Kenya Visit SOLAR COOKER CLASS

I was having many mixed emotions as we approached Oloshoibor and the preparations for the solar cooker class. MWEEP had partnered with Solar Cookers International Kenya (http://www.solarcookers.org/) to offer 20 women the chance to learn about solar cookers and why this would be beneficial to them, their families and the environment.

The day began with some clouds overhead and I was wondering if this would really work and if it would work should there be clouds. The class was held at the Community Conference Site called SeuSeu. When our van loaded with supplies arrived women were already beginning to walk to the site. Rosemary, the chairlady of MWEEP Kenya, had hosted the trainers overnight.

During the set up process, Faustine the head trainer, had women begin to prep the vegetables and set up the cookers.

The cookers would have vegetables
dishes that the women traditionally

cook. They also cooked rice and ugali as well as beans. The highlight was being able to cook meat and bake a cake and cupcakes.

While the food was cooking, and after a chai break, the women went indoors for the instruction about WHY solar cooking is important, HOW it will benefit them, and HOW the cooker is made.

Faustine and her daughter Stella were amazing instructors. They gave the women lots of information, and had the women contributing what they knew and LAUGHING. A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL. They also learned about the fireless cookers. All you need is an insulated basket, cook you food for a few minutes on the fire and then it finishes cooking in the basket.

The day was very successful. Everyone was delighted to be going home with their own solar cookit (foil cooker, pot, plastic heat trapping bags), they were filled with ideas of what they would try cooking at home. There were comments of how the food didn't get burned or didn't taste smokey. They were amazed that you didn't need to stir the pot. They said, "now I can do other things while the food is cooking." MWEEP was filled with gratitude for all the work that Faustine and Stella did to bring this class to Oloshoibor and for their wonderful teaching and spirit.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!

We ARE in KENYA

We are having an amazing time with our Maasai friends in the Rift Valley below the Ngong Hills.
I been able to have meetings with the girls who have finished secondary school and are now eager to continue their education. Some want to be teachers, others accountants, air hostess and also a lawyer. The girl who wants to be a lawyer is looking toward helping the Maasai community with their land issues as well as other topics.

I had another meeting of girls who are in secondary school and some of the post secondary girls came along since Koi Tirima was going to be our guest speaker. Koi was a professor of English at Olympic College in Bremerton, returned to Kenya to donate a kidney to her father and now has decided to stay. She is a professor at the Methodist University in Nairobi. She will be an important link for the girls. During their April school break she will do a 2 day workshop for them.

Meeting with the MWEEP women has been a real JOY. They are women of determination, courage and the will to make a difference in their lives, the lives of their families and the community.

We've been here at the right time to be part of a male circumscion ceremony - 2 days.
We were invited out in the BUSH to meet one of the MWEEP member's family. We had an hour of driving on tarmac and then 2 hours on dirt roads where it had rained--sliding all over the place but we were in a 4 wheel drive vehicle and we MADE IT. Another round of stories.

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY. December 15th, MWEEP is hosting a solar cooker class.
Look at the following website: www.solarcookers.org
Jon and I have been practicing with the cookits at the homes where we've stayed. So far we've made successful break and ugali. The rice didn't cook long enough. We took a cooker out in the bush and not one thought it would turn out but it was successful even on a partly cloudy day.
Each woman attending the class will receive a cookit.

On the 18th we will have our last day in the village at Lucy's home (she was the 2nd woman that Jon and I helped go to school to be a teacher). Amanda and the boys will fly into Nairobi on the 17th and they will go with us. We'll stop in Ngong to see some of the women who came to the business class (Project Baobab) -- egg business and dairy. Then on down into the valley to see a few more businesses. Jon and the boys will play football with some of the kids. Then the boys want to herd the goats with some of the boys and of course carry a stick like the Maasai boys.

Pictures are soon to follow.
We have much to be thankful for, many blessings and our safety and health. Those of you who are praying for us, THANKS.
Things are not always easy but God has been faithful.

Loanna

First Step A Night in England

Jon and Loanna Arrive in London
We had a smooth uneventful trip, just 9 hours of it. Whew, that all went well.
We decided to stay the night at a Heathrow hotel since it is too far to go to our daughter’s home in Wolverhampton for one night. There were a few glitches with getting to the hotel – 2 hours consumed. YIKES!! Maybe now any transportation problems are over. We met two different women who will be on our flight to Nairobi tomorrow. One is a nurse from the Seattle area and is working in Rwanda. The other is a mother returning to Nairobi, her husband works for one of the universities (possibly a connection for our girls). We’ll have another 9 hour flight when there’ll be time to talk with them.
We got a 2 hour nap and now at 8:00pm we’re still awake having dinner and I’m trying to see if I can get this blog to work.
We are now eagerly anticipating our arrival in Kenya. We are eager to see the women, girls and to meet the people at the Solar Cooker agency.

JON and LOANNA DAY to KENYA December, 2009

Jon and I are working non-stop to prepare our bags, house and selfs for the trip to Kenya to spend time with our Maasai friends and work on future projects.

It is strange to sit here in Washington State in pouring rain and realize that we will be in serious drought conditions when we get to the Rift Valley.

For those of you new to this blog, you can see by the website http://www.maasaiwomen.org/ that we are going on an outreach project to provide educational opportunities for the women.

We will continue our work with girls going to secondary boarding schools.

The MWEEP Kenya women have asked for more education from Project Baobab who offer the Entrepreneurial Skills and Life Skills Class.

NEW :

• work to have Project Baobab train trainers and mentors, & give seminars in 2010



• we will look for ways to offer help to gain education beyond the secondary level



• we will be offering a class to the MWEEP members and other

women in the community ( up to 20 funded) to learn how to use solar cookers, they will be able to take a cooker home -- this is a class the women have said they want to take.

We feel blessed that we again have the opportunity to spend time with these wonderful people. We are eager to hear more stories about how their businesses are doing, the difference the Life Skills have made for them and what the girls are wishing for more education.

We will try to add to this blog as the internet opportunities arise.

A Tribute to Denny(SIMBA) and Jeanne Grindall

Denny and Jeanne Grindall introduced people in Seattle and Kitsap County to the Maasai people in the Greater Oloshoibor area, Kenya. They spent 14 years of their lives living with the Maasai for about 6 months a year. They brought these people education, water and the word of God.

If it were not for Denny and Jenne, MWEEP would not exist. Due to the love shared between the Grindalls and the Maasai, we were able to visit and begin our own relationship which became Maasai Women's Education and Empowerment Program (MWEEP), both in Kenya and the USA.

We feel privieged to continue the education work, especially for the girls and woman, that Denny and Jeanne began.

Jeanne passed away August 19, 2008 Denny passed away August 6. 2009

Enjoying a Sunset over Hood Canal, eating Oyster and Hearing About the Need for Education for Maasai Girls and Women

Cindy Dodge with her husband Mike opened their home to an event that included an amazing view of Hood Canal. Cindy had two friends join her in hosting the event: Carole Osterhaus and Sharon Heim.

They gave MWEEP an opportunity to come and share the stories of the Maasai girls and women in Kenya and highlight the need for their education.

Jon Day brought oysters off the beach for a BBQ treat. After a good deal of conversation and yummy food, a presentation, and wonderful desserts, women were touched to share their resources to make a difference for a girl or woman in Maasailand.

Another "friend" of MWEEP, Sallie Snyder, we in attendance to help in the kitchen. She had things running smoothly. We appreciate each person who contributes to the success of an event.

A Peony Farm Benefit Event

Ann Mossman, with her husband Jim, opened her Boone Brier Peony Farm for a benefit event that touched all our senses. We had wonderful food, beautiful peonies and iris' to view.

Those who attended were touched by the educational needs for the Maasai girls and women.

It was a very successful event.

We are so grateful to our event hosts. They are making a difference for women in Kenya.

If you are interested in talking about hosting an event, please email mweepboard@maasaiwomen.com. We would love to discuss this with you.