Simpler Times

So I was looking at this photo from the early 90s of me. I remember finding something absolutely amusing at the time. The story behind this photo was that I had been losing my front teeth, to natural replacement, and that morning, I had my dad pull the front one for me. I was happy now, that I would not face having a tooth pulled. It did not stop me from laughing, and smiling.

I am wrapped in khangas( wrappers) as my cousins and I were about to perform a skit for the family. We started early with the stage presence. Very chic, I thought.

60 Mile Walk For Breast Cancer

Everyone has been touched in some way by breast cancer. And recoiled from the touch. No family should lose a mother prematurely. Or a dear friend, sister, wife, daughter, co-worker. No one of us, just diagnosed, should have to look at the mirror in the morning and say: Will I survive? Everyone deserves a lifetime: We feel it deep in our bones.

This year I have been especially challenged to do something out of my comfort zone to raise awareness about issues, and I raised some money here and there, but this 60 Mile walk? Well, that is a new story altogether. Can you imagine three days where you walk 60 miles. At least I have until October 17-19, 2008 which is when the Philadelphia walk will be held. 178 days from now, I will walk with survivors, family and friends in solidarity against breast cancer.

The Kenya Breast Health Programme ran a free breast health check program where they got women from all over the city to come for free clinics. The reason for that kind of mass screening is that in Kenya, breast cancer incidence is increasing and those affected are relatively younger compared to those in developed countries.

According to the Nairobi Cancer Report, between the year 2000 and 2002 breast cancer was the most diagnosed cancer among women in Nairobi and 51% of these women were below the age of 50 years. Although incidences are low when compared to the developed countries, breast cancer mortality in Kenya is relatively high.

An estimated 80% – 90% of the breast cancer patients present with stage 3 and 4 disease. To many Kenyan women, a diagnosis of breast cancer is therefore a death sentence as most patients present with advanced disease when the cost of treatment is high and chances of survival limited. This then reinforces the mistaken belief that breast cancer is incurable.

However, breast cancer research gets a great boost from the 3-Day Walk, an event of 60 miles over the course of three days with thousands of other women and men. The net proceeds will support breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment through Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

How Can You Help?

Support me by donating directly to 08.the3day.org (Email Me For Details)

PA Primary: Its a Wild World Out Here

Its a day before the Pennsylvania Primary here and the campaigning is frenetic with my campus polarized between the Clinton and Obama crew. See, here, on a liberal campus, the politics of the Democratic Party are huge in the daily elections talk.

I got a call from Obama. I picked up the phone to hear,”Hi, this is Barack Obama, ….” Caught in the middle of paper writing, or whatever passes for Monday afternoon for me, I was thrilled to hear his voice on the phone. No amount of convincing will wipe the grin off my face. My job this afternoon is to tell people to go and vote. I am sure it will be a hotbed here, with people waiting late into the night.

What does it feel like to be in PA right now. Well, every two seconds on the radio there is an anti-Obama ad approved by the Clinton campaign and then the ever hopeful Obama words. If you have not already, check out his “A More Perfect Union” address just before Easter Weekend. Then there are the posters everywhere and dorm storms, where basically, if you are in your room, you get a knock at the door asking you to get out and vote tomorrow. I was stopped by a granny who asked me whether I was going to vote. When she heard I was from Kenya, she said what I absolutely expected her to say, “You must feel so lucky to be here, what with the turmoil in your country…” Really? You must feel really lucky too,” I said.

So on Saturday, Obama was on a train hitting the Main Line, and stopped by my sleepy town. So thriling, to see people gathered in the hot sun, to hear the man say a few words before the big rally in Wynnewood, PA. Within minutes of leaving the station, people had already posted their pictures of the brief stop, on the warmest Saturday we have had in a while, and that was thrilling. For obvious reasons, you will not hear me say that Madeline Albright was here a couple of weeks ago for the other candidate. But Michelle Obama spoke to students at Haverford College last Tuesday, and it was good to see so many young people going to hear all the speakers and actively deciding who they are going to vote for.

Today, I suspect that we shall not be let to rest, those on either side of the Primary campaigns will be up late into the night with the work of getting their peers, neighbors and others to vote. Does this affect the quality of life in Kenya, yes! If anyone gets elected to president in the US, the policies they make really will make or break us. I shall continue this post as the results trickle in from all over the Keystone state!

Nameless Sings Salari

There is an artiste whose constant presence on the Kenyan and African music scene is much appreciated.  Music is not just for entertainment, and artistes are social commentators. Salari is a song that names the trials of the workers whose daily hustle is the struggle for a salary. It is by Kenyan ariste, Nameless, whose track Sinzia has captured the hearts of African music enthusiasts globally. The song awakens our social consciousness with a tune for those who keep the economy working, who search for the salary ‘salari’‘

Watch his latest video (YouTube).

“Even if I do not wear that tie…”

Other songs that have described what workers do at lunchtime: or still do.

Lunchtime by Gabby Omollo and Omondi Jassor

2 Pieces of Recommended Blog Reading : Nairobi

If you are keen on East Africa and being out, check out Chickabouttown.com, written by Biche, who has spent the last 6 years in Kenya, and who loves going out in Nairobi and talks about it in a way that you want to be there.

While Mwanafalsafa does not exclusively write about Nairobi, many of the posts deal with life in Kenya. I enjoyed the latest post on his experience with robbery in Nairobi, better known as Nairobbery.

Have a great week people!