Munch a Roast Maize Trip – Kenya 4th May 2003

Munch a Roast Maize Trip – Kenya 4th May 2003
It was on 4th May 2003 in Kenya and green maize was abundant. About this time, the major small business activity would be selling roasted maize to travelers going to Nairobi.

It happened that after several near-death incidences of “black mamba and green horse” (bicycles used by Martin and Richard respectively) as they sped along village paths,at times we would almost crash into cripples crawling in small paths, working with the disabled. It was decided that wheelchairs (tricycles) must be found and donated to these group to minimize the incidences and give dignity to those the society had labeled ‘chini chini’ (downtrodden) to make them ‘juu juu’ (uplifted)

We had a friend, one Sunil Sinha, Project Director, Jaipur Foot Project, a project of Rotary Club Nairobi who assured us that as long us we got the clients to Nairobi, he would give each one a free wheelchair. So on the 3rd of May 2003, with a kind offer of a bus belonging to Ingotse High School, courtesy of Western Province P.D.E’s office, we set off with 30 severely disabled clients to Nairobi munching roast maize.

Now in the days of yore it had been rumored that one Iddi Amin Dada, former president of Uganda had gathered all lame people from the streets of Buganda put them in lorries and, promising them heaven and good life, had dumped all of them to lake Victoria. With such thoughts, it was with trepidation and fear that our clients boarded the bus to Nairobi, an activity that would have been near impossible, had it been organized by any African of questionable character,were it not for Richard and Amy, real Africans as they were referred, who rode bicycles and ate roasted maize.

To beat time and avoid curious looks along the way, all our clients agreed that our breakfast, lunch and supper would be roasted maize, and so munching, we went towards the East far from west where Amin did the alleged act. It was pleasure for our people when we landed in Nairobi to be met by Sunil Sinha. He is a wheelchair user who minds those like him.

That day we collected thirty sturdy wheelchairs. This was the starting point for the physically disabled people of Mumias area in Western province to start off and possible the act that gave our people the trust and confidence to work with us.

Author: Martin Wanzala- Occupational Therapist