• By: RIYANKA
• Sep 02, 2020
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Volunteering in Kenya: A Journey of Happiness and Impact

March 3, 2019: I had seen several photographs of this place before signing up for this volunteering program in Kenya, but as I stood outside the gate of Makimei Children’s Home, it felt like Déjà vu. “Have I been here earlier? Do I know these kids? Will I be able to do anything good for them?” – I kept asking myself these questions again and again, and within a few minutes, I found myself surrounded by Emily and Lucas, jumping with joy and shouting out loud – “Muzungu Muzungu”*. I didn’t know what it meant, but I could feel that they were happy to see me and the other volunteers who were complete strangers to them!

We stepped inside the home where the infants were still sleeping, and the smell of poop filled the room! I am a person who’s very finicky about odor and things being untidy, but somehow it didn’t bother me much. I stared at their faces as they slept in peace.

It was after about an hour or so, when the house mothers came in and woke them up, to change the diapers and feed them. They filled the bottles with powdered milk, stirred with lukewarm water, and handed one bottle to each one of us. I started feeding Samuel, as he looked at me with a happy face! I don’t know why, but I had goosebumps – I felt as if he was waiting to be fed by me, as if he had known me forever!

Later, Mamma Margaret came with Baby Miguel (the youngest resident, who was just 10 days old then!), and happiness knew no bounds! She said that she feels blessed to have volunteers visiting her home to spend time with the kids, to love them, and to make life a little easier for them.

*Muzungu means foreigner in Swahili.

Fellow volunteers and I, with the kids at Makimei Children’s Home, Kenya.

Well, the above snippet was just a bit from the pages of my diary, and I can actually go on narrating every moment of those days that I’ve lived with the kids while volunteering at the Children’s Home in Kenya.

Living in a country like India where the problems of homelessness, poverty, illiteracy, etc, etc are still prevalent and so prominent, you might obviously think why I went all the way to Kenya to volunteer (and I feel it’s a valid question, ‘coz I’ve already been asked this by several people I know!). Well, that’s because I think I was destined to be there and to play a part in the lives of Lucas, Emily, Joshua, Uhuru, and others.

Philosophy aside, I did have some real reasons too. A couple of years back, I met some Spanish folks (who are now very good friends of mine) in Delhi, who had come down to work at a brick kiln in the outskirts of the city. When they shared their experiences and how they were trying to do something in spite of the fact that there was barely any communication between them and the local dwellers, I was inspired. I was moved by their efforts to do something for humankind, beyond language barriers and other social chains.

Later, luckily, I had the chance of getting associated with Volunteering Solutions, and I got to know about hundreds of people who are stepping out of their country to lend a helping hand to people in some other part of the world.

Volunteering abroad has a different charm – it’s a way to know another country more closely and to connect to the people who are so different from us, yet so similar! I guess I would have never gotten to learn so much about Kenyan history, the social issues, the way of life, etc. if I had just gone there for a holiday. It was a journey that broke me at times and helped me to challenge myself at different points. It was a journey that introduced me to some harsh realities and taught me the true meaning of selfless love.

Mamma Margaret and the other house mothers have dedicated their lives to these kids who have been abandoned by their families. They’re trying to provide shelter, food, and basic education so that these children can grow up to be good human beings. All we can do as volunteers is to make this journey a little less painful for them.

[Also read: A Month in Kenya: Exploring Beyond Maasai Mara]

Daily Schedule While Volunteering in Kenya for the Childcare Program

We usually left the accommodation after breakfast, at around 9 o’clock. Once we arrived, our day began with feeding the infants. At times, we had to help them get water and fill the buckets for cooking and cleaning. Later, some of us helped the house mothers clean the clothes and dry them, as well as fold the previous day’s clothes and sort them. Others got engaged in kitchen chores – peeling the potatoes, chopping the cabbages, etc.

By 11 o’clock, the toddlers and the slightly older ones (varying from 3 to 5 years old) used to get up and grab all our attention. While I mostly played around with them or told them stories, a fellow volunteer tried to teach them numbers and alphabets! Later, I got to know that, in the process of teaching, he had himself ended up learning numbers, names of fruits, etc. in Swahili!

Around 12:30 PM, lunch used to be served to all the kids, and we had to feed them. The room would get filled with noise and chirps as they all shouted and screamed, “Chakula, Chakula!” (which means ‘food’ in Swahili).

Everyone wanted to be fed, and since the number of kids was far greater than the number of volunteers, we often had to feed 3 or 4 kids at the same point in time! Once the lunch scenes were over and the kids were recharged, it was time for another play session!

There were times when I just sat on the sofa next to the bed where the infants slept and sang to them. They were so adorable that I always felt like taking them on my lap, but Mamma discouraged that because she said, “Once you leave, they’ll still want to be held and loved. And then, you’ll not be here!” At around 4 o’clock, the kids who attended school returned. Once they changed and freshened up, food was served to them. We often helped them with their homework, but mostly, they would be interested in seeing our cell phones.

So, I chose to show them informative videos (about planets or animals), and they would be engaged in learning something new! There was a Mexican volunteer who enthusiastically taught Spanish to the kids, and it was so adorable to watch him.

The day ended around 5 o’clock, when we all returned to the accommodation together.

Life at the Volunteer House in Kenya

Trust me when I say this, living with people from different parts of the world is absolutely incredible! There were people from Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, India, and the United Kingdom – and every evening, we used to talk about life back home and how things are in our respective countries! Everyone shared their day’s experiences, the highs and lows, and what they planned to do the next day.

As we had dinner together, it felt like I was part of a family I never knew I had! There were days when someone would sing and play the guitar, or we would just step out to take a stroll, or go to the terrace for stargazing! Joe was there, and he took care of us like a guardian.

The volunteer house in Kenya is located on the outskirts of Nairobi, at a place called Lower Kabete. It’s a simple apartment, but the locality gave me enough opportunity to soak in the Kenyan vibes.

Volunteering in Kenya at the School

Although I was a part of the Childcare Program (as I had already mentioned), I was lucky enough to visit the school where the volunteers opting for the Teaching Program in Kenya usually work. I have to admit that it turned out to be one of the craziest days I’ve ever lived. There were moments when I broke into tears and thanked the Universe for giving me a chance to be there.

The moment we entered the school, we were surrounded by the little ones, jumping around us as if we were some celebrities in their area! Girls who were a little older came and touched my hair and clothes, and laughed among themselves. I could sense the happiness that filled the air with our presence.

The school has another story associated with it. Even a few months back, it used to be at a rented place, and Mamma Grace, the principal, had a difficult time paying the money. Some of the volunteers from the USA actively raised funds to help her buy the land, and now, she doesn’t have to worry about paying rent. Yet, there are several other issues that keep cropping up now and then! It’s a community school attended by local kids who can’t really afford to go to private schools. Apart from education, Mamma Grace also provides them with a morning snack and lunch. The school has 300 kids, of whom about 60 are abandoned and live within the premises (they have their beds and are provided with dinner as well).

That day, we sponsored their lunch (thanks to some generous and humble friends of mine who donated). We cooked rice and cabbage stew for the kids and the teachers and served them the meal. That thin line of a smile on their faces, as they held out their plates for food, shook me from within. For us, we generally never tend to pay so much attention to what we are eating, and a ‘happy meal’ often means McDonald’s – but there, in that moment, I realized what a happy meal in its simplest form can be like.

It was an emotional moment as Mamma Grace wiped her tears behind me, and a friend hugged me tightly as we both wept. While I spent the rest of the day listening to the stories of the school and the kids from Mamma, and about her struggles, some of my fellow volunteers went to play football with the kids, while some others were engaged with the little ones, telling them stories.

I never realized how time passed, as it was already time for a wrap.

A Journey That Taught Me to Be Grateful

It wasn’t just a volunteering journey for me, but a journey for which I’ll be grateful forever. It was a journey that helped me believe in myself and know the fact that even I have the power to make a difference in someone’s life.

It was a journey that helped me understand the goodness of humans and appreciate the little things in life.

It was a journey that made me realize that there are people whose problems are much bigger than mine, yet they aren’t cribbing. Instead, they are gladly rejoicing in what they have!

It was a journey that taught me that it’s very easy to sit at home and discuss the problems, but way more difficult to come out and get your hands dirty.

It was a journey that helped me develop a wider mindset, think beyond the box, live in the moment, and enjoy every bit that comes my way.

I’m glad I chose to travel to a different continent, pushed myself to the extremes, tested my patience and perseverance, and got associated with something as beautiful as volunteering with children.