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National Outdoor Leadership School - Index

National Outdoor Leadership School - Summer2008 - Index

BY MEREDITH HAAS, NOLS EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
While Kenya has a reputation for stability amidst
its turbulent neighbors—Somalia, Sudan, and
Uganda, who have endured years of civil unrest—it
recently grabbed the world’s attention after the presidential
elections on December 27, 2007, when charges of
vote rigging led to a sudden rise in violence. More than
1,000 Kenyans were killed and hundreds of thousands
were driven from their homes. In light of this political
turmoil and regional unrest, many NOLS East Africa
alumni have asked about the NOLS community still
connected with that area.
Elizabeth Goodwin, NOLS grad and spouse of
former NOLS East Africa director Fred Roberts, said
that she was in Kenya for the worst of it. She and
Roberts purchased the NOLS facility after it closed in
2003 and now run it as an experiential education center
known as Batian’s View. “Most of Central province
and the Mt. Kenya region were relatively calm, but what
was happening throughout Kenya greatly concerned
us and impacted all of Kenya,” she said.
Much of the most recent violence took place in the
Rift Valley and some parts of Coast province and
Nairobi. “Some of the worst violence did occur in former
NOLS operating areas,” said Peter Kafuna, who
had instructed for NOLS and now teaches at Batian’s
View. “The worst affected was Nakuru, a town that
courses used to pass through on our way to and from
Lake Nakuru National Park. Narok was also another
town badly affected, which used to be our stopping
point before heading out to Maasai Mara or Loita hills.”
Charles Ojaji, a NOLS instructor from Kenya
who now resides in Wyoming and works at the Cheyenne
Regional Medical Center, said that no one was expecting
such an uprising. “It caught everyone by surprise,
even the people involved,” he said. “They didn’t think
it’d go that far.”
What had started as a political dispute quickly
turned into violence along ethnic lines. “The violence
was among conflicting tribes over power and land.”
said James “KG” Kagambi, a Kenyan native and NOLS
instructor, explaining that Kenya has over a dozen tribes
and that elections can dictate which tribes are benefited.
Ethnic clashes stirred between supporters of the
Orange Democratic Movement, who are mainly Luo,
Luyah, and other smaller tribes, and supporters of
the ruling Party of National Unity, who are mainly
Kikuyu. “For much of Kenya’s history, many felt that
the Kikuyu benefited more politically and economically
than other groups,” said Roberts.
International pressure for resolution resulted in a
power sharing agreement that both parties signed in
February 2008. The formulation of a new coalition
government is hoped to help ease tribal disputes.
Goodwin says it has already calmed many of the problems
and that people are hopeful.
“I believe this coalition is going to hold for a
while,” said Kafuna, adding that the challenge that lies
ahead is returning displaced people to their homes.
“Homes were completely destroyed during the violence
and in some areas neighbors are still showing open
hostility. This is one issue that will really test the stability
of the coalition government.”
Another focus in rebuilding this region is on the
tourism industry, which accounts for 15 percent of the
Kenyan economy. The economic impacts on tourism as
a result of the recent violence were substantial—revenues
dropped 54 percent in the first quarter of 2008, according
to Reuters. Though a decline in tourism has greatly
SUMMER 2008
Adversity in kenya
c h e c k i n g i n o n N O L s f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y
While Kenya has a reputation
for stability amidst its turbulent
neighbors...it recently grabbed
the world’s attention after
the presidential elections on
December 27, 2007, when
charges of vote rigging led to a
sudden rise in violence. More
than 1,000 Kenyans were killed
and hundreds of thousands
were driven from their homes.
3
impacted the region, especially for those who work for
local outfitters, KG says that tourism security is good
and shouldn’t deter potential visitors.
Lastly, Kafuna indicates that Batian’s View saw a
decline in student numbers. “We were not directly
affected here at Batian’s View, except for the loss of
business since most of our programs involve school
groups,” he said. “The school calendar was completely
disrupted and so we had a lot of cancellations. We
have certainly gone through a very traumatic period
in the history of our nation.”
“Everybody is trying to tolerate adversity,” says
Ojaji. “It’s one of those things you take away from a
NOLS course and it stays with you.”
While NOLS no longer operates in Africa, many alumni
and staff have a profound connection with this amazing
land. “The course, the people, my instructors, and the
wilderness changed my life,” said NOLS Executive Director
John Gans, reflecting on his experience as a semester student
in Kenya in 1979.
NOLS East Africa was founded in 1974 and based
in Naru Moru, near Mt. Kenya and north of Nairobi.
NOLS operated in Kenya for 29 years, giving students a
rare glimpse into the wild lands of Africa with a unique
cultural experience. In 2003, the NOLS Board of Trustees
decided that the region’s political and social future was
too uncertain to continue to enroll students and NOLS
East Africa closed.
This decision affected many members of the NOLS
community that dedicated years to the NOLS mission
and program in Kenya. “I have developed friendships
spanning decades and grown immeasurably from contacts
with Kenyan staff and alumni. The people and place
have touched me deeply and were of significant influence
as we made this decision,” said Gans.
Many NOLS East Africa staff members have continued
working in the wilderness education field, both in Kenya
and in the United States. Many work at Batian’s View
while others continue to work for NOLS.
For more information about the recent violence in Kenya
and how to help, visit www.kenyaredcross.org.