Cecile's story
Cecile, Denmark
"I always wanted to do some volunteering overseas but I chose Kenya because of my family. My uncle is from a tribe in Kenya and he always talked about how nice the people were, so that’s why I thought about going to Nairobi.
My biggest challenge was the language, I tried to talk Swahili but it was so difficult. The good thing was that even the kids were pretty good at speaking English. Some of them were better than me! Another challenge was seeing the extreme living condition of the slums in Nairobi. In Denmark we don’t have the same level of poverty because the government supports the unemployed and families in need. The experience of seeing the slums made me realise how important it was that KCH was taking care of children from vulnerable backgrounds.
My biggest reward whilst volunteering at KCH was to see the kids everyday! Their smiles made my day. Also I was inspired seeing the amazing work the House Mums and teachers did every day. They are shaping these children's lives for the better.
Before volunteering with KCH I had a limited understanding of children's homes and how they are run. From the most extreme situations, these children are growing into future leaders and I have been lucky enough to hold their hand and walk alongside them for a small part of their journey onto a better and brighter life.
My advice for people thinking about volunteering? Do it! It’s a life experience that you will never forget. This experience has changed my life. If you do decide to volunteer, I would recommend coming up with games you used to like as a child and bring some things from your homeland to show the children. They love photos!! "
Interested in volunteering?
Contact us
T: +44 (0)1738 633264
E: info@kenyachildrenshomes.org.uk
