A new start for Kenya and Oyster volunteers

This time last year Kenyans were getting ready for change. The then Prime Minister Kibaki, had been in power for the last 40 years and had presided over the most stable political situation in Africa. However this was not to last through the December 2007 elections. The results were extremely close between Kibaki and his opponent Odinga, with each having a sudden increase in votes causing voters to cite corruption in both camps. This resulted in mass protests throughout the country lasting for weeks. 260,000 people were left displaced and many more fearing for their safety. Since then the global community has assisted Kenya with the formation of a power-sharing government which has helped the country back.

One of the main casualties of the protests was the Kenyan tourism industry. When the violence broke, the Foreign Office advised against Britons travelling to the country. Oyster had five volunteers due to go to Kenya at the beginning of January and at the last minute we had to cancel their trip. Luckily we were able to find them similar projects in Tanzania and all had a fantastic experience.

Peace has now returned to Kenya. The region we send volunteers to was largely unaffected and is now safe to travel to. We have our first group of six (see left) Oyster volunteers eagerly awaiting their trip to Kenya in January to work in schools and orphanages, where their help will be greatly appreciated and is needed more than ever. They will experience the beauty of the area, and the
hospitality that is still very much alive in Kenya.