Working with Wefoco GBV Ambassadors 2021
It was September 2019 when I first stepped in Africa, in Kenya and in Shianda. We are now in November 2021 and here I am, preparing to leave. At first, I thought I would stay just for 6 months, but as always I allowed myself to flow with what makes me feel good, and I ended up working in Shianda with Wefoco for almost 2 years.
I can’t compare the Andreia of before to the Andreia of now, so much growth as happened in these last years that it would be impossible to put it all in a blog post.
About the work there were a lot of doubts and fears in the beginning, and it is ok, because it means there was a sense of respect and responsibility towards the project. And this brings commitment. The fear is now gone, the doubts are a constant.
Questioning ourselves if what we are doing is the best way or not, should we do it differently or not, is a constant in a volunteer deployment time. For me, it was essential to research, read, understand how development organizations work and take some best practices to apply in our context in Shianda. With those tools in hand and a lot of flexibility, I worked with Wefoco projects, allowing the local team to adapt the approaches to what makes more sense to them and supporting on their plan implementation.
I can say that in 2018 I knew nothing about development work, but now I feel totally different. I didn’t take a course or a master, but I learned by experience. And what an experience!!! being in the field challenged me physically, psychologically, philosophically, emotionally, spiritually and in so many dimensions of my BEing. I am a person that adapts very quickly to different contexts, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be aware of the gifts that my time in Kenya brought in my personal development.
Living without running water, electricity (don’t worry now the houses have everything, lol), in a different climate, dusty road, muddy roads, different gastronomy, waiting hours to get a simple procedure in the hospital, or on a matatu ride from Kisumu … these “challenges” I almost even didn’t notice them, it's how it is, and I flowed with it almost naturally.
Shianda and Nakuru, 2019
But the work in a diverse cultural context, the intention to make the actions not about “my impact or reach” but about “how this community want to develop and how they can do it on their own” definitely had a huge impact on me.
With this consciousness, I want to continue to expand my being with people from all over the world, learn, share and grow. So I have a feeling I will keep on being a volunteer for a while đ
Working in wefoco GBV library, 2021
The flexibility to not push things in to what I think is best, the patience to allow a team to reach their decision even if it takes them 30 min or 1h of discussion… the understanding that things always get done in the end of the day even if its looks like a total mess 2 hours after they were supposed to start…
I feel the biggest growth came from interacting with diverse people at a professional or personal level. Meeting persons from so diverse backgrounds (not only locals but also other volunteers) it was such a blessing. Sharing professional relations with some, sharing friendships with others, sharing just small talk, just observing their way, being neighbors, falling in love, being intimate, detaching… all these allowed me to get a clear understanding of who I am and how that “I am” is in constant development and expansion.
My goodbye to Kenya comes with a deep sense of gratitude to:
- Mondo for believing in me and all the unconditional support and attention they gave me.
- To Wefoco for accepting and embracing my straightforwardness and irony, and being great teachers in all this process.
- And to all Kenyans, Ugandans, Tanzanians, Ethiopians, Estonians, Rwandans, Spanish, French, Belgians for showing me how beautiful is the human diversity. It doesn’t matter where we come from, there is no right or wrong, we are just diverse and there is beauty everywhere.
With Kristy and Steven (Estonia) and Sophie (Belgium), 2020
Locking the dreads in a street of Watamu!
Trying to cook Ugandan Casava Pankake with Sisa from Uganda, 2020
With Marion (from France) and Inma (from Spain)
Christmas with Ugandan Friends, 2019
With Kenyan friends playing drafts, 2020
Kakamega, 2021
Kipkaren - Kenya, 2021
