Kenya Humanitarian Expedition Reflections 2026
1,800 kilometres, 2,500 patients and a lifetime of memories
How do you begin to sum up a month in Kenya? The dust, the laughter, the tears, the extraordinary people and the moments that will stay with me forever.
Perhaps a few numbers might help begin tell the story!
Our 2026 expedition, by the numbers:
2,500 patients seen and treated
400 pairs of shoes distributed
2,000 packets of sanitary towels handed out
10 sacks of donated clothes shared
3 tonnes of flour delivered to communities in need
1,800 kilometres travelled, mostly bouncing along bone-shaking dirt roads!
But numbers tell only a fraction of the story.
Returning to the remote, arid lands of Pokot, I was struck by how much had changed, and how much hadn't. The relentless heat, dust, poverty and daily struggle for survival remain. Women still walk enormous distances for water, carry heavy loads, raise large families and work from dawn until dusk.
Many have endured female genital mutilation (FGM), with lifelong physical and psychological consequences. Some became mothers while still children themselves. Their stories are difficult to hear, their resilience extraordinary.
As an osteopath, I often find myself questioning what I can offer.
Under my hands are bodies carrying years of physical exhaustion, pain and trauma. Pelvic scarring, abdominal discomfort, aching joints and injuries from relentless manual labour.
Yet some conditions are surprisingly familiar. Tennis elbow from repetitive wood cutting, plantar fasciitis from walking miles with heavy water containers balanced on their heads, wearing little more than thin plastic sandals.
I can ease pain, improve movement, offer comfort. But I cannot change the circumstances that caused it.
And sometimes that feels desperately inadequate.
But this year, I also saw signs of progress.
Familiar faces returned, remembering their treatments and telling us how much they'd helped. More girls are accessing education, and the charity's work to protect those at risk of FGM continues to offer a future beyond early marriage.
But change is complicated.
Mobile phones are now everywhere, even in the remotest communities. They bring communication, opportunity and connection, yet also new financial pressures. Traditional clothing and beautiful beadwork are increasingly giving way to Western fashions. The influence of the outside world is unmistakable, bringing both possibilities and the gradual erosion of traditions.
I found myself wondering what progress really means here, and who gets to decide.
There were heartbreaking moments, but also extraordinary joy. Children proudly wearing their new shoes, women singing in gratitude, families receiving desperately needed food. Smiles, laughter and warmth that seemed almost incongruous against the hardship surrounding us.
And those small moments of human connection, a hand held, a smile exchanged, a body relaxing beneath my hands, reminded me why I keep returning.
I return home physically exhausted, emotionally overwhelmed and profoundly grateful. To the extraordinary Divinity Foundation team, the communities who trust us, and everyone whose donations made this expedition possible, thank you.
There's still an opportunity to support this year's work through my JustGiving page. Every contribution helps us reach another person, another family, another community.
Every treatment, every meal, every pair of shoes, every girl who stays in education matters. And so, I will keep going.
Emma ❤️