HOMA BAY JEEPLINES
THE HOMA BAY AREA
Homa Bay town, which is the base for the two jeeplinesHoma Bay I and Homa Bay II, is situated in the district of Homa Bay and Nyanza province south of Lake Victoria. Due to the vicinity of Lake Victoria the climate is humid and warm. According to the census done in -99 the town had over 55.000 inhabitants.The province capital Kisumu, with a population of about 500.000, is situated 140 km from Homa Bay. The altitude of Lake Victoria is 1100 meters and the landscape rises gently from the lake towards the hilly landscape further south and west. Fishing in the lake is of great importance, 90% of Kenya´s fish harvest comes from Lake Victoria.
Big rains fall from March to June and small rains from November to December, but even during the rainy seasons the sun shines. However, there have been changes in the weather pattern so now it can be rainy also outside the rainy season. During these periods the malaria is more prevalent than ever. This is one of the worst malaria areas of the world: “the Malaria Belt” around Lake Victoria.
The Nyanza Province is a fertile and densely populated part of Western Kenya. Here live 5,5 million of the country´s 33 million inhabitants. Homa Bay District comprises 350 000 people of mainly the Luo tribe, the second/third largest tribe in Kenya (14%), which dominates the Nyanza Province.
In this area you will find all the tropical crops you can think of e.g. maize, rice, casava, pawpaw (papaya), mango, avocado, banana, pineapple, sugar cane, ground nuts, cotton and at higher altitudes tea, coffee and flowers for export.
Homa Bay Town is a friendly little town and the people try to live a normal life among all the usual problems of a developing country. The health situation (>35% HIV-positive) the literacy situation and the economic situation is not favourable.
The town spreads around the main street coming from Kisumu/ Kendu Bay and going to Kisii/Migori/Tanzania. Along this street on the right hand side are the fishing harbour, the Tourist Hotel and the jetty. Homa Bay used to have a stream boat connection with Kisumu but this has been cancelled due to a 200 – 300 meter wide belt of water hyacinths that covers the bay, boats can not reach the jetty any more. On the left hand side is the town business area with banks (i.e. Barclay´s, Kenya Commercial Equity Bank with ATM), internet café and all kinds of small shops. When you continue the main street up the hill in the direction of Kisii you reach Total Service Station that accepts Master Card, VISA and Euro card. Turn left into the main street. If you make another left turn, a dirt road will lead you to the Rotary Doctor´s House in the AMREF Compound and the MoH Office. If you continue the main street towards Kisii you will find gas stations, the bus station and many shops. The District Hospital is located up the hill, to the left. Continue up the main street and you will reach Hotel Hippo Buck, a nice hotel with modern rooms and a good restaurant.
In the market you will find vegetables, fruit, chicken, meat and fish for sale in open stands. In Shivlings Supermarket, opposite the market, you can buy most of what you need for your everyday life. Freezers have recently been installed- bacon, sausages, ice cream, youghurt are available.
The big supermarkets in Kisumu: NAKUMATT stocks everything from food including fresh meat and fish to blankets, shoes, rubber boots, towels, electric goods and wines.You can get fresh packeted milk in Siaya but it might be advisable to bring back some packets of long-life milk from Kisumu. Good bread (there are small deepfreeze compartments in the two fridges in the Doctors´ house) can be bought at MAYFAIR BAKERY in Kisumu opposite the main market. At the market, one of the biggest and nicest in the country, you can buy fruits and vegetables but also baskets, stools, tables, kanga cloths. Look outside in the back where you can see sandals made of tractor tyres, watering cans and all manner of containers hammered out of scrap metal. This is true recycling!
Kisumu is a sprawling lakeside town which offers three centrally situated hotels:
- SUNSET with a stunning view over Lake Victoria, especially at sunset, and a nice herd of impala antelopes grazing below the swimming pool area.
- IMPERIAL which is the meeting place for the ROTARY CLUB of Kisumu at lunchtime on Thursdays.
- NYANZA CLUB, close to Sunset, also with swimming pool. Daily membership fee in NYANZA CLUB is 150 KES (Kenyan Shilling). But if you stay overnight the membership fee is included in the cost accomodation.
There are also several fast-food eating places around the central part of town.
The KISUMU MUSEUM, on the outskirts beyond the market is well worth a visit. It has an impressive collection of poisonous snakes!
THE JEEPLINES
This is how the jeeplines looked like in the end of 2012.
Homa Bay I
Homabayjeepline has five outreach clinics; all of the five clinics are in Ndhiwa district.
The staff:
NAME / POSITIONJANET AKOSE / VCT CONCELLOR
YUSUF KASIM / DRIVER
PHILIS MEGE / ECHN (Retirednurse)
Clinics;
DAY / CLINIC NAME / CLINIC HOUSE / ROADMON / OTANGE / CDF DISPENSARY / GOOD
TUE / UNGA / SCH. OFFICE / GOOD
WED / KOGUTA / MUD HOUSE / GOOD
THUR / NDERE / MUD HOUSE / VERY BAD
FRI / DUNGA / MUD HOUSE / GOOD
Homa Bay II
Homabayjeepline two cut across two districts, the districts are Homabay and Ndhiwa.
The staff:
NAME / POSITIONMERAB ANYONA / VCT COUNCELLOR
PAUL OLOGE / DRIVER
GRACE OMBATI / ECHN (Retirednurse)
Clinics:
DAY / CLINIC NAME / CLINIC HOUSE / ROADMON / SIKWADHI / SCH. OFFICE / FARE
TUE / ODIENYA / CHIEFS OFFICE / FARE
WED / NYAMBARE / CDF BUILDING / FARE
THUR / LWANDA / CDF BUILDING / FARE
FRI / NYAWAWA / CDF DISPENSARY / FARE
THE DOCTORS´ HOUSE
The house is situated in the compound of AMREF (African Medical Research Foundation) where also the district MoH office is located. The house has a small garden with a fence to keep out the goats and other animals. It has a nice veranda infront. Inside there is a combined sitting and dining area room where it is also closets for the medicines kept for the jeeplines. There is a small kitchen in the back. To the left in the house there are two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one with two single beds. There is also a toilet and bathroom. To the right in the house there is another bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom. There are closets in all the bedrooms. The kitchen has running water and is equipped with a gas cooker, refrigerator, water filter and extra cans for water. Water is always a problem in Homa Bay despite the vicinity to the second largest lake of the world. However, rainwater is normally available. The house has electricity and the supply is fairly reliable. Power failures do occur regularly, but are often short-lived. The house is also furnished with a fan for warm days. The beds are equipped with mosquito nets and there are mosquito nets over the windows as well as a net-door. It is important to take as much precaution as possible against mosquitos. The beds in the house all have impregnated nets and all windows have mosqutio-netting but try to keep your bedroom door closed in the evening and spray the room if necessary.
HOUSE STAFF
Josephine Olandois the house staff, she is assisting with cooking, cleaning and washing clother. She can also buy food which are locally available in the market.
The security guard by the main gate is not employed by RDS but is working for the whole compound. His name is Philip.