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The Kenyan Homestay Experience

posted on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 05:00 PM

A mild shiver ran through me as I heard on the British news of the latest massacre in the Rift Valley village church in Kenya. Peter Ongera, an i-genuis social entrepreneur, had driven Colors magazine writer Benjamin and myself around the Rift valley in search of a story only two weeks before. If I had done my assignment any later I would have been evacuated along with all of the other tourists in the country.

I proposed to Colors magazine to do a photographic story on the new Mpesa mobile banking system that is transforming the way Kenyan’s are able to store and transfer money. Instead of traditional methods of burying money in the ground and sending money with bus drivers, Kenyans are now uploading money onto their mobile SIM cards, sending it to their families and paying employees by a text message. Top world economists believe this MPESA system is the future of world currency. Of the 3,0000 kenyans using their mobile phones for banking, many have never even had a bank account, and are literally leap frogging techological developments.

I spent seven days guided by Peter, photographing Massai tribes in the Great Rift valley sending money texts back to families in their village from town markets a few days walk away. We took a local matatu bus into the mountains to the village where Kenyan woodcarving originated and I photographed Benedetter Nduku the ‘Curio agent’ who recieves money from buisnessess in Mombassa and employs a woodcutter and sander to compile and ship orders of up to 200 painted giraffes. I lived with Peter’s family by myself for three days and even documented his families wedding where presents of money had been sent to the couple through text message.

Living in Peter’s newly built house without electricty and water was a very comfortable experience although I was lucky to be served Peter’s wifes delicious ugali and greens without particpating in the four hours cooking preperation she did every day. A morning shower at 6am was a flannel and bucket of water, followed by delicious Kenyan tea.
Kenya was definately an experience and not an easy place to be – despite thepotholed roads and multiple trips to fix the car at the garage, I felt my Homestay with Peter ended far too quickly.

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