Hey Blog Followers,

I am excited to say that a lot has been accomplished in preparation for my journey to Kenya. Just last week, I received my Kenyan travel Visa in the mail from the Kenyan Embassy in Ottawa, Ontario. This visa will permit my entry into the country. I was happy to see my passport safe in my hands after having sent it via Canada Post.

Another objective finally completed this week was receiving my College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) registration in the mail. Yippee! After a long process, including 10 application forms, 1 payment form, and a valid criminal record check, I am officially a registered member of the CNO and can legally practice nursing in the province of Ontario. Why was this important? Well, my registration with the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) expires March 1st, a week before my return from Kenya and I must be a registered health care professional for the extent of my project. I plan on working in Toronto post Africa, so I wanted to have my registration for the first week of March under the Ontario College, thus saving me a years expense with CRNBC.

The biggest and most exciting news this week has been my volunteer placement and host family information. While in Kenya, I will be volunteering at the Kabete Rehabilitation Clinic. This clinic is located in Lower Kabete, an urban area located 30km to Nairobi city. At this clinic I will be working with patients providing general medicine care, maternity care, medications, diet and nutrition education, as well as HIV and TB treatments. I am really anxious to get there and just help out where I can. I will be most definitely refreshing my maternity care knowledge base before arriving to Kabete.

I will be accommodated at a volunteer dormitory house under the supervision of a caretaker by the name of Charity. The dormitory is in a location called Springvalley. Not much else information has been supplied in terms of accommodations. I will most likely not have Internet access there, but I am sure I can find an Internet café or connection somewhere, as I am in a more urban setting.

Finally, and equally as exciting, the article written about my project in Africa was published in the local paper this past Saturday. It looks GREAT! Thanks a lot to Nicki and the Barrie Examiner; more of what I am doing is being spread to those in Canada. I am really happy that my volunteer efforts are raising awareness of the health struggles in Africa and, more specifically, Kenya.

One last note, I am $100.00 away from achieving my fundraising goal!!! Wow, what great support I have received from so many people. Thanks to all the generous donors and sponsors, this goal of nursing in Kenya is about to become a reality. Only ten short days before I embark on this life-changing project! So again, thank you to everyone and please follow along on my journey through this blog.

Safari Njema – travel well!