ADVENTUROUSRUNNERSWANTEDWearerecruitingoneortworunnerstojoinasmallworkteamheadingtoKenyainearlyOct.Kenyanshavemadeaninternationalnameforthemselvesassomeofthebestlong-distancerunnersintheworld.MostoftheseKenyanscomefromonetribe–theKalenjininKenya’sRiftValley(mprnews.org/story/npr/241895965).Despitetheirinternationalfame,mostKalenjinliveinsubsistencevillageswherelifeisterriblydifficult.WewanttohelptheKalenjincapitalizeontheirrunningsuccessandbringgreatereconomicopportunitiestotheircommunitiesbystartingaKalenjinRunningCampforrunningtourists–eachparticipantbeingassignedtheirownKalenjincoach.RunningtrainingwillbecombinedwithculturalactivitiestomakethisatopBucketListitemforrunners.Wehaveasmallteamassembledtoworkontheculturalactivitiesandmarketing,but,asidefromourteamheadandhost,KalenjinAbrahamKosgei,wearelackingrunners!Wearelookingforsomeonewho:

• Isanavidmidorlong-distancerunner(speedandtalentnotrequired,butaloveforrunningis)

• Hasalow-key,flexiblepersonalitywithasenseofadventure(thisisaworktripinadevelopingcountry,notapamperedtouristtrip)

• HasacompassionateheartandadesiretomakeapositiveimpactamongtheKalenjin• CanspendthefirsttwoweeksofOctoberinKenya

Thisperson/swouldberesponsibleforevaluatingpotentialtrainingroutesanddevelopingthreelevelsoftraininggoals.Eachteammemberisresponsibleforhis/hercosts,whichprimarilywillbetheroundtripflighttoNairobiandtransportationwithinKenya(wewillrentavanandteammemberswillsplitthecostequally).Villagerswillhostus,so,asidefromahotelroominNairobiaswearriveanddepart,ourothercostsinKenyawillbeminimal.Otherteammembersinclude:

• anengineerwhoishelpingwithawaterproject(weneedtobringrunningwatertothevillagebeforetouristsarrivefortherunningcamp),

• oneoftheco-foundersofCrookedTrails(crookedtrails.org),atravelorganizationthatusestourismtobenefitlocalcommunities

• thePresidentofGlobalPearls(globalpearls.org),aninternationaldevelopmentorganizationthatempowerslocalstoaddressneedsintheircommunities

• AbrahamKosgei,aKalenjinrunnerandourhost,whodevelopedandrunstheSantaFeThunderHalf-Marathon(santafethunder.com)

AttachedisalistofpossibleactivitieswewillengageinwhileinKenyawhichwewillevaluateforinclusioninthecampprogram.Whosays“work”can’tbefun?!Ifyouareinterestedorwantmoreinformation,contactLisaatinfo@globalpearls.org

KENYATRIP–Oct2-14,2017–TENTATIVEPLANSACTIVITIESINLAKENAKURUAREA–ondrivefromNairobitoMatunget

• BABBOONS–BabboonPointatLakeNakuruNationalPark• ARCHEOLOGICALSITE&MUSEUM–HyraxHillMuseum&MountLongonotPROJECTWORK

• WATERPROJECT-Checkonprogressofwaterproject–RAM,pipes,Eucalyptustrees,coffee&mangoes…• RUNNINGCAMP–Meetwithvillagerswhoareinterestedinparticipatingandplanhowitwillwork,discussincomemanagement,visit/chooselandandplanlayoutofcamp,checkout

primaryrunningroutes(KerioValleyNationalPark),trainingplanACTIVITIESINMATUNGETaredesignedforparticipantstogettoknowtheKalenjincultureandwayoflife.

• PRESCHOOL–organizesportsactivitiesforthepreschoolers,teachthemalittleEnglish,andservethemanutritiouslunch.

• ELEMENTARYSCHOOL–walkafirstgradertoschool(andrunback).Itis4-6kmeachdirection,andthesetinychildrencompletethewalkeveryschooldayontheirown.

• AGRICULTURE–workinthefieldsalongsidetheparents–dependingonthetimeofthevisityoumightbeplanting,tending,orharvestingthecrops.Visittheirhoneyprocessingarea(harvestingoptional).

• WATER–joinagroupofladiesastheywalktotheriverandhelpthemcarrycontainersofwaterbacktothevillagefortheir(andour)dailyneeds.Bytheend,yourbackwilltellyouwhywearesoexcitedaboutbringingrunningwatertothevillagers.• COOKING–learntocookatraditionalKalenjinmealsoyoucantreatyourfriendsbackhometoatasteofAfrica.• STORIES&DANCE–gatherfortheeveningentertainmentofstorytellinganddance–oneofthemostbasicwaysthe

Kalenjinpassontheirculturetofuturegenerations.• RIMOIGAMERESERVE–Openedjustoverayearago,thisisalmostunknowntotourists,

yetitishometothelargestherdsofelephantsinEastandCentralAfrica.Otheranimalsincludetherarewhitecrocodile,dikdiks,babboons…

ACTIVITIESINTHEBARINGOAREAcombineabitmoretourismwithculturallearnings(thesearetentative).

• LAKEBEGORIA–thislakeisfamousforitsspectacularthrongofpinkflamingoesanditshotsprings.Itisthemostpopulartouristattractioninthisregion,andwithgoodreason.

• LAKEBARINGO&RIVERMOLO–LakeBaringoisconsideredoneofthebestbirdinglocationsintheworld,withover470speciesspottedhere.TakeaboattriponLakeBaringoandupRiverMolotoviewthebirds,aswellascrocodilesandhippos–twoofthemostdangerousanimalsinAfrica.

• GIRAFFEISLAND-Rothchildsgiraffe,warthog,impala,hyrax,monkeys,pangolin,hippoandostrichexistinthissmallpreserveonanislandinLakeBaringo.• FISHING–TheNjempsFishingVillagesareknownfortheirpracticeoffishingintraditionalreedboats.Learntheirfishingstyleandseeifyoucancatchdinner!Whenwereturntolandyouwilllearnhowtheysmokethefishandmaketheircanoes.

ACTIVITIESINNAIROBIifyouhavetimebeforeyourflightleavesbackhome.

• ELEPHANTORPHANAGE–babyorphanedelephantsarecaredforuntiltheyareoldenoughtobereintroducedtothewild.Viewingisfrom11:00am-12:00noon.

• CARNIVORERESTAURANT–Ifyouareanadventurousmeateater,youwon’twanttomissthisexperience.Inadditiontomoretraditionalmeat,theyalwayshavetwoorthreeexoticanimalsforyoutotry.Yes,thereisawonderfulvegetarianoptionifyoudon’tmindalittleteasing!