Cassidy Johnson, one of six Interact ambassadors currently in Kenya to distribute mobility devices as part of the Crutches4Africa distribution, is providing readers of the Scottsdale Independent with a daily blog of the group's activities and experiences.

Crutches 4 Africa Dispatch: July 4

Happy Fourth of July!

We woke up this morning to our first full day in Kenya. After a delicious breakfast and quick packing, the team departed our hotel to meet Edward, Ephantus and Toney at ION Handa, the Naivasha school where we are storing our mobility devices.

We loaded the devices onto the roof of our van and set off for the first distribution site of our trip. After merely five minutes beyond the beautiful Masada Hotel, we reached a dirt road lined with small shops on either side and people filling the streets. It was crazy to realize that this poverty-stricken community was so close to our previous night’s hotel.

 When we arrived at the distribution site, the beneficiaries had not yet arrived, so we spoke to many locals who greeted us with   warmth. I met a new friend, Johnson, who was so excited that my last name was his first name! We took lots of photos with Johnson and his friends, who were making fresh chapati (fried flour dough) ad offered us some of this interesting food.

It reminded me of an un-sweet donut. We unloaded the mobility devices from the top of one van as locals swarmed the van upon hearing rumors of our “gifts” – T-shirts, soccer balls and small, stuffed animals.

When we made it to the distribution site, Ron Matthew asked me to help a man named

Emmanuel — who had paralyzed legs — get into his first wheelchair.

It was an emotional moment for all. I made him a foot-rest so that his feet didn’t drag on the ground. 

At the distribution site, there were four men who arrived either on the back of a motorcycle or by crawling with flip-flops on their hands. These men came seeking wheelchairs, as their lower extremities were completely immobile.

Unfortunately, the team had only brought one wheelchair to this distribution, so these four men were promised wheelchairs in the very near future, to be distributed by Naivasha Rotarians.

Although they didn’t get the wheelchairs today, they were still extremely grateful for our support. In addition to the wheelchairs given to Emmanuel, the team distributed four canes and one set of crutches.

 To read more about Cassidy's adventure and the Crutches 4 Africa 2019 trip to Kenya visit www.scottsdaleindependent.com