Jambo jambo!
I find myself using this joyful greeting to friends and colleagues even though we have been back in the U.S. for a few weeks after our whirlwind adventure in Kenya. To say that I was deeply touched and changed by my time in East Africa would be an understatement. I have always believed that learning is a shared experience, and that learning is a permanent change in behavior due to experience. I learned A LOT after two weeks in Kenya, and that learning can be attributed to my incredible cohort members, our open and honest hosts, and the rich experiences we had. I’d love to unpack some of my learning with you, because admittedly I am still working to process this entire experience.
The most common question I’ve gotten since being back is “what was your favorite part of your trip?” This is a tough question to answer, but as I’ve reflected I think of the true passion of the employees that we were able to encounter while visiting farms across the country, and that will forever be my favorite part of this experience. Listening to James talk about the black soldier fly production happening at Toraco Farms, learning about commercial rose production from Rose (can’t make that up) at Tambuzi, touring the processing space with Antony at Highland Castle Farms, and seeing the Kaizen method in action at Marginpar are all things that will stick with me for a long time. These employees (and too many others to call out by name) are the secret sauce of the incredible work happening in the agriculture sector in Kenya. I feel honored to have learned from them and their expertise.
When folks ask how the trip was, I usually respond with “it was good, but it was hard.” Admittedly, we were confronted with some class and racial issues that I wouldn’t say that I had adequately prepared myself for. When I say it was “hard,” folks usually are curious what I mean by that. The story that I share is about our visit to Leldet Primary & Junior School in Rongai. It’s so strange when an experience can be so bucket-filling, yet so heartbreaking all at once. As a former teacher, I was really excited to see what public education in Kenya was like. When we pulled into the school, we were greeted by the Head Teacher Lawrence and Deputy Head Teacher Agnes. We were introduced to some of the faculty, before getting to visit several of the classrooms. Each room we entered we were greeted by polite students who welcomed us to their classes and told us about their lessons. We were then able to take a photo with the entire school (I sincerely apologize to the teachers, because we totally ruined the focus of their students). While this was such a fun stop, it was also so difficult. It was hard to see a classroom with no lighting, with 70 students crammed into it. It was hard to see broken widows, torn up flooring, and worn out instructional materials. It was hard to learn that the per student allotment from the government is just a few U.S. dollars per year. This visit helped to reinforce why it’s so important that we invest in education and inspiring hope in our future generations. I will be forever touched by my experience and Leldet.
As I’ve worked to process through this experience, I think I’m most touched and impacted by the kindness and welcoming attitude of everyone that we encountered in the country (with the exception of one visit, to which I remarked “I think we did it, we found the most unfriendly place in Kenya”). We were first exposed to this by our hosts, guides, and the staff at Sosian Lodge. Every person we encountered went out of their way to make us feel welcome. That was continued by our incredible drivers Charlie and Erastus from Odyssey Safaris. They helped us navigate the bumpy terrain, shared their incredible country with us, and made us feel like a part of their family. Our staff and hosts at Deloraine were incredible, and we were able to spend our final days at Lucita house thanks to Peter and his incredible team. We were also welcomed with open arms at Egerton University in Njoro, and their staff, faculty and students really rolled out the red carpet for us. It was a great reminder about how every time we encounter someone, we have the ability to make a positive impression.
I could probably write a separate blog about each stop we made, and the learning that took place. What I’ll leave with is my biggest takeaway, which is development is a process. My time in Kenya was a reminder that good things take time, attention, and resources. No one mission trip, donation of money or goods, or singular training/workshop is going to provide the development and education needed to address the challenges that the country is experiencing. As someone that works in the space of leadership development, it’s a great remember that relationships, listening, and committed and intentional action are what is going to make the biggest difference.
I can’t thank everyone that we encountered in the country for literally changing my life. I also can’t thank the VALOR program supporters enough for their continued support in the program and belief that these international experiences are vital for personal development. Many thanks to Megan, Andy, and my classmates for making this such a rich learning experience. Thanks to my employer, the American Farm Bureau Federation for supporting my personal and professional development. And finally, and most importantly, thank you to my wife Jenna for holding down the fort for two weeks while I was away.
Asante sana!
Austin
valeadersor.com 