MASENO and UGUNJA JEEPLINES
THE SIAYA AREA
The MasenochUgunjajeeplines are basid in the town of Siaya, which is situated in the Siaya district and the Nyanza Province on the northern shores of Lake Victoria. Due to the vicinity of Lake Victoria the climate is humid and warm. Siaya town had a population of 50.000 in a census done -99, while the district had a population of over 500.000. Siaya town is 79 km west of the provincial capital Kisumu, Kenya´s third largest city, with a population of about 500.000 inhabitants.
The main rainy season is from March to June and short rains can be expected between August and December. But even during the rainy season the sun shines and the days are warm. However the weather patterns have been changing and now it can rain during other periods. Average annual rainfall in Siaya District is 1.200 mm. Minimum daily temperature is 15 degrees Celsius, maximum 30 degrees.
Nyanza Province is a densely populated part of the country. There are approx. 5,2 million inhabitants out of the nation´s total population of 33 million people. You can find many tropical crops here, maize, rice, cassava, papaya, mango, avocado, pineapple, sugarcane and cotton. There are two planting seasons in the year, the main one in February. The majority of the population in Siaya District areLuos. They do not practise circumcision like many other tribes in Kenya do. Luyia people also live in Nyanza but mainly further north and east in the Western Province.
Fishing in Lake Victoria is of great importance to the economy of the province. Try Tilapia and Nile perch. You can buy fresh fish from Siaya market, the main market in Kisumu or frozen from the supermarkets in town.
The trip from Kisumu to the Doctors´ house in Siaya takes approx. 1 hr by road. Please NOTE – there is NO PETROLSTATION between Siaya and the town of Luanda.
Locally in Siaya shopping for vegetables, fruit, bread, margarine, eggs, fresh milk, soft drinks, beer, fresh fish, can be done (ask Emily who will get the “local” price).
At SIAYA SELF SERVICE STORE you can find lots of other household goods like toilet paper, soap, tissue paper, simple glasses, torches, etc.
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 accommodation.
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
The jeeplines how they look in the end of 2012:
Masenoline
The staff:
NAME / POSITIONPHANICE OKELLO / VCT COUNCELLOR
JOSEPH MAANA / DRIVER
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE / NURSE
The clinics
DAY / CLINC NAME / CLINIC HOUSE / ROADMON / ESHIKUYU / CHURCH / GOOD
TUE / W.NYANG / CDF BUILDING / FARE
WED / ITUTI / SEMI PERM. HSE / FARE
THUR / NYAMSENDA / CHURCH / FARE
FRI / EBUKHOLO / CDF DISPENSARY / GOOD
Ugunjaline
The staff:
NAME / POSITIONVACANT / VCT COUNSELLOR
ELKANA ASUDI / DRIVER
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE / NURSE
The clinics:
DAY / CLINC NAME / CLINIC HOUSE / ROADMON / BARDING / CDF DISPENSARY / FARE
TUE / UMALA / CHURCH / FARE
WED / ESIBEMBE / CHURCH / GOOD
THUR / YENGA / GOOD HOUSE / FARE
FRI / GUNGE / OLD BUILDING / FARE
THE DOCTORS´ HOUSE
The house is privately rented and situated about 5 min. drive from the hospital near the District Commissioner´s residence. It is situated in a large compound with grass, has a hedge all around the property covering a fence. There are trees and palms as well as flowering bushes like hibiscus and creepers.
The property has a metal gate, which should be kept locked at all times. Inside the compound is also the living quarter for the Western coordinators. At the further end of the garden an office and a staff house.
The house is entered through a shaded verandah. The main door has a heavy metal grill door. Inside is a combined sitting room/dining area. The kitchen is small but compact and has one of the two fridges (the other one is in the dining room). It also has a stove, which is run on both electricity and gas. Adjacent with a door to the back yard is the “dhobi” room where washing and ironing is done. All washing is done by hand!
From the sitting room leads a corridor with a guest toilet and basin and a second bathroom with standing shower in a bathtub as well as a hand shower, basin and toilet.
There are two small bedrooms and one slightly larger one. In each room there are two beds, built-in cupboards with space for hanging clothes and drawers or shelves. One of these drawers is lockable and so is the whole cupboard. There is also a bedside table and a reading lamp in each bedroom as well as a mirror.
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
EMILY was employed in early 2003. She will take care of cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing. She is off on Sundays and she will work half day on Saturdays.
SAMUEL OGALO is the gardener/day watchman and comes from Siaya and he shares his work with VICTOR.
You can ask Emily to do the local shopping. Food and tea in thermos should be given to the night-watchman as it is customary in Kenya.