This Week in Kenya

We at World of Difference love to stay apprised of Kenyan current events. Here are some of the headlines that caught our attention this week.

• Grain Cartels Set to Cash in on Hunger Facing Kenya [Daily Nation]
• Kenya's Banking Revolution [Time Magazine]
• Early Action to Support Drought-Affected Communities [Relief Web]
• Politics Take Centre Stage at Jaramogi's Memorial [Kenya Broadcasting Corporation]
• Kenyan Students Leave Slum with Canadian Aid [CBC News]
• Pneumonia Vaccine 'to save thousands of lives' [BBC News]
• Kenyan Government to Increase National Students [Kenya Broadcasting Corporation]
• US Judge Sentences Ex-Guantanamo Detainee to Life [Reuters Africa]
• Engineering Group at OSU Hopes to Send Students to Kenya [Gazette Times]
• Kenya School Curriculum Aligned With New Law [Saturday Nation]
• US Ambassador's Crusade Against Corruption [Time Magazine]
• Kenya Gets New Chief Justice [Capital News]
• Passion Leads 19-Year-Old to Slum in Kenya [The Beacon News]

Recipe: Kashata

Something between candy and cookie, Eastern Africa's Kashata are a popular snack of Swahili origin. Kashata are usually made with peanuts or grated coconut, or both. Kashata are made on the stove or over a fire, not in an oven like European biscuits or American cookies. Make Kashata for yourself with this recipe:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups fresh or moist grated coconut (or two cups of dried grated coconut moistened with a few tablespoons of milk or water)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
• a pinch of salt
• one-half cup wheat flour (optional)

In a hot skillet, heat the sugar until it melts and just begins to brown. Reduce heat and quickly add all other ingredients, stirring well as each ingredient is added. When all ingredients have been added to the mixture, continue stirring for about a minute, making sure everything is well mixed. Place in the freezer to cool.

Meeting People, Part 2: Greetings & Goodbyes

Greetings & Goodbyes
Kusalimiana na kuaga
You can never spend too long exchanging greetings in East Africa. They vary depending on whether you’re speaking to one person or several, or to an older or younger person. People often spend a few minutes with hands clasped, catching up on all the latest news. You may notice many gestures that accompany greetings – respectful curtsies, grasped upper forearms, hand kisses or cool handshakes. Expect to shake hands often in East Africa. If your right hand is full or dirty, offer your wrist instead.
Hi there
The most common greet is habari (lit: news). The variations on this greeting are many. Common ones include salama (lit: safe) instead of habari, which may be dropped from the greeting altogether: (Habari) Za leo? (lit: news of today). You can use salama to greet anybody you pass or to reply to any greeting.
Hello/How are you?	Habari?	Ha-ba-ree
What’s the news?	Habari gani?	Ha-ba-ree ga-nee
How are you all?	Habari zenu?	Ha-ba-ree zay-noo
How’s everyone at home?	Habari za nyumbani?	Ha-ba-ree zaa nyoom-ba-nee
How’s work?	Habari za kazi?	Ha-ba-ree za ka-zee
Good…	Habari za…?	Ha-ba-ree za…
day	leo	lay-oh
morning	asubuhi	a-soo-boo-hee
afternoon	mchana	m-cha-na
evening	jioni	jee-oh-nee
You can reply to almost any habari greeting using nzuri, salama, or safi (fine). If things are just OK, add tu (only) after any of these replies. Even if things are really bad, most people will reply to greetings with nzuri ro (lit: only fine), rather than mbaya (bad). If things are really good, you can add sana (very), or kabisa (totally) instead of tu.
What’s your name?	Jina lako nani?	Jee-na la-koh na-nee
My name is…	Jina langu ni…	Jee-na lan-goo nee…
I’d like to introduce you to…	Huyu ni…	Hoo-yoo nee…
This is my…	Huyu ni…	Hoo-yoo nee…
child	mtoto wangu	m-toh-toh wan-goo
colleague	mwenzi wangu	mwayn-zee wan-goo
friend	rafiki yangu	ra-fee-kee yan-goo
husband	mume wangu	moo-may wan-goo
partner (intimate)	mpenzi wangu	m-payn-zee wan-goo
wife	mke wangu	m-kay wan-goo
I’m pleased to meet you	Nafurahi kukufahamu	Na-foo-ra-hee koo-koo-fa-ha-moo
See you later	Baadaye	Ba-a-da-yay
Goodbye	Tutaonana	Too-ta-oh-na-na
Bye	Kwa heri	Kwa hay-ree
Good night	Usiku mwema	oo-see-koo mway-ma
Bon voyage!	Safari njema!	Sa-fa-ree n-jay-ma

Pic of the Week

It's a goat. On a roof. Naturally.

2011 Expeditions: Reminder

As a reminder, World of Difference is now planning their 2011 expeditions and would LOVE for you to join them! I encourage everyone to at least check it out and think about going. It is two weeks of your life you won't regret and will cherish forever!

The deadline for applying is approaching quickly so don't delay! If you are at all interested (and I know you are!), please go to the website (http://www.makeaworldofdifference.org/), and fill out an application for Team A or Team B, whichever dates fits your life best.

If it is the cost of the expedition that has you hesitating, know that a lot of WoD team members raise the money by holding fundraisers within their communities. Fundraising is a great way to let others know about what you are doing and let them get involved in making a difference in other people’s lives through you. We here at the WoD blog will be running a series of posts on different fundraising ideas, methods and tips, so stay tuned!

About a Girl...

This photo was originally a "pic of the week", but her eyes beg for more than a caption, no? Myself? I see defiance. In the very best meaning of the word. The one that says "bring it". What do you see?

I have a habit, let's call it, of meditating on a "day in the life of" certain people who strike a chord in me. Recently, while organizing some of my World of Difference photos and jewelry to write about for this blog and add to the Etsy store, I lingered on both her picture and some Maasai jewelry, which happens to be her tribe. I couldn't help but get pulled behind those eyes.

I imagined myself a young woman of the Maasai people. At night I prepare food for my family, tend after children, and craft jewelry and goods to sell to the tourists. When it comes time to sleep I lay with my brothers and sisters in a ten-foot-square hut with cow dung walls. The morning comes and I spend the day hawking traditional items of my people to those who visit the Mara, pleading for them to buy something, knowing my people need this money to survive. One day soon I will marry to become one of several wives of my husband, and I will bear children who will follow in the footsteps of my ancestors and in my own.

But...what if...?

What if, as I see behind those defiant eyes, there is a passion burning and churning and rumbling inside of her. Something she doesn't quite understand but which consumes her every thought. To do something, to be something...different. To learn to heal and become a doctor. To master law and represent her people. To nurture the minds of the young and teach. To do anything she can think of and some things she doesn't yet know exists.

What if...?

It all starts with an education. School will ignite that flame inside of her and the more she learns the more that fire will grow.

Imagine the possibilities.

Imagine HER possibilities.


***
Photo credits:Thanks to Chelsea for taking the picture and to Scott for making it even prettier!

This Week in Kenya

We at World of Difference love to stay apprised of Kenyan current events. Here are some of the headlines that caught our attention this week.

• Kenya’s Prime Minister Attempts to Mediate Ivory Coast Tension [ToTheCenter.com]
• Hunger 'Not a National Disaster' [AllAfrica.com]
• Trouble Hits KK Alliance [AllAfrica.com]
• Kenyans Needing Relief Food to Reach 5 Million [Daily Nation]
• Kenya Launches Website on Fiscal Stimulus Program [Kenya Broadcasting Corporation]
• Barclays Sacks 200 Managers in Drive to Cut Wage Bill [Business Daily]
• Kenya Benefits from $100 Million Health Project [VOANews.com]
• Form One Selection Case Begins [Kenya Broadcasting Corporation]

Recipe: Mandazi

Mandazi are East African donuts. You can find these delicious donuts in large urban areas and also among the Swahili people of East Africa. Most small restaurants serve mandazi. You can also find mandazi being sold by street vendors. Usually mandazi are eaten with tea (chai) or coffee. Serve them warm for breakfast or for snack. Make mandazi for yourself with this recipe:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 cups white flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder

Bring all ingredients to room temperature before mixing them together. Mix all the ingredients together, adding more flour if necessary. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Roll the dough on a lightly floured board until it is about 1/4 inch think. Cut into triangles and fry in hot oil. Fry until both sides are golden brown. Remove mandazi from oil and drain on paper towels or newspaper. Mandazi are best served warm.

Get a little fancy with it! Spruce up your mandazi with these ideas:

* Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the hot mandazi.
* Put some white sugar into a bag, add a couple mandazi, and shake the bag to cover with sugar.
* Add about a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger, all-spice, or cardamom to the dough or a combination of these spices to total a 1/2 teaspoon.
* Use a circular donut cutter to make mandazi in the shape of traditional donuts.
* Substitute pineapple, orange, or lemon juice for the milk.
* Add some shredded coconut to the dough.
* Add ground peanuts or ground almonds to the dough.
* You may substitute 1 teaspoon dry yeast for the 2 teaspoons baking powder. You will want to allow the mandazi to rise before cutting shapes and frying.

Meeting People, Part 1: The Basics

Basics
Miningi
Yes	Ndiyo	n-dee-yoh
No	Hapana	Ha-pa-na
Please	Tafadhali	Ta-fa-dha-lee
Thank you (very much)	Asante (sana)	a-san-tay (sa-na)
Thank you all (very much)	Asanteni (sana)	a-san-tay-nee (sa-na)
You’re welcome	Karibu	Ka-ree-boo
You’re all welcome	Karibuni	Ka-ree-boo-nee
Excuse me	Samahani	Sa-ma-ha-nee
Forgive me	Nisamele	Nee-sa-may-lay
Sorry	Pole	Poh-lay

Pic of the Week

Such spunk!

2011 Expeditions

World of Difference is now planning their 2011 expeditions and would LOVE for you to join them! I encourage everyone to at least check it out and think about going. It is two weeks of your life you won't regret and will cherish forever!

The deadline for applying is approaching quickly so don't delay! If you are at all interested (and I know you are!), please go to the website (http://www.makeaworldofdifference.org/), and fill out an application for Team A or Team B, whichever dates fits your life best.

See you in Kenya!