Summer 2019

The team reflects back on their experience going to Kenya for the implementation of the project

Although as a team we can agree that the project was an immense challenge, both on a group and individual level, it exceeded expectations in every aspect. Not only was it immensely satisfying to see our work in the UK pay off in Kenya, providing the local community with something that will be beneficial for them, but the trip itself was rich in new experiences, which we all grew from. For a lot of us, the satisfaction of the fundis and users of the machine was the most important thing for us, which we believed we achieved; their comments and expressions on their faces throughout the final day made the whole trip worthwhile. From a recreational side, we are grateful for having the opportunity to have gone on a safari, our daily swimming trips in the creek and walks along the pristine beaches. The young footballers in the village were immensely driven and talented and although we did not challenge them to a match, seeing their athleticism was enough to realise we would have been comprehensively beaten.

As a team we were quite diverse with cultural background spanning India, Turkey, Malaysia, Nigeria, Lithuania and England. This was especially beneficial for the development of our project as we all had a different outlook on any given topic, with compromises offering far better solutions overall than any one perspective could. This posed some difficulty initially, however, we soon learnt that this diversity was our greatest asset allowing us to be more flexible and respectful of each other, especially as we had to live and eat which other for two weeks. Our varied non-technical interests and inclinations meant that some team members also had additional roles with Tse driving project management mechanisms and the funding side of things and Egle organizing the logistical side of the trip.

Shiv, having some Kenyan heritage, enjoyed connecting his British attitudes with the threads of his East African identity. Speaking in broken Swahili and discussing concepts such as religion, politics and sustainable living often brought up thought-provoking conversations with members of the community which was was intriguing and informative for him to engage with. Aleyna enjoyed embracing the culture we were encompassed in by learning a few phrases in Swahili, and communicating with the locals to gauge their opinions on the project. Interested in the development of the sub-Saharan African and the varying cultures of the countries encompassed within this, Tse particularly enjoyed conversations with our guide about Nigeria and Kenya and found it interesting to gain perspective on the lives, customs and cultural norms of other people in Africa.

As part of the trip, at the request of the CBO we worked with, a few members of the group had the opportunity of visiting the Kivukoni School in Kilifi. For Zinzan and Egle who went to visit the school, seeing the enthusiasm and knowledge of the children despite their age was pleasantly surprising and indeed encouraging. Going to the school, was a fantastic experience to inspire the next generation of environmental engineers and see the new ways of thinking the children brought. As a team this project also provided us with an unmatched opportunity to develop our leadership and communication skills.