Cultural festival "Chepolaleyo" experience with the ACCIH by Ozge Ahunbay

The internship with the African center for Community Investment in Health was truly a life changing and career determining program. Seeing healthcare from a different lens was an extremely impactful experience. During this experience we spent time exploring the different tiers of healthcare in rural Kenya, doing outreaches with the Red Cross, getting to know the different offices of Chemolingot hospital, and meeting people from vast communities and medical specialties.

While I was in Tiaty county, I was lucky enough to attend an annual cultural festival called Chepolaleyo.

This festival was one of the highlights of my internship, displaying the different cultures of the Pokot, Tugen, and Ilchamus communities. Thousands of people attended this festival, and getting to experience the display of cultural wear, dances, and celebration of Baringo County culture was a once in a lifetime opportunity. This festival was created to celebrate cultures and foster peace between different groups, and the people at this event were extremely welcoming and friendly. I learned so much about the history and practices of the different cultures and past conflicts that they had, which was part of the reasoning for creating Chepolaleyo. I am so glad that I was able to have this amazing expreince with the ACCIH.