See also the Kenya-Photo Gallery and the Workshop Schedule

The opening ceremony of the workshop was held in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, on Thursday, August 9, 2001 at 8.00 pm. The venue of the opening ceremony, which was at WIDA HIGHWAY MOTEL, is situated at a serene and quiet environment along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

The opening speech of the workshop was gracefully officiated by one of the youthful Kenya government ministers, The Minister for Labor and Human Resource Development, Hon. Isaac A. Ruto, M.P. In his speech, the minister highlighted the significance of the theme of the conference (i.e. "United Nations Millennium Declaration: The special need of Africa, Implementing the culture of peace through health.").

In particular he noted with great admiration that the volunteer participants gathered in the meeting, emanating from various countries and inter-religious faiths, were people who have willingly given their own time, energy and resources through service for the achievement of the health project without any pay. He emphasized that in order to have lasting peace, special individual interests should never overshadow universal interests. He concluded his speech by wishing the participants fruitful deliberations during their two days orientation program in Nairobi and a successful workshop at the project site at Lugari in western Kenya.

The local Kenyan youth participants who participated in this workshop were both male and female youth leaders who came from various institutions such as universities, youth organizations and churches. Denominations represented in the workshop were Catholics, Christian Protestants, African Inland Church, Muslim and Methodists. Similarly all the major and minor tribes in Kenya - Kikuyu, Kamba, Meru, Embu, Abaluya, Luo, Maasai, Kalenjin and Somali - were equally represented. To add flavor to the aforementioned gender and racial diversity was the inclusion of international participants who came from Luxembourg - 2 participants, Uganda - 2 participants, Tanzania - 2 participants, and Zambia - 1 participant. In total there were 33 participants who participated in the 2-days orientation program in Nairobi.

After the successful 2-days orientation program in Nairobi, the 33 participants left Nairobi as a team by bus on Sunday morning, 12th August 2001 to the project site at Lugari, western Kenya. On their journey to the project site, the participants had their 1st brief stop at the eastern shoulder of the Great Rift Valley to view its magnificent scenic beauty. Thereafter the participants detoured for 2 hours to visit one of Kenya's famous National park - the Lake Nakuru National Park - to view the world famous habitat for the pink colored flamingo birds. Other wildlife attractions in the park were exemplified by the presence of such animals as the buffalo, rhino, giraffe, monkeys, antelopes and zebras.

The participants ate their packed lunch in the National park and soon after they boarded their hired traveling bus to proceed to their final destination in Lugari. Although the journey to Lugari district was tiring and long, given the muddy roads and rainy conditions that were prevailing on the day of our arrival to Lugari, the participants were in high spirits. The team eventually arrived on the project site on Sunday evening at around 8.00 pm. The reception team hosted by Han Dow secondary school warmly received them. This is the school where the participants received their accommodation facilities for the next 10 days while on the project site. The IRFF Kenya Chapter acknowledges with gratitude the good reception the participants received from Han Dow secondary school through the school's headmaster, Mr. Joseph Mutiga.

The ground breaking opening ceremony at the project site in Lugari was done on Monday, 13 August 2001 at 12 noon. The chief guest of honor was the district commissioner who was represented in the function by the Lugari district officer. Other important persons represented on the opening function were the area chief, area Assistant chief, officer from ministry of Health and members of the community that totaled about 1,500 persons. After the official opening speech of the ceremony, the whole gathering proceeded to the clinic building site where the IRFF International field director, Dr. Trombin laid the first foundation stone of the building.

Soon after the official ground breaking ceremony was over, the participants organized themselves through their team group leaders. The individual working groups were assigned duties ranging from actual construction and gardening work on the project site to painting and renovation works in the school that was hosting the participants. Once the duties were assigned, the participants embarked with a raging lioness spirit to their mission work at the project site. The organizational team spirit and friendship that had permeated and taken root among the participants was a landmark impression that would be missed in Lugari for many years to come.

It was clear that the first 2-days orientation program in Nairobi had laid down the necessary foundation of crystallizing and bringing to focus the mission of the project and establishing a firm team spirit network among the participants. The participants, despite their cultural, racial and gender diversity were able to mix amicably well with the local community. The seeds of friendship that were sowed during the clinic construction work will definitely last to bare joyful fruits for the years to come. To most of the participants, it was a self-realization experience of what true service and self sacrifice can bring a sense of belong and meaning in their lives.

The daily working program at the project site had to be designed to accommodate the rainy pattern that was prevalent in the area. Every day the daily schedule began at 7.00 am with morning prayers and a motto of the day. Soon after breakfast the participants went on with zeal to work on the project site. On each working day, the participants were joined on the working site by alternating local community youth groups who had organized themselves in groups of 10 persons. By the time the workshop-project come to an end, the participants had managed to build the wall structure including the partitioning works of the building.

Remaining works on the Lugari building Project

Report prepared and submitted by: Dr. C.M. Nyamai Director, IRFF (Kenya).

Copyright (c) 2003 IRFF Europe
Luxembourg@irff-europe.org