Josphat Keya, Victor Ombogo and Clarence Ilavonga from Hot Sun Foundation/Films set out to shoot the trailer concept for the documentary Not For Love. Josphat was the Local Producer/Director, Victor the D.O.P and Clarence was the Asst. Cameraman.
We had spent almost two weeks preparing for the shoot which was to take place in Isiolo approximately 400kms from Nairobi. The concept of the trailer was initiated by Sha’ Givens. Josephine Kulea a child bride rescuer was our contact person for in Isiolo.
On Friday 1st October we set to Isiolo for the shoot. It took approximately 4 hours for the first stop at Nanyuki approximately 250kms from Nairobi. We met Josephine, who accompanied us to Isiolo town.
We reached Isiolo 80kms from Nanyuki at around 4pm. Now it was raining in Nanyuki but the climate was totally different at Isiolo, it was hot. We went for some refreshment at a local restaurant while planning for our transport to our destination-Kipsing Village/Town.
Now here came the thrilling news, from Isiolo town to Kipsing our destination it was approximately 60kms. The road to Kipsing is bumpy rocky and dusty, not to mention risky. The previous three days two warring communities in the region were at it again. The road to Kipsing cut through one of the communities. Josephine had organized for us transport from the town to Kipsing. She had called the local driver from Kipsing. This guy had the only vehicle in the entire Kipsing. It was an old Army Land Rover. The driver and his colleague were attacked on the way, by a group of young men wielding guns. Luckily no one was badly hurt except for his colleague who had some small bruises on his arm. It took them exactly 12 hours to get to Isiolo. One thing to mention is that there is no telephone network, 200metres from Isiolo town and onwards to Kipsing.
The land Rover arrived Isiolo at 11pm. With the driver half drunk. He later told us that you had to drink for you to drive that route, just incase you met an armed gang.
Now in terms of production, our budget for transportation to Kipsing shot up 13 times. We had under budgeted for that, as we didn’t know the distance from Isiolo town to Kipsing. But I managed to take my crew that very night to Kipsing. It wasn’t easy because that driver had just narrated the fate that had befallen them while they were coming. This freaked everyone out, even me I felt death waiting for us. But the other side of me kept me strong, as the producer/director I had to make sure that my mission is carried out in due time. So if we spent another night in Isiolo as the other had suggested that meant, extra expenses, and not beating my shooting deadline.
Our journey to Kipsing turned out to be adventurous, and fun to. Yes fun, the bumpy ride. The area is semi arid, we crossed 19 dry rivers.
We reached Kipsing at around 4am. We spent the night at Josephine sister’s place. That came to be our accommodation for the rest of our stay
Saturday 2nd October, our first day in Kipsing starts early with my crew waking up at 5am to capture the rising sun behind the hills of Kipsing. As we are rolling the camera we are greeted by some of the locals who’ve come to see what “these strangers” are doing. They are very friendly. After having our breakfast, we set out to one of the manyattas that is going to be our main location. The sun is scorching. We carry our equipment and set out to an almost 3km walk; yes we wanted to walk and experience the area. The area is dry and dusty. We walk through the dry river but amazingly the locals have found out a way to get water from the dry river. They dig within the riverbed not so deep and water comes out. Clean pure water.
We reach our main location a compound with 5 manyattas. We find some of our cast ready waiting for us inclusive of two old men. We start our shoot. It becomes so challenging, to have the old men back to take as many different shots as we can. They can’t speak Swahili, so we use the help of Josephine and her sister who translates to them. It becomes difficult for them also to explain why they have to keep on redoing what they had done earlier, but it ends well. Our next scene also takes place there, our driver arrives and we set out to the next scene at the river, some kilometers. Before we leave one of the girls mother is angry, she quarrels that we are working her daughter out. Josephine intervenes and explains to her, she commands a lot of respect as we later realize.
We wind up our shoot at the river and head to our host’s place to have lunch. The sun is now very hot, we are not used to this kind, but we must complete the shoot. After having lunch we start having the interviews. We finish with Josephine. Now the two girls we have to look for suitable locations, as we do this the sun is setting very” fast”. Though we manage to shoot, but we realize that the lighting s not good. So we schedule a reshoot the next day.
After the long day of shot we are taken to the other end of Kipsing to visit Josephine’s grandmother. We also learn that it is in the same family that Josephine rescued two young girls who had been subjected to early marriage. She doesn’t even fear how she will be received there.
Sunday 3rd October, We are up early this day we have a lot to do being the last day of our shoot. Our driver is waiting for us. We set out to one of the girl’s manyattas to have our interview with her. This time she does it very well my crew is happy, we come back to Kipsing town for the second girl interview, she is a bit shy but we manage to get her interview.
What is left is preparing to depart form this wonderful community. We have hard our best experience with the people. They were already part of us and we were like a family to them in the short period that we were with them.
We board our vehicle nicknamed “Zion Train”. Accompanying us is the mothers of the two girls that Josephine rescued. Since the rescue they have never visited their daughters who are in Isiolo town in a child welfare society. In our company is our security guy just incase we encounter armed youths on our way. We depart Kipsing at around noon. Our ride is the same bumpy and dusty. On our way we encounter zebras and ostriches, hyenas are the common things. There.
We reach Isiolo town at around 6pm, I get to learn that the driver was fast. We pass by the rescued girls centre where the meeting is so emotional.
We spend the night in Isiolo town. As we wake up the next day we are all looking forward to Nairobi another 6-hour journey.
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