Volunteer Project Week 1 - A kiss from a wheelbarrow...

My first impression of Kenya is that it is quite hot, cramped, lots of people walking and loud music. When I say loud music, I’m not talking about people with headphones on and the music is so loud you can still hear it, I’m talking about blaring Matatus (Mini-bus) and Boda Bodas (Motorbike) and radios.

On our first visit to Familia Moja each of the kids came and greeted us, introduced themselves and then enticed us all into a boogey at 3pm! The kids were having such a good time with no inhibitions; you couldn’t not join in and revel in the freedom of it all. The older kids then put on a singing and dancing performance.

Jess dancing with the kids

Jess also had some gifts for the girls that his sister had made which were lace headbands with neon pink feathers which really looked beautiful on all the girls and Shar (one of the volunteers that has been at Familia Moja for 3 months) wrapped some care packages for the older kids going to school that week and the kids that had improved the most in their schooling.

Jess with the girls of Familia Moja and their new headbands.

During the first week each of the volunteers taking turns in escorting the older kids back to boarding school. Some of the schools were not too far away, others were a 3 hour Matatu ride away – there and back – changing Matatus about 3 times as well. The schools are very strict with what the kids must bring with them and each trunk is checked to ensure that they have all their uniforms, rubber shoes, blankets, pillows, cutlery, bowls – necessities that we would normally get if we were going to boarding school.

Shar with the older kids just before the night before they head off to boarding secondary school.

The new home for Familia Moja is fully erected and has a roof and walls, with the windows and doors being completed as we speak.  Next up the walls will be rendered, and the plumbing and electricity will be completed before the end of the month. Many a volunteer after helping out at the site were sporting the kiss of the wheelbarrow or the kiss of the sunburn or the ache of the unknown muscles previously not used before!

The new home is looking good!

The weekend brought an outing to Bubbles a swimming pool, where we taught some of the kids to float and dive. Afterwards, the kids played chasing games upon an area of manicured lawn and collected grasshoppers to give as presents for the volunteers. All in all a fantastic day!

Rasto and Maina diving into the pool.

Imma and Shar at the pool

Margaret Njoki and Eunice

Overall the first week in Mangu has been a treat. Wambui and her family have made us all feel at home and really welcomed us to their family and the Familia Moja kids are amazing. As with the meaning of the name of Familia Moja – one family, this family and the children’s home together embody what a family should be.