Masterton woman plans escape from Kenya

Aid volunteer Sarah Ryan begins her escape home to Masterton today after a near sleepless week trapped in strife-torn Kenya.
Ms Ryan, 20, speaking yesterday by cell phone from the western Kenya village of Kunya where she has been working since early December as a relief agency volunteer, said she plans to travel under escort today to Kisumu, the nearest city with an airport about 90 minutes away by road.
Ms Ryan was bruised and cut by flying glass along with other Mama na Dada aid volunteers a fortnight ago in Kisumu after a mob of about 200 armed militiamen guarding a fiery roadblock attacked the van in which the volunteers were travelling.
Widespread violence has wracked Kenya for several weeks, leaving at least 500 people dead after fierce inter-tribal fighting and lawlessness sparked at the election of Mwai Kibaki as president on December 27.
"I haven't been able to leave up until now because it's been too dangerous to travel within the country.
"There are still roadblocks and it's still scary out there in places a town called Bondo near us was closed off on Thursday or Friday and even though I do feel safer than I did a week ago and I'm still okay, I want to get out," Ms Ryan said.
Over the past week the former Solway College pupil has worked for several hours a day at a nearby medical centre along with American and fellow volunteer Denise Ward.
When the riots began there were five Mama na Dada volunteers helping women, mothers and children in Kunya, Ms Ryan said, although three workers have since left the country in an area where malaria is rampant and almost half the population are diagnosed with HIV or Aids.
"It's so confined here that's the hardest part. And I really miss my family too. We've been eating two meals a day of rice and silver beet for the past week since we ran out of food.
"We have had the odd meal of egg and corn bread and we still have some water but I can't wait to get home to my family and a meal of my Dad's spaghetti bolognese."
A drought in the area remained unbroken by a scattering of rain a fortnight ago and has almost exhausted water supplies, she said.
Villagers believe the drought to be "a punishment from God", she said, for the post-election violence plaguing Kenya at a time when rain for crop planting is usually abundant.
Ms Ryan is packed and ready to leave, she said, after an offer was made through an associate that a seat would be made available on a flight to Nairobi out of Kisumu Airport today.
"They have said I was leaving before today so I'm hopeful but anxious," she said.
"There's another political rally planned in Nairobi for tomorrow and that could mean more violence, so I have to go before Wednesday and make the most of the opportunity now because I don't know when it will come again."
Ms Ryan expects to fly out of Nairobi bound for Dubai by Friday although as she was not due to return until late February, she
said, chance and good fortune will dictate her itinerary and connecting flights onward to Melbourne, Auckland, Palmerston North and home to Masterton.
"It is only an expectation I will be flying out of the country by Friday and hopefully I'll be safe inside and not travelling about the city after the rally," she said.
Ms Ryan is forbidden from travelling alone within Kenya at any time, she said, and has hired an escort for the opening phases of her bid for escape.
"I haven't been sleeping because I've been pretty anxious about coming home. I'm taking things a step at a time with my fingers crossed all the way."