Grandmother with Child
A member of a group of grandmothers who are raising orphans in and around the village of Ndathi near Mt. Kenya. On this day, representatives from Burning Bush Inc. had come to find out what types of sustainable aid they might be able to provide for the grandmothers.
Listen
A spirited member of the grandmother's group in Ndathi.
Patient Hands
A grandmother waits in the bright sun for the meeting to begin.
Waiting at the Gate
Ndathi, Kenya
Lunch at Esther's
Fa
Fa Kaburu, father of nurse Susan Kaburu, stands in front of a duplex at Samaria Maternity Center in Ndathi, Kenya. With support from Burning Bush, Inc., Susan built the clinic on her one acre farm in order to serve the needs of more than 20,000 people living in this area of Central Kenya.
Knitting Group
Ndathi, Kenya
Esther
Esther is a wife, mother, farmer, weaver, entrepreneur, and administrator of collective farming and knitting groups in Ndathi.
Farmers harvest snow peas in Ndathi village near Mt. Kenya.
A man fetches a fallen tree in a forest at the base of Mt. Kenya. Elephants often knock over trees in this area and community members risk breaking the law (and being attacked by elephants) in order to fetch the wood for lumber and fuel.
A woman carries firewood out of the forest near Mt. Kenya. Women in the village walk to the forest every Thursday and return with heavy loads of wood for cooking and warmth.
Women in Ndathi carry heavy loads of firewood from the forest every Thursday.
Othaya, Kenya
Scene on a road in the central highlands of Kenya, near Mt. Kenya.
A young boy stands in the doorway of an office at WAKA Maternity Home and Health Services Clinic in Nyeri, Kenya. Eustace and Rosemary Kamunya own and operate the clinic.
This young girl approached me as I photographed a mural outside of WAKA Maternity Home and Health Services Clinic in Nyeri, Kenya.
Dr. Tom Gale is a semi-retired political science professor at USIU in Nairobi. He is originally from the U.S., but has lived in Nairobi for over 30 years. He began teaching short French lessons and songs at a primary school near his residence in 1980. Tom now visits and teaches at 46 public primary schools in and around the city. During his school visits, Tom identifies students with particular promise and/or special needs and works with his private foundation to help by committing funds for the student's secondary school education, meals and/or uniform fees. In addition, Tom has published several books with photographs of the children he teaches, accompanied by essays from secondary school children on issues that range from national identity to rape, HIV, and domestic abuse. Please visit African Children Speak for more information.
A child in a rural suburb of Nairobi.
Bringing in the Herd
While in Kenya, I visited the Masai Mara National Reserve. The camp I stayed in was just outside of the park, near a Masai community. I was fortunate to be out wandering around as these two young men were bringing their cattle home for the evening. After photographing wildlife all day in the reserve, it was refreshing to make contact with some real local Masai people in the midst of their daily routine.
Vulture and Wildebeests
Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
Safari
A cheetah and tourists inspect one another.
Hippo and Crocodile Protection
An armed guard leads tourists along a path near the Mara River to provide protection from hippos and crocodiles.
Fisherman in the small town of Luanda Kotieno, Kenya at the mouth of Winam Gulf on Lake Victoria.
A young boy plays near fishing boats in the small town of Luanda Kotieno, Kenya at the mouth of Winam Gulf on Lake Victoria.
Petrol Station
Mbita, Kenya.
Dried fish for sale in Mbita, Kenya.
A resident in Mbita, Kenya sports a hat for the ODM-Kenya party during the lead up to the December elections in 2007.
Students study for exams at Christ's Gift Academy in Mbita, Kenya.
Portrait of a retired school teacher in Mbita, Kenya. A little girl plays a cup stacking game in the background.
Members of the kitchen staff at Christ's Gift Academy take a moment to pause as lunch cooks on a rainy day.
Come About
A sailboat turns just as it reaches the beach at Lamu Island.
Fisherman
A fisherman repairs a net in Shela on Lamu Island while donkeys and chickens congregate in the background.
A woman on Lamu Island carries a very large basket up a street toward the waterfront. "Streets" in this old Swahili town are typically not much wider than this one. Only foot and donkey traffic is allowed on the island.
Boats sit tethered on a rainy day in Lamu, Kenya.
Young Mother
This young woman sits at her small fruit and vegetable stand on a corner deep in the residential area of Lamu.
Chicks
A woman on Lamu Island playfully shows me the chicks in her hand as she passes me in the less-touristed interior of the island. Her fingernails are decorated with henna.
Kids
Lamu Island, Kenya.
A young boy shows me his homemade toy on Lamu Island, Kenya.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” – Margaret Mead
Burning Bush, Inc., a Nashville-based 501 (c) (3), was founded by nurse Poppy Buchanan, along with the help of her family and friends. For nearly a decade, Burning Bush has been partnering with local nurses, entrepreneurs and concerned citizens to address the needs and dreams of the people in Ndathi, a small farming community near the base of Mt. Kenya (4 hours drive north of Nairobi). The nearest hospital is two hours away over very rough roads. Burning Bush and community members worked together to build a clinic that now serves a population of 20,000 people in and around Ndathi. In addition to the clinic, motivated community members have formed a number of micro-finance groups. Micro-finance groups offer participants sustainable financial leverage to improve their quality of life. The strong international friendships, healthcare and economic initiatives fostered through Burning Bush demonstrate the inspiring change for good that can come from a thoughtful, dedicated group of people.
While in Kenya, I also traveled to the Great Rift Valley and Masai Mara, visited a school at Lake Victoria in the west, and spent a few days on the small island of Lamu off of Kenya’s northeastern coast. My experiences in Kenya exposed me to the tribal, political, religious, economic, and environmental diversity of what has historically been a relatively stable African nation. While aware of some mild political and tribal tension during the lead up to the presidential elections (December 27, 2007), I was heartbroken to receive news of the widespread ethnic violence that erupted throughout the country when the election became contested. I admire the spirit and hospitality of the Kenyans I met and I am hopeful that peace negotiations will put an end to the current political turbulence. My journey through Kenya was overwhelming and inspiring. I feel that I have only begun to scratch the surface of this complex and fascinating part of the world.
Stacey Irvin
skype: 1+ 615.653.4728
cell: 1+ 615.491.4728
