Wooster in Kenya

Spring Semester 2011 and March 12-24, 2011

Wooster in Kenya is a spring semester program that includes an on-campus, academic component (0.75 credit) and an off-campus experience in Kenya (0.25 credit) over spring break. The overall goal of the Wooster in Kenya Program is to introduce students to the history, culture and political economy of Kenya, with a special focus on environment, culture and development in Western Kenya. The class meetings prior to the trip will prepare students for the in-country experience, and the post-trip meetings will allow for reflection and integration of the experience into the students’ academic course of study. During the spring break trip, course participants will do short home-stays in two villages to learn about family and community life in rural Kenya today. Students will also work on environmental and agricultural projects facilitated by the Maragoli Community Development Foundation in order to learn firsthand about the opportunities and challenges in community-based development programs that are locally conceived and implemented. Each student will be expected to conduct a research project, using both library sources and ethnographic material, and give a post-trip presentation.

Academics

Anthropology 231: Peoples and Cultures of Kenya

This course provides an introduction to the historical forces and diverse cultural traditions that have shaped contemporary Kenyan society. We will examine the cultural, religious and linguistic diversity represented by some of Kenya’s 40-plus ethnic groups and the ways in which the country’s varied ecological contexts shape cultural patterns and modes of economic livelihood. We will also explore the complex legacy of colonialism and missionization in Kenya, including the profound changes wrought by the colonial encounter, the ways in which local peoples re-fashioned imposed institutions, and post-colonial disillusionment and optimism. Special emphasis will be given to the Maragoli area of Western Kenya, where our field experience will be centered. Students will gain an understanding of the historical forces and cultural values that inform Maragoli life, as well as the lived experiences of the Maragoli people today, including kinship patterns, gendered ideologies and practices, economic livelihoods, medical systems, religious syncretism, rites of passage, formal schooling, and social class inequalities. 0.75 credits. [C, #]

Interdepartmental 407: Global Social Entrepreneurship

The Wooster in Kenya Program is designed to promote reflection on the meaning of global citizenship and civic engagement through hands-on work in small-scale, rural development projects and the opportunity to study, travel and work alongside adults from the Wooster community via a partnership with Wooster Rotary Club. This portion of the Wooster in Kenya Program will be graded S/NC. 0.25 credits.

Itinerary

Part I: On-Campus Seminar

Students must enroll in the Spring 2011 course (Anthropology 231: Peoples and Cultures of Kenya) in order to participate in the off-campus experience. This seminar-format class will meet once a week on Thursday evenings from 7-9 pm. The class will include required readings, short lectures, class discussion, films and videos, and other relevant materials.

Part II: Off-Campus Experience

Day 1 - Saturday 3/12

Depart from Ohio

Day 2 - Sunday 3/13

Arrive in Nairobi; met by representatives of Abercrombie and Kent; overnight at Nairobi Safari Club

Day 3 - Monday 3/14

Visit to colonial era tea plantation and Louis Leakey’s grave; Kibera slum and program on life in Kibera; overnight at Nairobi Safari Club

Day 4- Tuesday 3/15

Fly to Kisumu; morning visit to Tuuange AIDS clinic; see Kisumu open air market; drive to Kakamega Rain Forest; overnight at Rondo Retreat

Day 5 - Wednesday 3/16

Guided rain forest walk by representatives of Kakamega Environmental Education Program (KEEP); drive to Vigetse and Vigina Villages for welcome ceremony; overnight at Sosa Cottages

Day 6 - Thursday 3/17

Drive to Vigetse and Vigina Villages for a day of educational activities on village life and hands-on work with ongoing rural development projects; overnight at Sosa Cottages

Day 7 - Friday 3/18

Drive to Vigetse and Vigina Villages for a day of educational activities on village life and hands-on work with agricultural projects; overnight homestay

Day 8 - Saturday 3/19

Spend day in the village with host family learning about village life and gathering information for individual research projects; overnight homestay

Day 9 - Sunday 3/20

Good-byes in the village. Visit to Lake Victoria and lecture on water quality issues by Lake Basin Water Authority. Boat tour. Visit to Obama’s step-grandmother’s homestead; overnight in Kisumu

Day 10 - Monday 3/21

Drive to Maasai Mara Game Reserve; afternoon game drive; overnight at Mara Serena

Day 11 - Tuesday 3/22

Morning game drive; lecture on human-wildlife interactions by the Director of the Trans Mara Conservancy; visit to a Maasai village; afternoon game drive; overnight at Mara Serena

Day 12 - Wednesday 3/23

Drive to Nairobi via Rift Valley; late evening departure for home

Day 13 - Thursday 3/24

Arrive in Ohio

Accommodations and Logistics

We will work in cooperation with Abercrombie and Kent, the safest and most reputable tour agency in Kenya. A and K provides vehicles, drivers, water, first aid, and other essentials for the duration of the in-country experience, but tailors the trip to our itinerary. Lodging throughout the trip includes hotels in Nairobi and Kisumu, cabins in Kakamega Rain Forest and in Vihiga, rural homestays in two villages, and a lodge in the game reserve.

Application Procedures

Participation in the Wooster in Kenya Program is by application only. Students must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 or above. To apply to the Wooster in Kenya Program, fill out an application form and send it electronically to David McConnell, Professor of Anthropology, at by Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 5:00 pm. If there are more applicants than spots available, short interviews will be conducted with the strongest candidates. Participants will be chosen based on the quality of their applications, including the personal statement, information from references, and how the proposed trip fits into your four-year plan of study at the College and into your future plans.

Fees and Billing

The fee for the Wooster-in-Kenya Program will be approximately $3750, though the final figure may be slightly lower or higher, depending on the number of student participants on the program. This fee includes round-trip air fare from Cleveland to Nairobi, a one-way flight from Nairobi to Kisumu, mandatory insurance, visa, vehicles and drivers in Kenya, and all accommodations, meals, and fees for the 13-day in-country experience. Partial scholarships will be available for students who have filed FAFSA and who have demonstrated financial need, as determined by the financial aid office. A $500 non-refundable deposit will be due in early November and will secure your placement in the course and on the trip. Students must have a valid passport with at least two empty pages in order to apply for a visa.

Contact Information

Please contact David McConnell, Professor of Anthropology, Doug Drushal, past president of the Wooster Rotary Club, or Nicola Kille in the Center for Diversity and Global Engagement for more information.