Of lunch dealings, lesser kudus and more crowded matatus...

Day two and three of our work here has gone quite according to plan. We successfully met the Chiefs of the four locations in which we would like to conduct our participatory rural appraisal. These locations are Lucuiti, Kabachi, A.Kiongo and Kawiru; the locations border the Ngaya Forest and the 'corridor' that lies between it and Meru National Park. Incidentally, communities from these locations farm in the 'corridor', hence the human-wildlife conflict in the area. We have been suitably warned that the local communities live in fear that conservationists are keen to grab the 'corridor' and gazette it a protected area, a move which will mean the farmers and other settlers will be kicked out. This fear has led to violent reactions against KWS staff on previous ocassions, and so to avoid this happening to us as well, we are practising the art of being politically correct and referring to the 'corridor' as the 'site'. This is something I plan to do on the blog as well, from now onwards.

Our barazas in the four locations begin tomorrow, at Lucuiti, and end on 1st Oct at Kabachi. Thereafter, we will embark on the data collection exercise, in conjunction with representatives from the communities. The representation is fairly well spread, and our efforts are being focused on getting the youth, women, children, religious leaders, local governance figures, the elderly, members from the KWS and KFS, and local user groups and associations. The days to follow will show us whether our efforts have been successful or not.
When we embarked on this crucial phase of the project, we envisioned being as grassroots as possible. In that spirit, we decided against hiring a car and moving about our project area, but instead chose to use public transport. This has led the PRA team to enjoy the most comfortable of matatu rides ever! Imagine 13 people, excluding driver and conductor, being packed into a 7 seater matatu for considerable distances; the smell of sweat, cigarettes and alcohol tickling yor nostrils; elbows, shoulders and behinds being shoved into you, and you'll get a rough idea of how things are. We're not complaining though! :)

Our grassroots ways has also meant that we've used rather unconventional means to meet the chiefs I mentioned above. The encounters have been over lunch, at Administration Police recruitment drives, and even one while running behind the chief while he was zipping away on a motorbike!

Today, 25th Sept, we had to meet the Senior Warden of Meru National Park. He conveniently asked us to meet him at the Park headquarters - a mere 23 km from the park gate, and in turn 25 km from where we've been put up so far. Considering that we do not have any private means of transport at our disposal, making it to the meeting involved a fair bit of logistical planning! A 23 km ride from the park gate to the park headquarters can be easily be thought of a game-drive...and apart from the regulars such as buffalo, impala and giraffe, the sight of female lesser kudu was rather special for me. I can't remember the last time I saw one of those. The park itself is on the whole rather dry...though the combinations of swamps, streams, rivers, savanna and dry bush, doulm palms and acacia trees give the landscape a very unique, and mystical appearance.

Victor doesnt seem to take a fancy to this whole blogging thing...i hope that my powers of persuation will bear fruit, and you all get to read his posts soon enough.

AKSHAY