GROW Intern Update: Week 4

Tuesday:  Support Group + Learning Fertilizers

On Tuesday, WOPLAH Interns had the opportunity to visit a support group implementing a kitchen garden project centered around regenerative agriculture practices as well as a village banking project. The support group used agricultural practices such as no till farming, crop rotation between bean and corn, organic soap and farm waste based pesticides. After getting an informative guided tour of the kitchen garden project with a live pesticide creation demonstration, interns learned about the village banking project. The support groups store their funds in a locked box secured by four key bearers, each holding a separate key. To promote accountability and trust, the box is kept in a location distant from all keyholders. The village banking project is essential to support members when they get sick or need funds to start a business. At the end of the visit, interns spoke with the community while enjoying some chapati and chicken.

Thursday: Farm Day (Black Soldier Flies)

On Thursday, the group spent the morning at the farm were we got to learn more about the black soldier flies. We learned that inside organic matter such as food water or manure, female flies lay eggs which then hatch into larvae. The larvae stage is where most of the growth happens and because of that the larvae are left inside the food waste to feed. After a few days, the larvae stops feeding and becomes dark. At that stage, they are ready to shed their skin and become adult black soldier flies. The team spent the morning picking out the creamy, dark larvae to move them to a another space where they could transform into flies. The flies are rich in protein so they are used to feed the fish, chicken and other animals on the farm. We also learned that they are great for composting. 

Friday: Clinic Day

On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, some of the interns returned to the clinic to volunteer in the lab. They spent most of their time testing for malaria, performing urinalysis, and determining blood types. When the lab was slow the virologist shared insight on the Kenyan healthcare system and taught interns about the different tests they were performing. Interns were also able to watch the process of HIV testing. This process is held in a private room and involves both pre and post test counseling. Patients are given information on transmission and prevention. If they are HIV positive, they are then guided through the treatment process. It was interesting to see the ways in which education and support were incorporated into the appointment; it seemed to make the patient more comfortable with the results. We love helping and learning at the clinic!

Sunday: Outing at Waterfall

On Sunday, we went sightseeing and visited the waterfalls at resort Ambururu in Ugunja Sub county. First entering the resort there are many trees planted by government figures and various travelers, we were told it costs 1,000 kenyan shillings to plant a tree and name it (although it could cost more to name it, we weren’t entirely sure on the cost of the tree planting situation). Further down was the waterfall, which was gorgeous and spraying everywhere. After we all got a little soaked, soaking in the views, we explored around the area which had various traditional Kenyan huts and houses. There were two big slides that we went down and further away a playground area with swings and three trampolines. We had an absolute blast jumping around and seeing this gorgeous waterfall.