Twana Twitu (Migwani, Kenya)

Most of my time here in Nairobi has been connecting with and spending time with the incredible crew that works for Twana Twitu (www.twanatwitu.org) here in Nairobi - Wamaitha, John, and Raphael. A couple days back I got a tour of the town with Wamaitha via matatu (a.k.a. dalla-dalla in Tanzania a.k.a. mini bus) and saw a bunch of the sights around town.

Twana Twitu is an organization seeking to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic by supporting and finding stable housing for children orphaned by the virus. Their belief is that these children will have a much healthier and stable development as they grow older if they are situated with relatives or other close family relations as opposed to being put in orphanages with other parentless children are housed. Their belief is that the orphanage system should be a means of last resort, as it often fragments the family structure and can have detrimental effects on the child's social development. The work they do is fantastic. And the non-profit was founded by Mwende Edozie, with who's mother I have been staying here in Kenya.

Yesterday Raphael (the program coordinator) and I drove out to Migwani district, where Ms. Edozie is originally from, to visit the Twana Twitu site out there and visit some of the families and kids. It was about a 3 hour or so drive each way but it's such a beautiful trip you kind of forget you're in a car as the time passes.

We stopped by a few different families and hung for a bit. We stopped by one house where the grandfather and uncle are caring for an 11 year-old girl whose parents both passed away as a result of AIDS. It was a crazy shift from my usual thinking of things. In the U.S. and most places there is so much made of single mothers and other extended family women rearing and caring for children that may or may not be their own. But here's this 84 year old grandpops talking about how much joy he has (but also how much work it is) to raise this granddaughter.

We met the uncle on our way out, who had just walked down to the girl's school to bring her her lunch. We mentioned to him how different it was to see two men raising a child who wasn't their own, to which he responded, "Of course I will care for her. It is our duty and I will do it to the max!" - with a big warm smile on my face, equal parts warm-hearted and mischievous. Awesome.

I spoke with a few different folks about the play I've been doing interviews for, "A World Without Fathers." Man, have I met some characters. I spoke with Mwende's, the founder of Twana Twitu's, grandfather who is 112. And this dude looks great! He was cleanly shaven, well-dressed, and joking non-stop. He had these bright blue eyes, I think since he is losing his sight - not because he is sick (as he told me) but because he so old. haha

On the way back it rained and this rainbow came out. We pulled over the car and just took it in for a few minutes.

It's been a lot of work and traveling and absorbing since I've arrived here and I'm pretty exhausted but I feel great.