Today was the bumpiest drive of my life. Literally 6 hours spent in a rickety old van driving up into the mountains to visit a remote mountain tribe called the Samburu people. This drive was so worth it and was actually so much fun – thanks to our wonderful driver and guide Albert! The scenery was unlike anything I have ever seen – sprawling hills, those flat African trees that everyone pictures when we think of Africa (you know, from the Lion King) and we even saw a few zebras, giraffes. camels and lots of cows goats along the way!
In the 3 hours it took to get to the mountain tribe, we had seen less than 100 people along the way. So when we saw a group of a hundred or so people dancing in a circle dressed in brightly coloured garments and beautiful extravagant necklaces in the middle of these deserted hills, we knew we had arrived somewhere amazing.
We pulled up and we were welcomed immediately. They took our hands and pulled us into their circle to become a part of their traditional dance which they had choreographed in honour of the HIV + members of their community. They were wearing their traditional garb which consists of the most beautiful colours and patterns.
For the past 10 years the Mpala Mobile Clinic has visited this community once per month. They provide medical education and treatment for the people living in this area. They provide free HIV testing and provide treatment for all other ailments they can. As amazing as this clinic is, it only comes through the area once a month and considering the nearest hospital is over 3 hours by car or probably a day by foot, this clinic is imperative.
Through the Mpala Mobile Clinic’s involvement the community have been able to learn that HIV/AIDS victims are just like those persons who are not infected and they should not be stigmatized. These people are amazing and unique. Instead of pulling away from and shunning the infected persons in their community they banded together and formed a support group. The group not only provides psychological and social support for one another but they also tend for the infected persons when they fall ill.
The problem in this remote and impoverished area is water and lack of proper nutrition. Although the Kenyan government has begun to provide anti-retroviral drugs for free, the drugs are less effective if they are not combined with proper nutrition which is near impossible with the constant drought and poverty being experienced in this tribe.
The most interesting thing I learned today was that this remote, amazing welcoming and lovely tribe is also quite progressive and liberal. Women are considered to be quite powerful in this tribe, similar to men. Their opinions and decisions are respected and with respect to children and family planning, their husbands respect their wishes.
The men do not have sex with their wives without the consent of the women which is quite different than the majority of Kenyan tribes, especially in more remote areas. If the women choose to stop having children and take birth control, they can get several types from the mobile medical clinic and are usually fully supported by their husbands. They can also have surgery to prevent them from ever having children again and once again, their husbands support them.
Their culture was beautiful and enveloping and I felt as though they really appreciated our visit. The get less than 100 non-Kenyan visitors per year so this was a special visit for all of us and I certainly learned a lot.
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