Solar MP3 Education for Pastoral Women in Kenya

In our last update, we reported that the Her Voice solar MP3 initiative to benefit pastoral women would be delayed due to the Kenyan elections. Well, it’s been further delayed by the unexpected second Kenyan presidential election, which was held in late October. Our best-laid plans were again scuppered.

As we need to import the Lifeplayer units into Kenya, our importing partner, the Kenya Red Cross, believed that it would be best for them not to arrive around the festive season, but rather in the New Year.  Given the high duties and VAT we would otherwise have to pay, we heeded their advice.

The Lifeplayer units are scheduled to depart Hong Kong on 15 December and to arrive in Mombasa, Kenya by sea on 25 January. From there, they will be road freighted to Nairobi to the Red Cross warehouse. Then from there, they’ll be transported to Marsabit in the far north sometime in February.

When our CEO, Kristine Pearson was in Kenya again in early December, she and our local partner, HODI, worked out a schedule for March distribution. We’re going to need time to load the units with the MP3 audio content that the women have asked for. The microSD cards will arrive with the Lifeplayer units.

Please bear with us. We’ve learned over the years that many factors can derail your careful project planning in Africa. The important thing at the end of the day is that the Lifeplayers reach the women with the content that they want and need. Each women’s listener group will be trained on the use and care of the Lifeplayer, in addition to being trained how to create content in their own language, Borana.

As always, we will keep you updated.