Babies are forever

Changing Times and Diapers

 

Surprisingly close to my home and inconspicuously sequestered in  tangles of pink and orange bougainvillea is the New Life Home Trust.  It's a busy  street corner I've driven by a hundred times and never once noticed the sign or thought about unwanted babies in Kenya. Hmmm - another slice of life made even more interesting with the backdrop of a developing society. Innately curious about way too many thing - I joined a group volunteering for the day at the orphanage doing what needs to be done to help look after the 34 babies. My friend Ele was there and another friend Shiku who I have know since arriving in Kenya. It was terrific to see these two thoughtful and wonderful Kenyan woman volunteering their free time to make a difference in their communities.


Looking very pleased with herself, Ele greeted me with a baby snuggled in her arms. While certainly a volunteer "work" activity, snuggling babies is by no means hard work - particularly when you don't have to take them home and deal with the less pleasant aspects. We fed them twice, changed a few diapers but mostly just played with them. I fell in love with a little girl named Anakylie...big smile and cute space between her teeth but mostly...that big smile at me!! I'll be back!!

The facility is extremely well appointed due to the tireless work of the founders Mary and Clive Beckenham. And this is not the only facility they have. There are 4 such homes trusts across the country all founded and managed by this couple. They are clean, well staffed, and well managed. By well managed I mean - great volunteer programs and a clear focus on babies first and foremost.

And as mentioned earlier  - being innately curious - why are there so many unwanted babies I wondered.........

Most often (roughly 75% of the time) it's young women who come to the city from their villages looking for work. They fall in with a fella - get pregnant  - deliver the baby at the hospital - then slip back to their village without their little bundle of joy with no one ever knowing that they left a little something behind. Can you blame them really? Low levels of education in terms of family planning and sexual behavior are likely co-conspirators. A baby means a return to the village and very few opportunities to change their situation in life. I get it.

So the babies now become the responsibility of orphanages around the country. Some good - others not as good. Well - how about adoption? International adoption was stopped a couple years ago as was  domestic adoption (though apparently restarting soon). The trouble - fraud and corruption..... again!  Apparently babies were flying out of the country faster than avocados. The paperwork on the adoptions was questionable at best!!! The government realizing the long term implications of illegal Kenyans scattered across the world, and unable to address the root causes of F&C simply shut down the process. This is probably best in my view though my perspective is no doubt naive.

I asked a few questions locally and found that babies are readily "available" for about $25,000 dollars. It's a potential goldmine for a well-organized "team" of health care workers. This s a bit grizzly - but still born babies are used to show the just delivered mother the fraudulent and unfortunate outcome of the delivery. The mother in a state of extreme anxiety and grief doesn't challenge or look too closely. Meanwhile her healthy babies are whisked away and sold to waiting parents-to-be. So one has to wonder if the government program of stopping adoption has had a positive outcome. Babies are forever.....

A couple other things about life in Kenya 

 

My mornings would no longer be complete without this daily morning concoction. Our cook Kevin cuts up the lemons and boils them for about 10 min then adds ginger chopped up or sometimes grated. After straining into cups - honey is added to take the edge off and it's served hot healthy and delicious. I remember when I first tried coffee and found it bitter and couldn't quite understand why someone would drink it. I felt the same way about this concoction but have come to love the soothing slightly bitter taste each morning. Thank you MSF team and Kevin!


And also - I just completed my ritual of de-worming. It's about $2 for a de-worming pill and one is well advised to take one every three months when living in Africa. It's not a question of if you have worms...it's how many. When you notice you're eating lots and still getting thin... it's a clear though disgusting sign. Hey! how about making this the newest  Hollywood diet fad..... hey Kim Kardashian....where are you?

Thanks for reading - Layno!!