Nairobi

I was in Nairobi for meetings with colleagues from the Philippines, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, London, and Kenya itself. Following a few days of work based in the office and in the hotel we actually got a change to go out and see programmes! It's always a highlight for me to see for myself the work that VSO is engaged in, and to meet our partner organisations and volunteers. It's a great reminder for me of why we at VSO, and for me personally, do what we do in the fight against poverty, and our unique way of doing it, by bringing people together. It was especially welcome after days of being inside working together as staff.

We piled into little mini buses and I took my turn in the very back seat. The programmes we visited are within an hour of Nairobi and on sealed roads so a contrast to what I know is the daily journey of some of my colleagues and our volunteers who are based across Kenya.

Our visit was to a local NGO 'I Choose Life' who are currently based only in Kenya but are looking to expand to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania. Their aim is for a 'Healthy Africa' and they reach 1m young people in some way, every year through providing access to quality health care & education, & economic empowerment. They mobilise 1000s for what they call a 'new Kenya', looking at for example, not importing as much as Kenya currently does - 10x what is exported despite the domestic resources. They see their partnership with VSO as important because it provides support in some skills & increases capacity.

Back in the mini bus and a visit to a technical training centre, mainly for young people but also older people developing skills for employment and jobs. It's fee based and most get sponsored by NGOs & churches but it was clear that there was staff and community support when at times there wasn't any other option. There were people working in metalwork, carpentry, painting & decorating, fashion & design & clothes making, hair & beauty, food & beverage, and electrical skills being learned and practiced. And treated to a great lunch prepared by the catering students. Many from the training centre go on to run their own businesses.

The highlight for me was the next programme, run with a fellow NGO, ActionAid, who have a global platform for young people, with the VSO-run International Citizen Service (ICS). The platform is called 'Activista' and recognises and uses the power of young people organising for rights. The global platform in Nairobi is one of 9 around the world, and organises a social space for young people online and offline, and trains to make change'

Wow, what energy! There were young leaders from countries all over Africa, who had worked on the programme and gone back to their community. I couldn't tap-type into my phone fast enough to get the quotes:

'I learnt about rights social media & activism'

'I have learned about campaigning'

'You can use media to stop human rights violations'

'I have learnt how to facilitate'

'I can take the idea to the programmes I work in'

'I'm appreciative of being among young leaders'

'It's all about working globally'

'Our politicians speak for us but we speak for ourselves & our societies'

'We became friends'

'I'm aware of the rights we have & the responsibility we have to protect those rights'

'I've learnt a human rights based approach to development'

'The difference to women's lives who are shuttered down'

'My first experience of how to organise a campaign and how to use social media not just for entertainment'

'Listening is a neglected skill'

'Responsibility for our lives which have been fought for, and those who will follow'

'Responsibility to fight for our rights if we don't fight no one else will'

'I learnt that campaigning is not just about throwing stones but can use social media'

'I am going to start a lobby'

'In our society you cannot work alone, you need to work together'

'Being around different people makes you question yourself'

'Collaborate with other volunteers as part of action at home'

See what I mean! So wise for such young people.

We asked them too, 'what should we do to improve the ICS' programme?'. And they told us! Not least, that we could better prepare British young people - 'they think we are primitive before they get here, they think we are backward, you should have trainers from Africa before they come here'.

And when asked what the point of the programme was, once it was finished, for me the most powerful was, 'changes in my community because of ICS - schools being built, children's rights being protected'.

It felt like more than a day, bumping back towards the hotel and then the airport for an overnight flight to London, as I thought about all I'd heard and seen and felt, and the power of bringing people together to fight poverty.

Photos here: https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A2J8GySPJ6gxNA

And a few hours off - Nairobi is the only city I think which has a national park with a safari nearby. I figure even I can't go to Kenya without seeing some animals!

Photos here: https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A2GWBC59GlVGdV