A special dream ends in AFRICA by Ellen Shaw Bakalian, BA-Gettysburg With special thanks to Susan Scull, former Peace Corps volunteer On September 10, 1983, the Beta Lambda chapter of Delta Gamma gathered in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania to pay their respects to the memory of Diana Hess, BA-Gettys- burg. A Peace Corps volunteer, Diana died of rabies in Kikima, a small village in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa, on August 27, 1983. Like all Peace Corps volunteers, Diana was administered the necessary vaccines she would need in Kenya; however, the relatively new rabies vaccine known as human diploid cell failed to protect her when she was bitten by a puppy. She had served in Kikima less than eight months. Diana Hess, known to sorority members as "Dee," had a very special dream. In spring of 1982 Diana enrolled in Gettysburg's first African policies course. She became in- terested in the problems of Africa and applied to the United States Peace Corps for a position in Kenya. No one was surprised when Diana was accepted, and that her destination would be Kenya, for Diana was the type of woman who worked hard for what she wanted. Diana left for basic training at the Kenya Training Center outside Nairobi soon after graduation. Whereas the rest of her pledge class was tanning on Cape Cod, working in Philadelphia or moving to New York City, Diana was digging a well with two other Peace Corps trainees - just a "simple" task in basic training. MEETING with two tribal leaders in Kenya, Africa is the After training, Peace Corps volunteers set out on their late Diana Hess, BA-Gettysburg. own towards their assigned destinations. At the community district office in Kenya, Diana was told which village Because there is little communication between the moun- needed her help. From the Kenya office, Diana's solo jour- ney found her on a long and uncomfortable bus ride up the tain village and Nairobi, Diana became the vital link. Her mountains towards the small village of Kikima. presence offered hope to a community virtually isolated from civilization. Diana was the first Peace Corps volunteer Kikima is not easily accessible to Nairobi, and the gov- in this area and no one has replaced her since her untimely ernment workers in Nairobi are not well informed of the death. problems of the peoples who inhabit the mountains outside the city. Although there are groups like the Peace Corps willing to aid the areas, the villagers are not aware of such organizations' existence. Very light skinned with blond hair in a world to which she was a stranger, Diana arrived alone at her new African About the author home, the village of Kikima. The people are described by Ellen Shaw Bakalian is currently living in Little Falls, New outsiders as "friendly," and Diana was welcomed immedi- Jersey and is employed by ABC News as a political re- ately. The villagers nicknamed her "Happy" in their native searcher. She graduated in 1982 from Gettysburg College tongue Kisahili. with an English degree. Ellen has an extensive journalism background and has held numerous positions in the com- A major income in Kikima is the production of eggs. munications field. The women who care for the chickens and sell the eggs needed instruction to how to improve production and mar- keting procedures. Diana was able to offer alternative tech- niques on storing and drying eggs. THE ANCHORA OF DELTA GAMMA SPRING 1985/19