Media darling back in Kenya

Sammy Kyamana is back in Kenya after having hitch hiked around Denmark for eight days as part of an MS project named ‘The Search for the Danish Identity”.

In the project he was together with 12 other young people from all over the world. They had been invited by MS to travel around the country in search for the Danish identity.

The idea was that the young people find their way through the country without any money in their pockets. This would force them to approach the Danes asking for lifts, food and shelter.

The tour around the little country was followed closely by the media, and during his stay in Denmark, Sammy became a media darling: He appeared on prime time news on national TV twice and he was in national newspapers seven times, on one occasion appearing on in a front page photo.

The first day of the tour around Denmark, Sammy Kyamana appeared in the national news together with another participant, Anabel Guzman from Honduras.

A leading Danish newspaper Politiken asked the participants to write a diary and submit their stories to the paper by the end of each day. The best stories were selected to be translated and printed on the back page. Sammy Kyamana’s articles were read by the Danes on four occasions.

He describes the project as a great success:

“The aim was to approach people asking for food, shelter and lifts as a way of getting to know the Danes. That aim was fulfilled. We got to know the Danes and we did not have to spend any money along the way.”

The participants got close to the Danes. Sammy together with to elderly ladies at a rest home in the toen Silkeborg.

The young people were sent out hitch hiking in pairs. MS had supplied the participants with a back up budget in case the got stranded somewhere in the country. But the hospitality of the Danes took them around the country on schedule.
Sammy Kyamana does not hesitate to describe the Danes as helpful, well organized, rich and friendly. But he adds that Danes are ‘self centered’ too.

“They will help you up to where they can, and then go back and take care of their business. They never go out of their way to help you. They think of themselves first and foremost.”

Having been back in the Pumwani slums in Nairobi for a few days Sammy still missies Denmark because of the welfare available to anyone there. Even the cold and rainy weather, that make people flee from Denmark in winter, would suit his pale skin, the albino assures.

“One thing I don’t miss about Denmark is the food. Danish food is not fulfilling like ugali,” he concludes.