Profile information
Host rating
85 %
Last replied
10 Feb 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 11 days
Feedback
-
ID verified
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Machiegni! Karibu Sana! Greetings and welcome!
My name is Akoth. i also go by Villagealien!
I recently relocated to my home country, Kenya after some 20 plus years away in the U.S. I returned to my rural community where i am working to build a self sustaining homestead. I have been designing a food forest in my head for over 10 years. These past few years i have felt a strong urge to return home. I've wanted to be a host for a while now, but i feel things are shaping up in a way that can allow me to accomodate guests.
My community is rural, we are in a small village in South Western Kenya, in a center called Kadongo. The nearest town center to us is called Bondo Nyironge. And the nearest big town is called Migori. Kadongo, is located in Migori County. We are close to the Tanzanian border, the biggest boarder town is called called Sirare.There are other boarder towns that are closer to us, but they are smaller and less official. For someone looking to travel around. My return home was inspired by many factors though the final shift occurred during the pandemic. The increasing unusual changes in weather and attitudes was a pig player, but the desire to touch my roots and be with earth, in earth, and contribute in my small way to my community led me home. Before the final decision i would return home for a few months each year over the years. During these trips i would study and identify the key differences in lifestyles between these two worlds. I noticed some key differences in how i felt, how i moved, how i spoke, how i saw, how i interacted with people. I felt alive in the African soil, i was Electric. I wanted more, i wanted to be here all the time. But the reality of being here all the time, also meant returning to a life vastly different from the one i am used to. And this was a challenge, i was at home with the conveniences that are the modern amenities that makes the west efficient. I was used to earning an income and going to work, the pull of the rat race, of going, getting, purchasing, updating, buying, paying was life for me. The life i would experience in the motherland felt closer to real but . The reality of the poverty was alarming, no clean water for all, no proper medical care for all, now proper education for all, no proper food for all. And i wanted to know why, because all i saw around me was wealth. Abundance! Abundance in sunshine, in peace. in community, laughter and in intelligence. The deeper i got into these inner spaces, the more opportunities i saw, for growth. The earth called me, this i believe is my canvas, for i love drawing and planning edible landscapes while building soil and community. For a community of peasant farmers, the extreme weather changes feel more direct. The rising cost of daily living and food globally is affecting us all, but the rate at which it is affecting the rural, peasant farmer globally is on a different scale. This makes the wealth and abundance available in these spaces feel invisible.
DalaThis homestead is designed to be a hub where my local community and international community can gather to talk, work, and share knowledge and resources on how to adjust and thrive in these changing currents.
Our homestead. Dala means homes in Luo. Maler means light. Though i use it to reflect the uplift, the beauty, grace and purity that i see. The vision for this space to be home and host Earth Kin from all over the world who are committed to caring for the wellbeing of all our relations began long long ago. It is finally happening. This is your invitation. If you accept, you will be coming to a simple, quiet and rooted life in the bush. My community has been affected by colonization and capitalism. A lot of our cultural practices have be swept over the years, and i am keenly aware of what the presence of the other does. We ask that you walk with awareness of the deep wounds colonization and capitalism planted, and the million ways in which they manifest, and many a time unbeknownst.
We are a team of two women. My sister-in-love called Stacey and I, Akoth. Stacey is a mother of two. Our farming practices fall under the category of Indigenous Land management. We observe permaculture principles, syntropic agroforestry, natural farming, elders, plants, the night sky. We are doing it the natural way, which means that we are learning heard lessons. It's great and testing.
We get water from a well, we will pipe it and have it more easily available when we are able. We are currently building the toilet and showering area. We will use a compositing toilet. We cook on fire outside and finish our meals early. Breakfast and Lunch are our heaviest meals, and supper is usually a bush tea and a light food.
We try to cook from the garden, and we are often supplied with produce from our other friends who also farm. But this is sporadic. In all, we are abundant. This being said, the cost of food, if its being purchased from the supermarket is very expensive. If you have a diet that requires more than what the garden provides, please keep a stash of money aside for your additional nutritional needs.
The space can accommodate eleven people. We have three huts that can sleep 2 each. We also have camping space and tents enough for five. Its a peaceful place for anyone looking to take a break from the rat race. We do not have electricity, so we try to finish our days early and rest early at the shamba (farm). We we have a way to charge solar batteries and little solar lamps for anyone who wants to extend their evening. We try very much to be aligned with nature and balance our flow to the natural rhythm. So we are trying not to modernize the space too much. So for anyone who may find this to be a struggle just know it's life in the bush. But with some minor comforts.
Our days are filled with designing and landscaping work, as well as planning for future construction and managing a little garden. So there is plenty to get your body moving if this is your style. We also encourage rest for ourselves and our guests. So come knowing that this space is a healing space. We welcome the whole you. Come as you are. And bring your magic to this magic. And lets create more magic.
The nearest town is Migori. It is a 30-45 minute drive. There are many options for transportation. Communication is primarily in Luo, Kiswahili and English. But for the elders, Luo is the primary language. You will find communicating with youth pretty easy if you are an english speaker.
There are several options for transportation. The quickest way is flying in from Nairobi Wilson Airport to Ragana Migori Airstrip. From the airstrip it is a 30 minute drive. And we can organize pickups. The longer way is traveling via bus from Nairobi. A 7-8 hour bus drive. Which passes through the Great Rift Valley and is quite scening. You can hire a private care or travel via public means. There are truly many options and we can share more. We can also come and get you, but this will be an expense for us that we are currently not able to meet.
There are plenty of wonderful activities to enjoy outside of the farm. This is a walking country, so if you enjoy walking, you are welcome though it is a different kind of walking. Hiking is not really a thing especially if you hike trails. Trails will mostly be footpaths passing through peoples properties unless you are in a known park. But people are friendly. Do check in to see what the season is like so we can advice you on the proper gear to bring. We have dry seasons and rainy. We are One and a half hour away from Muhuru Bay. Two Hours away from Maasai Mara and Ruma National park, and three hours away from Mbita, where we can catch a ferry to Rusinga Island and other Islands in Nam Lolwe (Lake Victoria). There are many other local cultural sites in the Migori, though they are lesser known and underappreciated. We can help you plan for these local getaways, and if we are free we can take you at no expense to you.
There is beauty in this earth. If you desire to experience the beauty in this our corner of the earth, Karibu Sana! A huge welcome. Wan Kanyakla!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Farming
Performing arts
Drawing & painting
Animals
Carpentry
Plant care
Music
History
DIY & crafts
Books
Art & design
Photography
Gardening
Cooking & food
Architecture
Writing
Fitness
Sailing / Boating
Water sports
Adventure sports
Cycling
Hiking
Outdoor activities
Beach
Dancing
Mountain
Team sports
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Camping
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are in a community of subsistence farmers. They have plenty to share about planting in this region, about the earth, the ways of the old, the trends in nature. The social scene is very simplistic people still meet and talk for hours. We encourage you to bring your art, bring music, bring your dancing feet, bring your drums, bring your voices. This is the best way to get into a community. By sharing our gifts. We have elders with knowledge and traditional skills like basketmaking, sisal rope making, pottery, storytelling, traditional birth workers, thatch roof makers etc. What you can learn will depend on you because their is so much to learn. We will share with you how we eat and teach you how to make some Kenyan meals.
We will share our budding knowledge on natural farming and agroforestry
We will share our indigenous plant medicines and how to prepare them
In the community you can meet and visit with the locals, the elders, the schools, and other activities outside of the farm.
Name your interest and we will work together to make sure that you have a wholesome experience.
Help
We need help with farm chores. Which include planting, weeding, harvesting, preping and clearing of farm areas.
Depending on when you arrive we may have small animals in our sysyems such as chickens and ducks. So animal care will be available work as well.
We maintain a small apiary. So we invite Anyone who is comfortable around bees or willing to learn. We have bee suits and all the proper equipment. If this is something you may be interested in, please bring an EpiPen in the event of an allergic reaction. The nearby health fascilities may not have EpiPens.
We also could use help with natural building. We plan to do small projects such as building Cob Ovens and eventualy move to building a cob house.
No charge for your stay.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Swahili (Kiswahili): FluentThis host offers a language exchange
I speak primarily English and so does my co-creator. But we are interested in learning new languages and sharing ours as well.
Accommodation
We have a traditional mud hut that is cosy
Tents are also available
camping is supported
We will provide three meals a day. We are primarily local consumers of food. So we will eat locally available foods. If you have a taste for more exotic foods, most of which will be store bought, we ask that you cater for this. Also share with us your dietary needs in advance so we can prepare well for your stay.
What else ...
We encourage the sharing of meals and eating together in community. Because we find that when we share, we enjoy our food more, and we connect with each other. We will harvest our food fresh daily.
Some more expensive foods especially from the supermarkets and the more exotic foods we ask that the guests caters for.
Our budget can only allow for getting local foods. This being said, we can share with you what is available, as well as ways to eat well, and not break your bank. Its better and cheaper to go the local route as exported things cost too much. Things like cheese do not exist in this neck of the woods. So if these are foods that are a must in your diet, you may need to briefly stop and stock up in Nairobi. We do not have refrigeration.
We have Wifi at the site. But we cannot have it on all the time as we use a solar battery to use it. So we use it during the day when the sun is brightest. This way we can also have evenings where we are not wired to electrowaves.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
To be working online, let us know in advance. As we l\may need to purchase a more permanent solar solution. What we have is a simple option for light browsing.
Space for parking camper vans
The space is large and can accomodate large families including those traveling with campers.
Can possibly accept pets
We allow all animal relatives on the site. But we can speak if you have a more exotic species. My local community fears snakes. So if you are traveling with a unique pet, let us know to make sure that we understand how to support one another.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Photos
