CHAT is an NGO that runs mobile health clinics to the maasai communities in this area. They provide family planning, tuberculosis, HIV & FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) education. Such essential work, this organisation is run by a Shanni, an amazing woman, who has a small cottage on her family property where I am living. Milima Tatu, literally 'three mountains', is the name given to the area, and I can see Mt Kenya (the second largest mountain in Africa) from my breakfast chair. I plan to hike the 5 days up to the top sometime in the next 3 months.
Volunteers for CHAT are provided with accomodation in a 2 bedroom cottage, it is simply furnished and the starlings and squirrels wander in at leisure! There is a 12v solar system that powers my lights at night, but sadly fails to power the small solar fridge (it is sitting under the sink in the kitchen picture). So I cannot keep any food or drink cold. This really requires careful shopping! Water for my shower comes from the river and is heated by a "donkey", Mweenie, my 'housemaid', comes every morning at 7am to to light the fire. Not very effective, I must say, and the water is but a dribble! I might be a little pissed off with this after 3 months!!! Toilet & washing water is also brown river water. Drinking water is taken from the rainwater tank and boiled by Mweenie. She also does my laundry by hand, again not very effective! But I do feel very spoilt to have her.
I can't walk around in the evening, there could be lepoards that come on to the property. So I make sure that my laptop is fully charged during the day and enjoy a movie and music on my ipod in the evenings. It is a pretty quiet and relaxing environment. During the day, Shanni & I go to town, 45min drive down a very BAD road, to the office. Or work from the cottage on the property. No internet or mobile phone coverage at the cottage, so this is certainly a different way of life for me!
