New year, new volunteers!
We arrived at the Maisha Mazuri Children Centre on the evening of January 7th and were warmly welcomed by all the children. However, our start in Kenya didn’t exactly go smoothly… First, our flight was canceled, then we were rebooked on new flights with two layovers and different arrival times. And as if that wasn’t enough, BOTH of our suitcases were missing in Nairobi, even though we had traveled on different flights. The first few days were therefore a bit chaotic and we had to make do with a minimalist lifestyle… But in the end, everything worked out, and once we got our luggage back, we could finally settle in and feel at home.
Four weeks have passed, and it’s crazy how fast time flies.
Our first week at the MCC coincided with the children’s first week of school after the holidays. Because of this, we were able to use the first few days to play with the children and get to know them before the school routine and homework started a few days later.
During our first few days, we were introduced to the various departments and staff members at the MCC. Since many things are different than back home, there was a lot to learn and plenty of new information to process. But we quickly got used to the new environment and settled in thanks to the support of the team and the children. At first, we had trouble remembering all the names, but now we have them down!
On our first weekends, we worked together with the children to repair the compost and thoroughly clean the library. Emma, who is responsible for the animals and the kitchen garden, and the children also showed us how to take care of the pets and their stalls.
Our weekly schedule
In our first week, we worked with Mercy and Joseph to create a schedule to organize our days while the children are at school.
- On Mondays, we help Boniface on the MCC farm in the mornings with watering, weeding, and harvesting Sukumawiki – a spinach-like plant that is always eaten here with Ugali. After that, we help Julius in the kitchen washing and cutting vegetables for dinner. We also support Philip in the bakery with baking Mandazi and rolls. It’s always fun to help out in the different areas and learn new things.
- On Tuesdays, we start the day by attending some classes at AMM Secondary School. We’ve already learned about hatching eggs in an improvised incubator and participated in other agriculture and home economics classes. The students always welcome us warmly, and we are often actively involved in the lessons. In the afternoon, it’s back to the bakery with Philip to bake more rolls or donuts. We’ve already written down some recipes and will definitely try them at home – maybe not with 5 kg of flour per batch!
- On Wednesdays, we help the Matron and the Patron in the morning with cleaning and organizing the children’s rooms. After the tea break, we accompany Mercy on home visits. During these, we see how the children live at home during the holidays and how their relatives are doing. Often, it’s elderly grandmothers who look after their grandchildren because the parents have passed away or disappeared. We are grateful to get an insight into the children’s living conditions, but it also makes us sad to see that many families are very poor and can only afford one meal a day. This shows us all the more how important the MCC is as a safe haven for the children. After the lunch break, we help Julius in the kitchen again preparing Sukumawiki.
- On Thursdays, we spend the day at AMM Secondary School. First, we bake more rolls with Philip. The bakery supplies the secondary school, the primary school, the MCC, and another primary school in the neighborhood with baked goods every day – so there’s always plenty to do! After that, we participate in technical subjects like computer science, business administration, and chemistry, learning from both the teachers and the students.
- On Fridays, we have the day off 😊 We often go to the market in Tala and buy lots of fruit – it’s mango season, and we love it! Once, we also went to Nairobi to explore Kenya’s capital… there is just so much going on there. It was exciting to see something different, but otherwise, we just enjoy the Kenyan sun and relax on these days.
Every evening after dinner, we help the children with their homework and open the library so that those who are finished can read. It’s always a nice and quiet atmosphere.
Our weekends at the MCC
- On Saturdays, after breakfast (with sweet potatoes), we help Emma with the pets – goats, chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Once, we went to the farm with all the children and Boniface to try Kenyan strawberries and pick mangoes. In the afternoon, it’s always Chapati time! We help the children prepare Chapati for dinner – we listen to music and have a lot of fun. The weekend is also the time for games – soccer or badminton outside, table tennis or board games inside. Music and dancing are, of course, part of it too.
On Sundays, we go to the church service with the MCC children. The services here are completely different from the ones we know from home – loud, with lots of singing, dancing, and everyone is involved in some way. Often, the MCC children prepare a dance to perform. After lunch, we have time for various activities and projects – so far, we’ve held a competition, done temporary tattoos, and organized a picnic by the river. In the evening, it’s movie night, which the children look forward to all week. We split them into age groups so that everyone can watch age-appropriate movies.
Last Saturday, we attended a celebration at AMM Secondary School. Last year’s graduating class had achieved good exam results, and the celebration was intended to motivate this year’s students. We spent the whole day preparing food and even witnessed the process of slaughtering a goat for the feast – an interesting experience!
Last week, we had a visit from Barbara, who spent a few days with us. Together with her and Mercy, we visited AMM Primary School, which was a nice opportunity to exchange ideas.
Additionally, the MCC team has gained some reinforcement: Patron Patrick joined two weeks ago and quickly became part of the MCC family – the children are very happy to have him there.
A little update: The new walkways are finished and look great!
We’ve had a great time so far and are looking forward to the next few weeks. We’ll have another update for you in a month!
Lea and Emma