Welcome to the Marine Mammal and wildlife Research and Community Development Expedition blog where you can keep up to date with all the happenings and information from Kenya

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Benja's farewell


It was  an unfamiliar situation at the start but the days passed by, and I felt like I belonged to GVI Kenya Shimoni. I liked all of the projects but most of all I was interested in being a forester. All faces were ones of strangers, everyone meeting for the first time, but amazingly everyone was friendly.

When I first came to GVI I didn't know much about primates, dolphins, birds, community development, capacity building or sustainable livelihood in Tsavo west community. I joined GVI Kenya on the National scholarship programme and I extended my time and became forest field staff, where I learned a range of skills, responsibilities, leadership and was contributing to globally important scientific research. People change, I am sure I am better than I was before GVI.

I went through all this programmes but I was so excited by the forest, every time I go out into the field I see new things: Green mambas, Snouted night adders, Zanj elephant shrews and many species of birds, these things make me feel alive. I love nature and I will always be a part of GVI.

Days fly, it feels like a month but actually it’s been over a year, the whole time I spent in GVI Kenya has been the best time of my life. It has been an incredible time. Mission accomplished. With that, I have to bid farewell. I am the happiest person in the world right now. It’s better than I ever thought it could be.

Benja- From Kenya
First days as forest staff
Taking a group of Volunteers out to the forest

Our impersonations of water birds
Spending some time on the marine project
My family back home 
Water bird surveys
Playing twister with the kids at wildlife club
Reading with the Shimoni kids
Just finished a survey in the forest
Baby white browed sparrow weaver

Me 

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