6 weeks as a volunteer in the Grace Rehabilitation Centre
My first visit in Kenya started with 3 days of orientation in Nairobi, a very nice time! But one thing is sure, I didn't find any orientation, Nairobi is just so crowded of people and vehicles… I would have been completely lost without Pius and Tobias. But with them I saw a lot of animals, the Kibera slums and the surroundings of Nairobi. Unfortunately I didn't make their job easy because I was so overwhelmed by this new world and also sleepy because of the journey and this cultural change that questions asking for my opinion or wishes always ended up with me saying "I'll do whatever you want me to!" And I can only repeat, what we did was very nice, especially including the food ;)
But every attitude changes with a bit of adjusting time and so when I arrived in Kisumu, seeing the place where I would spend the next weeks, I started opening up.
And then I spent my first day in the home, a very exciting day. Finally I got to know what I'll be doing and see the people I will deal with in the next 6 weeks. When I arrived at the Grace home with Caleb, the project manager who hosted me, the boys were out for school and me I had time to get to know Terry, the director, and 2 of the other staff members Aggrey (duty parent) and Vero(cook). Work started quick and easily, everyone was very friendly and it was easy to talk to them. So on my first day, I went to see two primary schools and a secondary school because some fee issues had to be sorted out. Those visits for school fees or just reports on how the sponsored kids are doing make a big part of my work there. I learned a lot about the Kenyan school system which is so different from the German one and so much more tiring and demanding. Meanwhile all these visits which were a lot, I think I saw about 10-15 different schools, private and public, one thing never stopped shocking me: the small number of teachers compared to the huge number of pupils and the immense density of pupils in one class. How is one teacher supposed to teach up to 80 children in one class when there are not even enough chairs nor tables??? I always wondered about that and I came to the end that this is the reason why Kenyans have to study so much at night because at daytime in school it's just not possible to get a well-structured lesson everyday and learn directly in school what they have to know for their exams. So this lack of teachers and rooms evokes a lot of self-arranged studies.
Of course this is not the only difference to European lifestyle, there are so many of them that if you start naming them you don't come to an end. But me, I liked every bit of Kenya! The big problems like poverty, HIV/aids, health in general and work, I'd really like to see them solved but the little things like everything in Kenya takes longer, there isn't so much technology like in Europe(washing machines for clothes & dishes, microwaves for already cooked and frozen food) I really appreciate those little things, that's what makes Kenya such a charming country. There are a lot of poor people who fight to survive every single day but they never lose their friendliness, their smile, nor their hospitality!
To get to know these people was offered to me with my work in the Grace home and especially Caleb made me meet a lot of different people and every single one of them marked me in a different way!
But let's come back to my work. Not only school visits were to do, but also home visits. In the Grace home itself are living 23 boys, being provided with food, a bed, clothing, school fees and everything they need for bathing for example. But the work of the Uhuru Organisation International doesn't stop there, they also sponsor about 80 community kids, living around Kisumu. That means Uhuru pays their school fees and depending on the family situation they even contribute to the nutrition of the child. So the organisation tries to help those who can't afford the education of their child, it doesn't matter whether this child is an orphan, a half-orphan, abandoned or still with both parents, the Uhuru organisation tries its best to help everybody.
Of course sometimes you have to check on those sponsored kids, how they are doing at their homes too. That's when I went with the duty parents to see their families and circumstances they are living in.
I also visited some institutions like the children's department or the remand home which are important for the organisation's work. The children's department for example claims a monthly report about the number and age of boys living in the home and they can check on the conditions there every time they want. In a way this is the institution the home is directly responsible to.
The rest of the time, I often helped our two cooks in the kitchen; at least I tried my best because my cooking skills were very low before coming to Kenya. But especially thanks to one of the boys who also spent at Caleb's place, I came back to Germany with a lot better cooking knowledge than before!
The "work" I enjoyed the most wasn't a real work. It was the time I spent with the boys in the home. The first 3 weeks they were all going to school, so I saw them at lunch time only. Because in the evening when they came back I usually wasn't at the home anymore. But throughout the week-ends I got to know them and after 2 weeks I finally knew all their names. I have to admit that it wasn't that easy but with some time there is no problem and I even recognized their voices one by one.
Then the schools closed and I got to know some of them very well. Not all of them because a lot of boys take advantage of holidays to see their families and spend some time back home. This is a very important part for them to do, because first of all it's always fundamental to see one's family but the second point is that they are allowed to live in the home up to the age of 18. After this time Uhuru tries to relocate them back with their families so the uninterrupted contact to family members is very important!
So me I spent the time with the boys who were left, we went swimming or for a walk, we played ball, or just went to Mamboleo market. But most of all we talked! And they all have very interesting and difficult stories to tell. That's why they seem to be older than they are compared to the boys I know in Germany, because they already experienced so many things in their short lives most European boys will never see.
All those different characters and the talks made it very difficult to leave Mamboleo. Not only the people from the home, but also Caleb and the other boys I spent my time with are very, very gorgeous persons! And all those persons are the reason that I want to come back to Kenya the next time I can make it!
All in all my time as a volunteer in Kisumu was fantastic. Maybe there were some little problems but that's okay, you'll always meet some and that's what makes you grow. But the fact that they are not as big to be mentioned in here is a quite good sign.
As a result I have to say that for someone who really wants to work physically and hard, volunteering at the Grace Rehabilitation Centre isn't the right thing to do!
But for someone being interested in wonderful people, hearing their stories and doing a lot of talking and walking, Mamboleo is the right address!
Me, I spent some wonderful 6 weeks and came back to Germany with so many fantastic memories and new friends!
Kenya and its people taught me a lot of things about life and lifestyle. And I'm still amazed by the attitude of Kenyans, their friendliness and hospitality!
Kenya is a wonderful country with wonderful people, animals and nice food! ;)
Most of all it offered me an unforgettable experience! At every moment I'll be ready to return there and my first address to go to would be:
Kisumu, Miwani Road, Mamboleo - Grace Rehabilitation Centre…
