SERENA KELSCH

And Then It Was Suddenly 12 Years Later

10/6/2024

Hello Dear Friends!
Wow, what a journey it's been! I can hardly believe that 12 years have passed since I last wrote about my adventures in Kenya. So much has changed, yet the lessons I learned there and at MIIS, along with the incredible people I met along the way, continue to shape how I approach my work today—supporting local communities in identifying challenges and creating sustainable solutions.
Over the next few weeks, I’m excited to share some reflections on that ongoing journey, from my time as a Grant Writer with Firelight Foundation, to leading resource development with Habitat for Humanity Alaska, and Los Padres ForestWatch, and now, serving as Director of Strategic Partnerships at ShelterBox. Each step has been a chapter in a story I’m eager to revisit with you all.
In the meantime, here’s a little something to bring a smile— pictures of me and my cat, Brie. 🐾
Looking forward to reconnecting with you all!

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Asante Sana ya OGRA Foundation wa Kenya

10/8/2012

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We are the exhibit: Village children watching my parents and I sit inside of a van stuck 2 feet deep in the middle of a swampy field, 3 hours from any help

The last week in Kenya was a crazy combination of travel, meeting with my parents, packing, and wrapping up humanitarian projects.

Please click "read more"

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Ngorongoro Crater or How Serena was Almost Mauled by a Lioness and was Saved by Following Instructions

9/23/2012

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A cheetah, looking for her morning meal

On the final leg of our safari, Emily and I spent a day inside of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. The crater is the remnants of an ancient volcano and is now technically a bowl. Located just outside of the Serengeti, the floura and fauna contained inside of the bowl are beginning to adapt and change to the different environment. The lions inside of the bowl are slightly smaller than the lions in the Serengeti; naturalists are considering cross breeding Ngorongoro lions with Serengeti lions, to even out the darwinian score.

Please click "read more."

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Into the Wilds of Tanzania: A Safari Adventure

9/16/2012

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Elephants, walking into a Serengeti storm

My blogs will be out of chronological order the next 3 week. During that time, I will be sharing with you my experiences during the last few weeks I lived in Africa. After that, I will be returning to sharing adventures of looking for a dream job in the international development sector.

So, to begin, the first week of June, my dear friend Emily and I spent a week on safari in the the Tanzanian Serengeti. Traversing through the savanna, we were able to watch zebras, wildebeest, water buffalo, hippopotamus, lions, leopards and many other animals all interact in the wild.

Please click "read more" for the rest of this week's blog.

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Exploring the Information Super Highway and Hitting the Trail

9/9/2012

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As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler the time to move to the next stage has begun.

Now that I have a little more time on my hands, I have begun the process of looking for full time work and enjoying the things I use to do before starting graduate school.

I have 2 goals this fall:

Find a challenging and fabulously fun job.
Hike every park in the Santa Monica Mountains.

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Returning to the West

9/4/2012

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Santa Barbara California Summer Solstice

Family, friends and colleagues, I have a fantastic list of excuses for not posting any new blogs since returning from Africa.

First, I have had the great opportunity to work as a consultant with two fantastic organizations, which took over my life.

Second, my computer has been sick, and has been spending time with the doctor- selfishly keeping my photographs and stories on Africa with it.

And third, I have been traveling visiting family, friend, colleagues and beautiful California: embracing my American roots.

Please click "read more" to learn more about my consultancies.

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Zanzibar

6/25/2012

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An Zanzibar Aquamarine and Corral Sunset

Zanzibar, an island off of the coast of Tanzania, has been a trade center between Europe, the Middle East and Africa since the 15th Century. Known as one of the Spice Islands, Zanzibar is the clove capital of the world. The island is a semi-autonomous principality of Tanzania, with it's own laws and government. Beautiful Zanzibar has a history of religious tolerance, with Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and Jews all able to agree on one topic, the benefits of trade.

Emily and I had the opportunity to visit Zanzibar for a couple of days in mid-May before going on safari through Tanzania's Serengeti.

Please click "read more"

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Traveling Through East Africa

5/28/2012

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Zanzibar

Sorry for the belated Blog Posts. I have spent the last few weeks traveling through Tanzania and Kenya, without any cell phone or internet access.

I will be posting to the blog soon, with all of the exciting adventures!

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A Retreat Facilitation

5/13/2012

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OGRA Foundation's Strategic Plan Retreat Team

Kiswahili word of the week: Kumaliza. Kumaliza means to finish.

This week and next week mark the beginning of the end of my time in Kenya. Last week I facilitated the OGRA Foundation Strategic Plan Retreat, my last full day of interning at OGRA Foundation is Wednesday, I turned in my last assignment for graduate school last night, and I will soon be going on fantastic adventures with friends and family throughout Kenya and Tanzania.

To read the rest of this blog, please click "read more" on the bottom right.

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Lagnet Cric

5/12/2012

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OGRA's youth outreach partner, Lagnet Cric

Kiswahili word of the week: kesho. Kesho means tomorrow. The essence of this word sums up a noticeable difference between African and Western cultures. In Kenya, people talk about African and Mzungu time. In Africa Time, 10 minutes can range from 2 minutes to 6 hours. On the other hand, Mzungu Time (literally white man time), 10 minutes is 10 minutes.

I knew about and prepared myself for African Time before arriving to Kenya. Over the course of the last 4 months, I have been culturally aware, flexible, and patient of African Time. The last 3 weeks, with limited time left in Kenya, and so much to accomplish before I leave, I no longer have the patience with African Time.

Please click "read more" on the bottom right to see the rest of the blog.

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