Robbery, Malaria, political activism, HIV/AIDS, dehydration, diarrhea, flooding, uncooked food, military stops, rebel groups, Yellow Fever, unsafe drivers, rabies, tampered water.
When selecting potential developing countries to volunteer in this summer, Kenya was relatively low on the list. Although I had a strong preference for a country in Africa, the safety and security in Kenya held be back from selecting this location. I was told at the beginning of the semester that where the last two Beyond Borders students lived in Kariobangi, Kenya, their apartment was broken into multiple times throughout the duration of their stay. Along with horror stories of being confronted by large men while walking along the street demanding your bag, loosing passports and other important documents, and being held at gun point are also potential situations that may be encountered in the locations we visit.
In regards to severity, being robbed and getting sick are potentially the most consequential. In 2006 Kenya had an estimated 15 million malaria cases with 40,000 deaths. During this year there were also 684 cases and 155 deaths from an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever. In order to minimize the chances of getting sick while abroad, there are a number of initiatives I have taken. To begin, I faced my absolute worst fear of needles, and after a brief breakdown, received 4 shots to prevent Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Typhoid, and Hepatitis A. In addition I will also be taking oral medication to prevent Malaria, travelers diarrhea and maintain my immune system. As the water from the tap in our living location will be contaminated, it is a requirement to purify the water before consumption. Failing to either boil water or add water purification drops can lead to serious illness.
I reflected upon this for a while after completing our recent depart smart program.
These may be fears of mine, but to others these are just realities. Although these risks and hazards may appear frightening and dangerous to us traveling, the people living in this country face these obstacles daily. How do they cope? What techniques do they use to deal with these problems? Items such as mosquito nets have been adopted by the people of Kenya to assist in the prevention of Malaria.
While my fears of safety and sickness still dwindle, looking at the amount of vaccinations and prescription drugs we have available to us in order to prepare has started to ease my worries. Although the majority of Kenyans do not have access to adequate health care, I am interested to see what other techniques they use to keep safe and minimize sickness.
