My name is Francis Mwashinga Mwakamba, I am a Kenyan citizen aged 27 years and the second born in my family. I am a Bantu of Taita origin with a height of 5.3 ft. and I am a Registered Nurse by profession.

I came to know the East African Center through Suzanne Jeneby, who got my contact information through the Mombasa Hospital Matron. After we spoke I had the opportunity to review the website. I was later interviewed for the post of a center supervisor, after which Suzanne hired me and I am now acting as the Center Supervisor for the Vutakaka Community Resource Center. My job is very intriguing as I get to meet many challenges and the good thing about it is that I am never alone; many people are always around to assist me with learning all I need to know to do my new job.

The East African Center runs projects that are geared toward providing education, good health and poverty eradication. These projects have tremendously improved the lives of people living in Takaungu and its neighboring villages. The people take great pride in the Center and are at all times greatly involved in any project that the Center is offereing. The EAC has made a real impact in their lives, some people have amazing stories to tell. There are many issues that are present in the communities, one such issue is HIV/AIDS. The community has had a large number of residents die from the disease, but they still deny the facts and associate it with witchcraft or other myths. As a community center involved with uplifting lives, we can change the way they view such matters, hopefully decreasing the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, and increasing the number of people receiving treatment. We thank you for helping us have the resources to do so.--Francis Mwakamba, Vutakaka Center Supervisor

Click this picture to view more health clinic pics. Our new nurse, Sarah Kazungu, starts this next week!

My name is Katana Karisa Gii. I am 35 years of age. I was born in my mother's house, in Takaungu Village. I am the groundskeeper for Vutakaka Center. I feel "bahati nzuri" (lucky) to have work at Vutakaka. I am married with three children. My wife's name is Karembo, which means "beautiful". I love my wife because we can talk about all things, and we understand each other well.

Before Vutakaka, I used to work in Malindi (1 hour north of Takaungu). I worked in a lumber mill, cutting and planing lumber. In 1997 I was in a bus accident. I couldn't work after that for 1 1/2 years. After I finally fully recovered, I was depressed because I had no work. I stayed that way for 6 years, just doing any small jobs I could find. I used to make about 30 Ksh a day (42 US cents).

I believe the biggest problem in Takaungu is finding work. Most of my friends don't have a steady job. They do small projects to get just 20-30 Ksh a day (28- 42 US cents). Some of my friends have become thiefs. I hear of them being caught stealing things like maize and chickens, or anything else they see that might help them.

Vutakaka is helping Takaungu because it has many projects, like the FFS (Farmers Field School). People learn how to plant, so they can't steal food again. Vutakaka helps by educating children. Everyone says its the best school in Takaungu. It is important to educate our children so they have more chances to find work when they get older, maybe they will even create jobs? And, Vutakaka gives us hope, as Vutakaka grows, we wish to grow with it. --Katana Karissa Gii.

Just shy of three years ago I arrived in Kenya to attend a friends wedding and to spend a few months volunteering with a new organization, the East African Center. The EAC was started as an idea in 2001 when this friend, Suzanne, and I along with a few others were in Nairobi. We sat there and ideas flowed out of Suzanne, we could do this, we could do that. I just sat there nodding thinking wow, could this really happen, it would cost a fortune but maybe? I then headed off to continue an extended trip. When I got home The EAC was in the process of becoming a reality, the papers had been filed to make it a registered non-profit organization.

By early 2003 a little bit of money had been raised and the ideas from 2001 had been scaled back to something far more realistic. We were not going to build a school or a health clinic, but a community resource center that would offer after school tutoring and health classes. It would also help adults learn basic business skills. I was going to stay in Kenya for five months to help make it a reality. We worked hard during those months to find the place to build the center. The community came together and helped us build it. When I left in December of 2003 the Vutakaka Community Center, a project of the EAC, was officially open, but with no furniture and just the seed of a few programs.

Now it is the middle of 2006 and the EAC and Vutakaka are beyond what I imagined. When I arrived here a couple of weeks ago and saw the activity and people passing through the center I was amazed, it brought tears to my eyes. The additional building and courtyard that I had sketched in a notebook were there. What we had designed in 2003 was there. Even more amazing to me was that what had been dreamed in 2001 was coming true as well. The clinic is almost finished and a school has been started. This place that I had thought was all but impossible is now reality. In the next few years as the EAC continues to grow it will be even better. I can hardly wait for my next visit. - Mike McCarty

I am constantly learning and gaining understanding and wisdom from the women and children whom I interact daily. Though my presence as a volunteer immediately grants me unspeakable power and privilege that I don’t often face in my comfort zone, it is through seeking and acknowledging the potential and strength within each individual that defines the significance of my opportunity as a short-term volunteer from the States.

My first exposure to the lives of Coastal village people, especially the women and children, was devastating as I learned about their innumerable struggles and barriers. Spending time working and living closely with the women in the village and becoming involved in their education while forming relationships gave me a glimpse of their sorrows and fears. And also the remarkable strength that the women possess—as a proud mother of many children, as a hard working woman, as a leader of church and/or social group, etc. They seek empowerment through forming relationships, always smiling, sharing warm hospitality, and working hard for their children.

Palm trees and green bushes, women carrying water from the well, children playing freely, singing and dancing, rainy season and maize fields, people’s playful spirit and smiles. This is the essence of and the images of Takaungu that I will take home with me. I might have not solved or done many things, yet my presence as a volunteer has had an impact within the community and for me personally as well. I have a greater understanding of our global communities and a place to begin my work as a social worker. This is just a beginning! - Sunny Choi -University of Washington Student, International Volunteer

The EAC is a remarkable grassroots development organization offering real opportunities for positive change in the lives of hundreds of people, each and every day. In order to keep the organization continually running in good order, we are in need of ongoing volunteer support, both in and out of Kenya.

If you are interested in volunteering in Kenya, visit www.comekuona.org. Come Kuona is a separate organization, based in Kenya, that recruits and guides volunteers through the entire volunteer experience of working with us at Vutakaka Center in Takaungu, Kenya. We always need more volunteers to help us run the Center. If you have any questions about the program, please email volunteer@comekuona.org.

Moreover, if you have a passion for international development, and/or skills in non-profit / NGO management, and can't get to Kenya but would still like to volunteer, please contact Theresa Wilson at twilson@eastafricancenter.org. We would be happy to list you as one of our "on-call" volunteers in the US. (This means we would contact you if we need extra assistance for specific events or special tasks)