March 26, 2004

Seen From left to right front row are
Jennifer, Tracy, ShannonU, ShannonP, Milton, and Nandu
at the back row are Harish, Bill and Mukesh (partly hidden)

Bill (the team leader), Jennifer, Tracy, Shannon U, Shannon P and Milton are the members of the "District 5340 (San Diego) GSE TEAM" visiting District 9200 in 2004. They are seen at the Mombasa airport, happily arriving from a day at the world famous MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE, for a 11 day stay at the Coast of Kenya on their visit to The District 9200 - Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. They are received by The Rotary Club of Mombasa in collaboration and participation of all the Rotary Clubs of the Coast of Kenya.

On behalf of the the District Governor Dr. Varinder S. Sur San Giedo GSE Team is welcomed by the Rotary Club of Mombasa members Dr Nandu Acharia - District 9200 GSE Chair, Harish Shah - GSE Country Chair, Mukesh Sanghavi - GSE Commitee member.

March 26, 2004

Our flights went well. We had time in London for a quick pub stop. In Nairobi we were met by several Rotarians from a few R.C.'s.

We visited Purnima's school.(She was a GSE member from Dist. 9200). She has a wonderful Interact Club, and they have several local projects much like our Interact students. Our GSE teachers talked several teachers that were at school several hours after the students had gone home. A few were sweeping the floors with grass sweeps.

We also visited Toi school, and their Special Ed. students. A Nairobi R.C. is building restrooms for the school, but first they had to put in new drainage pipes. At that R.C. meeting TWO speakers just happen to show up.

In Mombasa we had a reception at the D. G.'s house. At that reception there was also a dental team form the Netherlands, who were volunteers also. ( with another foundation) We have traveled to Malindi, and visited a scool for physically handicapped and other students who are deaf.

Everyone is learning every hour.

Tonight we have a R.C. meeting with a PDG visiting also. He rode with us , as we traveled quite fast along very narrow roads.

April 4, 2004

A few more warm days have passed here in Kenya. We have visited Bombolulu. This is a facility that helps handicapped adults learn occupational skills. The Rotary Clubs were part of the creation and development of the program and facility. The clients make many tourists type items. ie. key chains, canvas bags, wood carvings, etc. However, THEY ALSO MAKE WHEELCHAIRS. One model has hand cranks like a bicycle, and the other model is more traditional. Many service clubs in Kenya buy these and donate them.

We also visited another adult facility where they make STUDENT SCHOOL DESKS. These desks accommodate 3 or 4 students, since many classrooms have 45+ students. Again, many service clubs buy these desks for the schools.

Our GSE Team felt very fortunate when we met Sam Owari, PDG. He traveled with us to a Rotary mtg, 50 miles north in Milindi. He was DG. in 86-87, and is assisting the current DG in making Club visits Sam's son lives in Beaver Falls, Penna.

This is a very exciting story. Upon visiting the WATER WELL PROJECT that is a matching grant with the San Luis Rey RC, WE MADE A DIFFERENCE. Jennifer is sponsored by that RC. The WELLS have had a nice cement wall as part of the well, The local Rotarians have been raising the height of these walls, so the children don't sit on the top of the wall. This higher wall makes it more difficult for the ladies to lift out the water. JENNIFER suggested they SLOPE the top of the wall so no one can sit on it- just like the walls at the S.D. Zoo. Then, the walls don't have to be so high. The Rotarians said they would change their well designs to have a sloped wall top.

Today we visited a ROTARY VILLAGE. For their 50th anniversary, the RC of Mombasa made a commitment to build a well, 18 classrooms, an infirmary, and the Inner Wheel built a nursery school for a village that is about 35 miles into the bush country. THAT'S A COMMITMENT!

We soon leave for Nakuru which is 350 miles northwest of Mombasa. We are scheduled to visit schools there until April 9, and then we go to Ethiopia. Dr. Nandu (Dist. 9200 GSE Team Leader) sends his regards to everyone in District 5340.

April 5, 2004

Message sent to Mike Stelman:

Hi Mike,

I don't think my first e-mail got through, and I forgot last night.

We are doing fine, and our hosts have been great. We go to Nakuru and Ethiopia from here in Mombasa. There is so much to do here, and the Rotarians really are dedicated and work very hard. Perhaps Philippe has told you, they built a well, an infirmary, a nursery school, and three buildings for classrooms- just in one village.-That's commitment. And that's just one of their projects.

We have some great videos and pictures to share at the conference.

Yours in Rotary Service,

April 8, 2004

We drove to Navasha in 90 minutes. This was a reasonably good road. We have seen many roads that looked almost unuseable. This R.C. was founded in 2002, and they are off to great start. They have two school projects and a dispensary.

The Gov. Elect is from this area. Mr. Abdulla, G.E., and his son have a rose business. They have 30,000 rose bushes, and employ about 600.

The weather here is about like S.D.

We driving to Nakuuru today, and to Nairobi this evening. Our flight leaves at 830. We fly to Ethiopia, so we need to be at the airport by 700.

April 10, 2004

On the road again!

First a correction- Mahmud has 430,000 rose bushes.

Our van over heated on the way to Nakuru. A Nak. R.C. member drove down and took us in his van. We visited a spectacular project.--Roof draining water saving into a 10K gal. cement tank- Micro banking to sell the water-a cooperative joining of a few villages- schools-------and the women manage the water and banking.

Thurs. we had dinner with G.E. Adbulla at Kaushek and Geeta's home. It took a LONG table foe 17 to sit for dinner.

We flew to Addis, and landed at a new beautiful airport. Rotarians are very busy here preparing for the conference. The outgoing GSE team, and a GSE team from Colo. will also be at the conference.

Ethiopia has many Christians who have "fasted" for 40 days + 16 (king days). There will be a HUGH celebration and FEAST at 2 A.M. tonight. We will be in the Hilton tonight and all of this week, before leaving to return to our District 5340.

HAPPY EASTER --- ----HAPPY PASSOVER

April 14, 2004

Today the plenary sessions were in the Africa Hall of the U.N. complex. Addis is where the U.N. has estabished a center where countries hhave met in the past.

H.E. Girma Wolde-Giorgis, Pres. of Ethiopia, spoke with us today about addreesing poverty and litercy in Africa.

Our GSE presentation went well. We concluded by drawing name cards from a hat and giving away S.D. hats and a S.D. book. We shared the podium with the Colo. GSE team. They had a power point presentation, but I believe ours was more personal.

Thursday we will visit Project Mercy, the org./fd. that is trying to feed the poor in Ethiopia.

It is sad that Rotarians like Nandu could not attend the conference due to passport/ visa issues.

More exciting discussions at BARONA!

Yours in Rotary Service,