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Elen

Elen was working mainly in Bumini sublocation for September 2010.

  1. Elen with a chickenAge
    25
  2. Profession
    Studying to have a “real” profession
  3. How long time you volunteered in Shianda?
    Two weeks in September 2011
  4. Why did you decide to go to Kenya?
    Besides seeing absolutely different world, I had possibility to be a volunteer in WEFOCO
  5. Why did you decide to volunteer with WEFOCO?
    My friend Janika was one of the founders and she transmitted trustful information. Also, they had clear planning about the work what needed to be done and there was lack of helping-hands.
  6. What do you think about the work that is being done by WEFOCO?
    Their work is deeply indispensable and the motivation of local activists is admirable. They are covering now a quite big area in East Wanga district, but still it is drop of water in the ocean.
  7. What were your tasks?
    To visit vulnerable families and find out their serious vulnerabilities, as well to find possible solutions. The work contained also the seminar over nutrition; help by the HIV-testing; motivate the members of family and much more.
  8. What did you like most about volunteering?
    To be part of this unknown culture – that gave me a possibility to be connected so closely with the local people, to share their ways of living, to discover a whole new world, to see sincere smile on their faces if we could make their living more life worthy.
  9. What was suprising?
    So many things…. Many prejudgements (heard in Europe) were destroyed – the low quality of education, overall poverty and sad people etc. In general, the biggest surprise was the scale of social cap – ones who doesn’t have anything at all and the others who have more than I could imagine.
  10. What would you have liked to know before coming?
    Everything was well prepared, but it helps if you are more aware about the local dangers.
  11. What are the difficulties that the volunteers should prepare themselves for?
    If you are “mzungu” (the white) you are in any case considered as a rich person. It makes difficult to trust people.
  12. Tell about your favorite experience from Kenya.
    There are many experiences to tell, but in Shianda definitely the experiences with children. They are curious and motivated to discover, to learn. Other bright moment (not really considered as favorite) what I can’t forget was the discussion with a street-child who asked me the money to go to school.
  13. Do you miss something?
    Yes, the simplicity of the things.
  14. Any other comments:)
    If everybody contributes a little, it makes a big difference.