Trip to Marazeri

This past week I had the opportunity to go with a group of community mobilizers on a trip up the coast to a very small village about 90 miles north of Mombasa, past the town of Malindi. This was my first opportunity to see the rural countryside of eastern Kenya and it was an eye opener. The purpose of this trip was for this team to meet with a group of elders from a small village called Marazeri. Marazeri is one of many small villages along this stretch of coast that has been effected by the salt production industry which is dominate in this area. These salt producers are causing two major problems, first because of government corruption and lacks laws they are able to take these villagers land and force them out, and second they are destroying the fresh water table by allowing salt water to leach into it. The community organizers work with a group call Muugano Trust, which is part of a larger global movement called Slum Dwellers International. A major goal of Muugano is to give slum dwellers a voice and to help them organize.

As I sat in a small shack made of mud and corrigated metal I started to think about my life just 6 months ago when meeting was by web conference or in a fancy conference room, in a skyscraper in downtown San Francisco, with every modern amenity. What a change!

As for the drive itself I am lucky to still be on this earthplane! Our driver believed that if he honked it gave him permission to just go around any car in his path on a very rough two lane highway. It didn't matter if there were other vehicles coming the other way he figured if he honked they'd move. I normally do not pay too much attention to the way people drive but in this case I was petrified. Also besides avoiding other cars we continuously had to avoid goats and cows wandering out into the road. I asked if folks ever hit them and he said rarely.

From top to bottom:

Downtown Malindi

Typical coastal village

Village of Marazeri

Brigid in Marazeri