Kibera, Blessed Hope, and an unforgettable experience.
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Review
To anyone who is sitting at home or in their office reading this review and saying to themselves - "I really wish I could volunteer in Africa" - well, it is only a few clicks away, and IVHQ is the organization to make it happen. From the moment I registered with IVHQ they were brilliant to deal with, and the ease in which I completed the whole process really made me ask myself why I hadn't signed up to volunteer earlier.
Once I had arrived in Kenya, NVS, which is IVHQ's local partner organization, were equally great to deal with. Joe, James, Chomlee, and John were all lovely, genuine guys, and although they sometimes did run on "Kenyan time", I will forever be indebted to them for placing me at Blessed Hope Primary School.
Blessed Hope is located in Kibera slum, and the school is currently operating out of a leased church hall. The school is owned and operated by two of the most selfless and generous women I have ever encountered - Director Elsa and Teacher Garret. Their passion and commitment to the students at Blessed Hope was infectious, and I had never felt more motivated to help. I signed up for the Sports Education program with IVHQ, so I would take various classes to the show-grounds (dirt field) for about an hour each day to play soccer. To ensure I maximized my time while at Blessed Hope, I also taught Maths to the Standard 2 and 3 classes. As much fun as I had playing soccer with the children, I found the teaching aspect to be a lot more rewarding as I could constantly see and document the progress being made.
After school had finished on most days, I would sit down with Director Elsa to review our 'urgent project list' for Blessed Hope. With the help of the NVS team, it was hugely satisfying to be able to complete all of the projects on that list while I was in Kenya. My focus has now shifted to raising enough money to purchase land in Kibera for Blessed Hope to establish a permanent base. (I will add the link to our fundraising page at the end of my review for anyone who is interested in checking it out)
As my placement was located in Kibera, I spent the duration of my time in Kenya staying at the main volunteer house with Miriam and Sarah as my hosts. Again, I can't say enough positive things about my experience here. Miriam and Sarah were both extremely caring and considerate, and they were always available to help volunteers in whatever way was needed. Sure, we endured some difficulties at the house from time to time with water and electricity, but isn't that the kind of experience you're prepared for when going to Africa?? I never once felt like my safety was in danger while at the house or at any other time during my placement, and I will really miss walking through the slum everyday. It is a very grounding experience.
I'll wrap this up by telling a story from my Standard 3 Maths class - as I was setting homework during my first week at Blessed Hope, one of my students asked me if I could give a prize to the student who scores the highest. I said to him that I'd collate the weekly homework results and then give a prize to whoever had the best overall performance. I asked him what he wanted the prize to be - Lollies? Snacks? Things a typical 9 year old child might want. He replied, "a pencil".
These children want to learn, and they want to have a chance to succeed in life. They are rarely without a smile on their faces, and in the short time that I spent in Kenya, I can honestly say that they changed my perspective on life. I would recommend the Kenya program to anyone who is considering it.
Sincerely,
Michael
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