Thursday -Alhamisi

Thursday has been the most intensive day until now! We went back to the sub location we had visited on Tuesday. The sub chief allowed us to take ten interviews with locals in his office. We split into two groups, each in a corner of the office, and started interviewing the participants. I sat next to Lydia. All interviews were conducted in Swahili and Lydia translated everything for me. The participants were very open and willing to share intimate details. They have been through many hardships, but still showed no signs of defeat. One consequence of female circumcision is for example the loss of sexual appetite. One woman claimed she would rather fight and get beaten by her husband than to have sexual intercourse. Stories like this are sometimes hard to grasp. This anecdote is not to depict men as perpetrators. The matter is more complex, today even when their man does not support female genital mutilation (FGM), some women go to great lengths in order to get their daughters cut (this is how people mainly refer to it). Throughout this research the complex dynamics will become visible and I hope to share them with you.

In the afternoon I was able to experience a truly grateful moment. We went to a primary school outside of the center of Kisii to interview the principal. The school was only recently set up and is still in the process of adjusting the classrooms and so on. Although with little means, you could see how the teachers do their very best to transform it into an instructive environment. Before the interview a giant surprise was awaiting us. The principal had practiced with all children (ages 3-8) some songs and dances that they performed for us. I was filled with awe by the energy they displayed and the discipline they demonstrated. I witnessed the hope and dreams of youngsters for a bright(er) future. After this it was time to get back to work and we conducted an interview with the principal in her house nearby the school. I always find it a special event when people invite you into their house; when crossing the doorstep you literally step into someone’s life and privacy. I see it as a sign of trust towards me, a stranger after all. After such a long day Maina took us to Buddy’s, the local bar I mentioned before. Time for a Tusker! ‘When you open a bottle of Tusker you are joining the world in celebrating one of Africa’s great original beers’, can’t say no to that!