Last Days in Kenya

Hard to believe it, but it’s already time for me to be leaving Kenya. It still in many ways feels as if I just only arrived. November begins with the Kitale agricultural show where we will be featured in a booth sponsored by the ministry of labour, which no doubt will be an exciting time for us, but I am confident in the sales team and I feel things will be able to continue on quite well. Since Burts visit things at the factory have also been going well, it is looking like we are nearing the end of the testing phase for a potential new source of clay, another thing I would have loved to see though, but I know Sammy and the team will continue to work hard.

Things up where we stay have been going very well. Recently one of the dogs gave birth to a litter who of puppies who have begun to venture out and around the compound. Some are more shy than other, but watching them is always funny.

The KCP sales team: Salesperson Jackline Khaemba; Marketing Manager , Stephen Karanja; and Salesperson Andrew Wasike

The KCP production team: Technician, Martin Wanjala; Production Manager, Sammy Barasa; Technician, Pius Wanyama.  Absent: Technician Collins Mabonga.

Joseph Kiplagat, KCP nightwatchman and helping hand

I spent some of my time organizing for another  truckload of filters to go Nairobi. I arranged for the truck to show up at our factory at 8am on Tuesday morning, but this being Kenya I was hardly surprised when the truck showed up at 6pm on Monday night expecting me to load the truck and go. None of our regular works are in at 6pm so once again we relied on the magical enthusiasm of children to help us out. Thus began yet another midnight truck run from Kiminini to Nairobi, only this time it was a little more fun because there was no moon and occasional bouts of fog. Another advantage we had on this trip was our truck was a little smaller and a little faster. Instead of sharing the cab with a couple of farmers, this time it was with someone who was transporting a damaged Land Cruiser.

At around 2am we were just pulling out of Nakuru, the last big town before Nairobi when we were pulled over at a police checkpoint, nothing unusual about this. They were interested in the Land Crusier and asked to see the papers, then at some point the driver got out and was in the conversation while I waited in the cab. They spent about 15 minutes looking at before a policeman approached me and asked to see my passport, which I showed him. About another fifteen minutes later a policeman opened the door an motioned for me to move over. “We’re going to the police station” he announced to me. About two minutes later we were on our way to Nairobi without any policemen.  I asked the owner of the Land Cruiser “those men are very disturbed” he told me. How much, I asked, and he told me 200 shillings.

In Nairobi I was also able to consult with our bucket supplier, Kenpoly, with whom we had an outstanding order. The day after I arrived they were able to ship us our buckets. Timing was great for us as we were in need of another load of filters to arrive in Kitale as Suam Supermarket had just placed an order for another 20 filters. I have learned so much during this trip and I would like to thank everyone involved with the project for this opportunity and all the help and support over the last six months, it’s been an amazing experience.