My 5 months in Kenya have been full of lessons for lifetime, heartwarming moments and exciting experiences. I get to do what I love the most - work with people, especially with kids.
One of my projects that actually awakes the most conflicting emotions is the opportunity to carry out health assessments and provide treatment opportunities to children supported by Mondo’s Brilliant Fund. There are moments when I hear the stories of the kids and they bring a big smile on my face and warmth to my heart, but there are also moments the stories create a lot of frustration.
Mondo started supporting the primary school children in Kenya since 2010. and today there are more than 150 kids in primary school who get to access education thanks to that help.
The program doesn’t only emphasize education for all boys and girls, but it also supports child health and nutrition and the protection of children from violence and exploitation.
Interacting with these children has challenged me in so many ways. Of course there are practical hurdles I’ve had to cross - such as connecting with them without a proper understanding of their language and using the help of a translator, but then there are those challenges that cut deeper, yet build higher. These are the challenges of understanding their stories, sympathizing and finding the right words to say. How do you console a child whose father is imprisoned for life, who’s mother died and who lives with an HIV-positive grandmother whose health is getting worse and worse everyday. How do you console a 12-year-old who’s biggest dream is to become a lawyer, but has never had money to walk through the school doors? What are the words that you can possibly say to make them feel better, yet won’t give them too high hopes, hopes that you can’t help them reach? These are the challenges that once overcome, will leave a mark to be carried with for a lifetime.
Working with those students and seeing how fast they’ve had to grow up, difficulties they’ve had to face, the work they have to do and how heavy the rucksack of responsibility they have to carry on their backs are, makes me understand the importance of giving children the opportunity of being children. It reminds me the meaning of the word childhood. They have taught me so much about being brave and building a castle up from nothing. And in the end of each day, no matter how emotional, buzy or chaotic, my heart is filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to be here, gratitude for being able to actually do such a rewarding work and interact with those beautiful souls.
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