Meru

Me with Dr. Catherine Meduri, interviewing farmers. The best part of the trip was the farmers taking us to all types of trees in the forest and explaining their tradition use. There were plants for making a sticky gum to catch birds with, a poinous tree whose bark heals scars and wounds, many medicinal uses, and even chat which Somalis and Indians love because it keeps you awake for hours.



Some wonderful Meru women, cutting for us fresh papayas, sugarcane, avocados... all picked from the garden. They were such joyous women, so excited we came by their farm and wanted to see what they were planting. Hospitality here means offering your best to guests, even if you don't have much and they do.



Big brown eyes. We joked that this picture could get a lot of money for UNICEF or something, but actually despite the runny nose, he is well taken care of and from a family that is very humble and kind. What I learned from people around here is poverty mostly exists in the mind.