Toto arrived on Mfangano Island after a 3 hour wait for the launch that brought us here. It works like most places I have been in Africa. There is no schedule. The driver waits until the vehicle fills up. We took a swim in our clothes while we were waiting, read the paper, chatted with the locals. Finally, we were off. The boat was filled with only about 17 people. The rest was goods that were being carried to various islands in Lake Victoria. Mfangano Island is inhabited by Suba and Luo people. They get along well, but the Suba culture and language are being lost to the dominant Luo. There is one road on the island, but too rough for most vehicles. In fact, there is only one car here. The mode of transport is boda boda (motorcycle), bicycle, and foot. Bicycles are becoming more popular since the organization called Ekialo Kiona sells used bikes at a good price. It is an amazing organization that was started by a Suba man and an American. Their goal is prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS but they address many other issues on the island such as overfishing, reforestation, community health.

Jacob and his wide family welcomed us  to the island. His wife and two young children live here while Jacob travels back and forth from here to Nairobi to make beads and jewelry. Most people on Mfangano make there living through fishing and farming. Most do not have electricity and the few I have seen did so through solar energy.  Houses are usually made from mud and wattle with corrugated iron roofs. Jacob, like most families, uses his crops of corn, cassava, and millet to feed his family. Any cash comes from sales of jewelry.  The names of Jacob's children and family members are interesting to me. Although many name their kids traditionally, Luos and Subas often name their children after people they admire. For instance, here are names of Jacob's relatives: Kelly, Obama, Yitzakrabin (after the slain Israeli leader), Kim Deprenger (yes, he named his new baby after me!), Junior, Kennedy, and Kofi.

The pictures below are:

Toto, Jacob, and I in front of Ekialo Kiona
Jacob and his family (Lilian, Kelly, and Kim)
Jacob's mom (Julita) with her grandchildren

Toto and Kim with Jacob's mom in Mbita
Kelly carrying her little cousin