“Quest to Quench”
There is an extreme reality show called Fear Factor where contestants are put up against each other to do all kinds of ghastly things such as eating roaches, worms and raw meat to prove who is tougher and also walks away with quite a hefty sum of money. Well, I came to realise that there are people whose everyday lives are like an episode in this reality show, when I met Sitenei a 34-year woman in Loitoktok, 300 kilometres south of Kenya’s capital city Nairobi.
Sitenei narrated her story to Kenya Airways cabin crew during a project visit in the Mashuru area of Loitoktok district, as part of the Changing Lives partnership. “I will never forget that day, 4 years ago. I was 8 months pregnant and I had a difficult time waking up that particular morning but an overwhelming thirst forced me to open my eyes. A few hours earlier I had heard my two co-wives wake up and go ahead to fetch water 15km away, but I knew they would not bring back any water for my family so I gathered all strength I could and forced myself on the 15km long journey to the nearest water point.”
She took her donkey and two jerry cans and was on her way. The sun was unforgiving this particular day and she felt it was furious at her for going to the river so late. The immense heat was her punishment. She was soon so thirsty that she felt she was at her wits end and thought she would die without something, anything to cool her tongue.
“I saw a herd of cattle ahead and knew what I had to do. I got off my donkey cart and approached the herds’ boy. I asked him if he had some spare water to quench my thirst but he said he didn’t. My tongue was now as dry as sandpaper and I had to save myself. I requested him to allow me to fill my water bottle with cow urine from his herd. The boy laughed it off as a joke but I guess he saw the desperate look in my eyes and immediately went off in search of a urinating cow. After what seemed like eternity, the boy came back with the valuable liquid. Without a thought I downed the urine and instantly felt a deep revulsion.”
“With a bitter taste in my mouth I gathered up the remaining strength and went on with my journey in search for water. Sharp cramps started running through my body and I thought I was suffering the after effects of drinking the urine. Little did I know that my labour pains had actually started! I continued walking. I was about to get to the water point when I met my two co-wives on their way back. Though they sympathised with me, they had to go on their daily business. I got to the water point and crawled to fetch the water. Immediately after I had filled my container, my uterus water ‘broke’. I was all alone with no one to help me. I crawled to a nearby tree, supported myself and delivered one baby, then the second. I had twins! I tore up my leso (traditional Maasai cloth usually wrapped around the shoulders) and wrapped the babies. I looked around for my donkey, which luckily hadn’t escaped. I struggled and got on board the cart as I weakly held on to my babies and started my long journey home. To cut the long story short my babies and I survived the ordeal.”
Today in the village they call me ‘Mama Miracle Twins,” she says with a smile. “While I wish I could forget that day four years ago, I thank God for the blessing of these healthy babies. I now thank God for AMREF’s presence in our area as I have hope that my children will not go through a similar experience.
According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the physiological need is the strongest need of all. Man has before anything else the need for water and food in order to survive. When a person is thirsty the area of consciousness is filled with the desire to drink. All other needs stay in the background though in no way non-existent. This explains Sitenei’s reaction to save her life and that of her children.
Sitenei told this story to KQ cabin crew who had visited Loitoktok to see the difference AMREF’s interventions made in the lives of the communities there. Needless to say, Sitenei’s story had a deep impact on the team and tears flowed freely. Her story is an appeal to organisations and other donors to join AMREF and KQ in changing lives by giving communities access basic services like water, sanitation, hygiene and health care.
