27.12.2016: A Day in Momella and Ngare Nanjuki.
My accomodation is a permanently on a wooden floor mounted and big tent with good beds, electric light, washbasin, toilets and shower separately, in a hilly area with grass, flowers and acacia trees. After a noisy night (due to gusty wind starting at midnight) I wake up with strange noise from nature and slowly start realizing where I have got ... I step out and look around.
Mount Meru - wrapped in clouds today.
To the North the foothills of the Meru - massive, the last of which is Mukuru Peak, a perfect volcanic cone.
The sun still rather down.
Mount Kilimandscharo can be seen as a silhouette against the morning dust.
Acacia
Agave with its huge florescence, about 10 m high.
Flowers - a composite unknown to me.
Light acacia forest - the summit of Mount Meru (4.560 m) gradually clears.
Dr. Cornelia Wallner-Frisee, Vice president of the Africa Amini Alama Association and organizational manager of the health centre, has picked me up from the guest houses and guides me through all of the buildings. This is the das "Africa Amini Healing Centre", where patients get their medications. Originally, the project was started with a simple "Dispensary".
After the guided tour, my first way is to the house of Dr. Anthony Mvungi, whom I met last year, during his study visit to Austria, for a mountain walk.
Anthony is just relaxing from a strenuous weekend work.
The view from his terrace is stunning.
Last yearīs "little rain season" of October/November was belated, so the dianthus flowers are still in bloom.
Close up of the "dianthus" - maybe someone knows their name?
Anthony discovered a Chameleon in the high grass.
Carfully he takes it on his garden shovel ...
... and puts it on top of this timber needle.
There it serves us ...
... as a bizarre foto model.
"Making of" - picture by Dr. Anthony Mvungi.
Near the staff houses, weaver birds have constructed a breeding colony.
The nestsī entrances are oriented downwards to protect from birds of prey.
The waiting area of the outpatients of Africa Amini Alama
The huge baobab tree which served as a logo for Africa Amini Alama.
When the space in the waiting area is fully occupied, people are lying around somewhere in the shade.
The Restaurant, a popular meeting point for everybody.
An appropriate job was found for this man: he sells water bottle, mainly to the patients. The water is used to dissolve naturopathy medications for the patients (if they donīt get academic medicinical treatment)
It happens to be a special day today: In the vocational training school, situated in the neighbouring village Ngare Nanjuki, and founded and supported by Dr. Josef Doppler, the first degrees are awarded, after three years of training. Preparations on the way, among others, an electric cable is placed across the street - a bit easier in Africa than elsewhere.
For celebration, the degree candidates wear their best clothes.
Parents and relatives are joining.
Lots of allocutions are held, this time by the headmaster of the school, mostly in Kisuaheli, which doesnīt really improve my concentration ...
Presents are handed over to Cornelia ...
... and to Dr. Doppler, ...
... holding a short speech himself,...
... and to Pia, his wife.
Joyful atmosphere.
The degree candidates. They are handed official government degrees, so they now all have a profession as masons, carpenters or mechanics. The chairs they are sitting on have been constructed by the carpenter students themselves.
Back to Momella and a few evening impressions ...
Patients are back home now, and the last water bottles are packed away.
Cattle on the pasture besides the health centre.
Only a few guests left in the restaurant.