Barrack Othiambo

Alfa Network (Nairobi, Kenya)

Today’s Date: 17 July 2008

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

Fish, especially fingerlings we call them Omena in our mother tongue (small type of fish). When I was young I used to wonder very much my mother could cook Omena with big fire and this things could not close there eyes, they are ready to be eaten but they have not closed their eyes. So one day my cousin made a joke to me, that the more I eat them they are going to camp in my stomach and bite me because they will be able to even see through my stomach. I was so scared since then I never ate them, fearing that they see me as I want to eat them and they will revenge

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

Fishing with my cousin, and we could enjoy it.

Now? Honestly I don’t have a place only when we went out as members of Alfa Network, to Ngong forest, and I felt good and since I could see the nature and enjoyed the breeze, down the trees, and I could roll on the grass, I wish we could be going more places

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is and why?

My favorite animal is Fish, I like fish because I use it as food and also it is used to treat many diseases, It is so delicious, and gives me a lot of energy.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

Air pollution, people tend to experiment on atomic explosions in our open air which will soon affect our ozone layer and it will collapse killing all people in the world, at the moment people die through inhaling polluted air which complicates the body respiratory system and result to dead. If we don’t take care we will reduce our life span through pollution of the air.

5. If you could give one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

Creation of the environment was made perfect, natural resources we were given freely, so let us use them wisely but not wildly.