. We practiced and figured out everyone’s ability, filming a fake interview with me and Katie, which was quite funny. The food has been consistently great at Rongo University but tonight’s food has to be the best – amazing fried fish with lentils and chapatis. We got back to the hotel and Rachael got her suitcase back after 5 (!) days after it was left in Istanbul, so that was a happy ending to the day!
Ah, you thought that you had heard the last from me? Well I am here to say that you have not, muhaha! I have been back in England for an entire week now, and before life gets too hectic, I just wanted to take a moment to say one last, big, GIANT thank you.
Being a part of CM4K has truly been one of the most amazing, life changing experiences that I will forever cherish. This project is phenomenal for so many reasons, and one of those reasons for me has been meeting you all. If this project did not exist, I would have never had the chance to know you, and that thought makes me incredibly sad. Each and every one of you are wonderful, and I see only good things in your futures. I am excited to carry on following the progression of CM4K, to watch it grow, develop, and I hope to be there at the grand opening of the Radio Station – I don’t want to miss it for the world! We have contributed to something amazing, never forget that. Your hard work will never be forgotten.
So once again, thank you all. I hope that I do not have to wait as long as I have to meet you all again. This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you soon!
Finally the last day of editing has come! As much as I love editing videos it was becoming very stressful for me as I felt very anxious about the amount of work load there was to do. I am an awful person to handle stress, especially large work loads when it is meant to be group contributions.
I found this day particularly useful as I was able to complete all the editing I was meant to do. I found this day particularly tiring as I woke up in a can’t be bothered mood and wanted to get my energy back by staying in bed, all the field work and early mornings had caught up with me. I woke up with stomach pains which later left me and because of it I was considering staying at the Pastoral Centre to sleep off the pain and exhaustion. I knew how important the work we were doing was and how it had to be finished by Wednesday, and the the editing I had to do I didn’t want to pass on to anyone else. With all this I was pretty moody that day… sorry guys!
As usual the weather was hot and I wanted nothing more but to stay outside and soak up the son and forget about the work load. Sitting in the hot classroom I was becoming agitated with my work and I knew how important all this was. In all truthfulness I was being short tempered and I had to keep to myself after lunch and say very little and just focus on my work, which thankfully I was able to complete before the day was over.
Community Media 4 Kenya 