Saturday, December 23, 2006

Merry Christmas


From the team in Kenya, we wish you a wonderful Christmas. The journey is almost over, and our time with grandmothers and their families in both the villages and cities in Kenya has changed our perspective of humanity forever! This year, thanks already to many friends with big hearts, we have not only been able to begin making a fabulous film, but we have also contibuted to helping up many whom really need our support. Grandmothers in Kenya have benefited from bags of flour, sugar and tubs of fat, parrafin, AN ACERAGE PLANTATION fitout with generator, pump and irrigation, and grandmothers in Kibera, Nairobi have been given small gifts and their grandchildren will be supported with education in 2007.

The team in Kenya working with us, Felix Masi our fixer, Susie Banfield resident grandmother and photographer, Ken and Ngungu our drivers, Malcolm X, Brian Jnr ("Daddy"), Kenneth, Abuja and Badi our security, and Laya, Pastor, Mili and Judith our guides, are incredible people whom we will not forget. Thanks for making Kenya a colourful place to be! :)

For now, Dean and I are back to NZ soon to complete the making of this film, and the next steps promise to be just as exciting as the previous ones. We plan on a NZ based Black Tie Gala Event starring the grannies from our film, travels back to the grandmothers in Kenya to premiere the film, and a global distribution to all festivals and cinemas to finally deliver the world this beautiful story of the unsung heroes of Africa.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Love the AGT team..xx

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Christmas gifts for the Kibera family...


Today, Chloe & Halle (on behalf of Debbie Riopel) and the Munro family (on behalf of Elaine Munro), donated towards the project...and we have decided that this will go towards the family we have been focussed on in the slum of Kibera. In particular, we have asked Silas (16), David (15) and Wyclef (20) to get the costs (with our Kenyan based helper) of attending high school in 2007. These boys have just finished free primary education...and there is no way they can go to high school next year. They are amongst the 9 orphaned grandchildren living with their bed-ridden grandmother and they are beautiful boys...who with education will do so well in life. I know it may sound as though i think everyone is wonderful, but in reality, there are always a handful in life like this whom helping really does feel right for.
We cant help the whole 800,000 in the slum, but we can help a few...and we will.
So Debbie, Elaine, and Nina, your donations will go towards covering the costs of school fees. In general we estimate one High School education to cost Ksh50,000 ($1351.00 NZD) per year...so eventually we hope to be able to help all 3 boys.
Their story is complex, and interesting...and you'll see for yourself in the film. But for now you may have to trust my word that they are worth it :)
Thanks so much - and to my family who are thinking of buying me anything for Xmas, please don't! I have enough. Just donate to this family - that will make my 2007 worth starting on the right foot.
Love the AGT team.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Interview with Kim Choe - host from 95bfm, The Wire

Host Kim Choe from The Wire, bfm interviewed Q on 18th December 2008, about our experience so far filming A Grandmother's Tribe in Kenya - listen to the interview here...

http://95bfm.com/default,18,bcasts.sm;jsessionid=679AE95B6EF27AA8EEA52410ECE4BBAC?cast=3852

A story about a couple of New Zealanders with a production company called Borderless Productions. Qiujing Wong and
Dean Easterbrook's are currently in Kenya, filming footage for a documentary called "A Grandmother's Tribe". Qiujing is
on the line from Nairobi, to offer an insight into the project. See http://www.borderlessproductions.com/a_grandmothers_tribe/index.html.

Kibera, Africa's largest slum

After only ONE day so far filming in Kibera, African's largest slum, I can tell you that slum life really is something to be experienced. I have to admit that before we started this morning, i felt some angst about entering this home to 800,000 people after three people were killed there in a political dispute yesterday. But politics is a far cry from the world the poverty stricken people move in...they live in basic conditions...today we spent the whole day with a granny and her 9 children who live in the space of about 2 x SUV's put together. I dont know how they fit! But they do, and they are amazing people - not becasue they survived, but because despite the horrific conditions they're in, they dream of education...becoming doctors and pilots...they define love and hope for us as soon as we ask, and they are perfectly in tune with their situation. The only thing I am left wondering is how they can be helped...and I am convinced that through our contacts here, we can help them go to school. The teenage boys especially, can literally be saved if we send them to high school! Sounds crazy, but school saves kids totally from getting into the wrong hands...gangs, drugs, alcohol and it goes on. For the rest of the week, I'll keep researching the "how" - it is the beginning of an interesting journey in slum life.
Love the AGT team

Sunday, December 17, 2006

A message from Nina Petrowsky...

Dear Q and Dean

Now that Christmas is drawing near and shopping malls are turning into nightmares, I wonder if us city people have forgotten all about the true meaning of life and happiness! I, for one, find it very easy to get swept away with the hustle and bustle of spending up large for your loved ones during this festive season - until I read your blog! It's amazing how much further money goes over there, with all the good work you guys are doing for the grandmothers and their kids. It brings tears of joy to my eyes and happiness butterflies to my stomach (thanks Qiulae) - it's the most wonderful feeling in the world! I want to share this feeling with my family and friends this Christmas. So instead of buying them average gifts that they may or may not like, I'm going to gift my very modest Christmas budget for you two angels to put to better use. So Margaret Malcolm, Qiujing Wong, Dean Easterbrook, Qiuchee Wong, Qiulae Wong, Jilyin Wong, Amporn Saepur-Petrowsky, Sonia Petrowsky, Laurent Haumonte, Jurgen Speck, Lamduan Speck, Abigail Scollay, Christine Lin and Cayden Lin - this is my Christmas present to you all! I hope it will also bring tears of joy to your eyes and happiness butterflies to your stomachs. Who said money can't buy happiness?

Merry Christmas!

Luv,
Nina

Urban life & meeting Nicholas!

Hi from Nairobi again...firstly thank you ever so much Nina for your comment on our previous posting. It is beautifuil and your Christmas thoughts are so appreciated! I know there is already a need in the village. Granny #2 is waiting for her home to be built so when it rains she doesnt get soaked, and there are needs for borehols badly. Not to mention to help the grannies' grandchildren go to secondary school, and not be school dropouts.
Today, on our "in between filming" day, we met Nicholas, a friend of Roz's and saw first hand what a little support can do to make a boy into an awesome man. He is now 25 and has no use of legs. He is on crutches, has been schooled with the support of many, and is about to gradutate with awesome skills in poetry and literature. He wants to be a teacher! And coincidentally, he comes from the village near where we've been working!!!! So, we hope to create more connections - it would be great to encourage as many people to stay in the villages rather than become urbanised. With so many living in slums, city life has not proved itself to be much for young people. Thats why I think what's going on in the village is incredible!!!
All our love Q xx

Friday, December 15, 2006

On our way to Narobi...in nairobi

We've stopped off to meet Josephine and the Hope for Life Centre in Nakuru...and the work she has done to bring together orphaned children and their caregivers (grannies, aunts, etc) in one place and empower them to a better future is really inspiring. Josephine has done this with some help from a few great people in Canada and all over the world. Infact it was Roz Shepherd and Debbie Riopel who told me all about her work which prompted us to stop off. We interviewed the grannies about the changing times that have brought about all the issues they face - which of course including losing their children!

More soon when we are in Nairobi. I am already starting to notice the effects of urbanisation on this country.

Love the AGT teamx

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Emmanuel


This morning at breakfast we had just brought little emmanuel in for a second check up at the public hospital in Busia and he was turned away from an x-ray for the second time saying they had to let him use the medication first to try heal. And as we were treating him to probably his first ever feed in a hotel let alone city, he had chest pain, and weeped so quietly it made me so sad. And so Dean and I are going to use the money Charles Tsai has given to cover the cost of a private check up so hopefully he will be seen to sooner. Sadly cute emmanuel - all of 8 years - nearly died when his crazed uncle threw him on rocks in a fit of rage. The uncle was HIV positive and has since died and so have E's parents. His granny now looks after him.
So we will do all we can to help one person and make it as good as we can...and of course take all our love from friends and family with us along the way! It's a very rewarding journey albeit a bit heartbreaking at times.
The film will tell you more about this little guy and his story here...
Lots of love the AGT team

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

View story on Daryn Kagan's site

Daryn Kagan, US news anchor and tv personality has launched a site where she tells stories of hope and possibility. She has covered our story and you may watch her video at http://www.darynkagan.com/world/index.html (in the world section).

Thanks Daryn for your support!

xx Q

Coming together


The best thing we ever did was come back here and spend more time with the grannies. They are so awesome. We've been with them while they weave mats (their teacher is teaching them pro bono) and sell to make money to send their grandchildren to high school. Primary is free.
And on top of that we've had a chance to spend more time with Frida, and tomorrow we'll be able to check out the results of the xray we helped one of the kids get. I wont be able to tell you the outcome - that you'll have to wait for the film to see what its all about.
I had a bit of a tear in my eye today though as we said good bye to some of them. They come from so far to meet us - walking around 1-2 hours each way. And to them its no big deal!
Best wishes to you all!...AGT teamx

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Change of plans


We're in Kisumu and have had a wee change of plans. We had expected to be here for 4 or so days but after one day yesterday with 3 grannies and some locals, it is a challenge to find where the hope lies. Understandably, life here in an urban centre is complex - poverty, disease, corruption and all sorts of things make it hard to capture the grandmothers' voices. They are less forthcoming.

BUT WOW, now that we've seen this, we can really see that there is so much hope in the village! The contrasts are amazing - the people there ask for so little and we feel that our help on behalf of our friends and family is so worthwhile there - it really is.

Having susie with us (our resident granny) has been awesome. She is a rockstar. And felix is very knowledgable about the local ins and outs. He is great at cautioning us on what to do and how to be. We dont want to offend people or cause problems anywhere.

So right now we're bound back for the village - Kimberley (from Canakiwi) has kindly offered to support the building of an acerage for all the village women to work on to buld a sustainable existence for the farm. So with that news, we will take ourselves back and build it with them.

Keep the emails and support coming - these people are truly worth it!!!

Lotsa love us xx

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Everyday life...


Yesterday we were driving along the road after having wrapped all our filming in the village in Busia, when we stumbled over a woman sitting in the gutter on the country road. We stopped when we realised she had blood all over her and discovered she had just miscarried. She had started having pains at home and was walking to the "hospital" when it all happened too soon. So we put her and her very confused young husband in the van, leaving behind a puddle of blood, and headed for the dispensary. Unbelievably when we got there, the nurse turnd us away saying we had to take her to hospital. Then when we got to the hospital, which would have taken her hours to walk to, they ere charging to see her. Fortunately between susie and us we were able to cover it, but the point here is that health and sanitation is not available, and one of the things that are being worked on is to be able to make this possible for people in villages.
Today we're in Kisumu and will be filming grannies in the slums from tomorrow onwards. It was sad to farewell Frida, but we know now she is so much stronger for have had a little help from friends.
More soon
Love the AGT team x

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Giving...


I wanted to add a note about giving and how practical it can be. For example...the $250 that qiuchee and nina just donated to the project was able to buy the food I mentioned in the earlier post for the 30 grannies. And that was MORE than enough to last a very long time.
The next thing they will need is a bore hole - for water! Its probably the biggest problem facing these village type communities.
Love Q xx

Village Life...



Grandmother's are the best! Go give your granny a hug!!!
We're in Busia at a village at the moment and will be here for a week in total. It's perfect. Then we're off to Kisumu and then Nakuru. (All this is west Kenya) The grannies came together yesterday in a gathering, one they usually have on tuesdays, with the purpose of building strength and sharing their burdens. With some of the help our sponsors have given, we were able to by each granny one bag of flour, one of sugar, and a tub of cooking fat. (Total cost 9,000 shillings) Ontop of that we gave them one litre of Paraffin which will help their grandchildren study by light when it gets dark.
Felix and Susie's work here with Voiceless is, in my opinion, the perfect approach to building sustainability for these communities without intruding on their normal ways of life.
They have so far built a pilot project - one home for a granny (Mama Frida) and it only cost $2100 US to build! And then they bought 10 cows for 10 grannies and those who missed out will take the offspring when these ones mature.
So we're back to basics here, but I am loving being able to stop and take a good look at how humans survive even in the most simple environments. Part of me envies the organic, natural way they live - sometimes I question whether we're that much better off in our busy, technologically bound world. Anyway, the point is, we're having an amazing experience and the story will be a beautiful one.
Thanks for all your ongoing support and drop us a line sometime.
All our love Dean and Q xx (And Felix and Susie from www.voicelesschildren.org - and Ndungu our driver). From Busia, Kenya.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Nairobi - Kenya

Only 24 hours into it...
Kenya - 32 million people
Nairobi - 4.5 million
Slums - around 60% of Nairobi - very sad.

Felix and Susie taking great care of us - and tomorrow we will be heading off to the west where we shall be with grandmothers in Busia, then Kisumu and Nakuru. We'll be away for 15 days or so - and this is where the real story begins. We have a van and driver organised.

My new Kenyan cell phone number is +254 724 222 059.

More from us soon - keep those sponsorships coming - we will be taking parafin, soap and food for the grandmothers.

Q and Dean xx