A year or so ago, I was in Isiolo, rubbing shoulders with the Samburu community. Well, am back again, only this time it’s in Baragoi, and am faced with the stark differences I see life has given each one of us. Here I meet Nachamei, a beautiful 19 year old girl living in Baragoi district; this for some is the other end of the world that Kenyans hear about only when there is drought.
However for Nachamei it’s home; where the cattle come at dusk or after days on end on the trail looking for pasture. Baragoi is also home because she is one of the lucky few Samburu girls to get educated to form four level with a promise to advance to college in May this year. Despite the stark cultural differences, economic challenges and far distance from so-called civilization, I can’t help but envy her. Am green with envy because of the purity of her smile, not yet tarnished with jealousy of what she could have. Oh how am envious of her gaiety, not yet tainted by the harsh realities and unrealities of the city’s life on the fast lane.
But as the grass always looks greener on the other side, Nachamei can’t help but tell me how she wishes she had lived in the city like me, maybe also get a ‘good’ job and go out on missions! Oh Nachamei, if you knew it’s not as green as you may think. Greener I think is where we all are, only that instead of looking at the other side, we chose to throw our cares behind us so that happiness can find us.
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