CHILDREN OF AFRICA: VOLUNTEER WITH US

TSUNZA WORKCAMP GENERAL INFORMATION

- Location: Nigamba, Tsunza (Kinango District, Coast Province, Kenya)

- Accommodation: Before summer 2010, the association together with its members had the idea of furnishing one of the village mud houses that the volunteers will be using any time they are there. The mud house has not been plastered yet, but among the 16 volunteers of summer 2010 workcamp, we bought 14 big beds that can accommodate more than 20 people. However, for organization purposes, no more than 15 volunteers are allowed to accommodate together in Tsunza in the same period. As these beds were purchased as a project, nobody has to pay for accommodation. The beds have the purpose of accomodating any future volunteers or villagers in need.

- Electricity: There is no electricity, but we will organize to have an electricity generator by our side. This summer 2010 a couple of volunteers paid and intalled a solar panel on top of the new-built library. The electricity can be used to charge mobiles and cameras (only taking turns)

- Meals: With the food that you bring from supermarket, your meals will be prepared by certain people (Mamas), but you will also have the chance to help them with this task if you wish to. The same meal will be served for all of us including the villagers. Each volunteer usually spends around 20 Euros per week for food and other daily commodities (toilet paper, soap, oil, parafine for light, washing powder, bin bags, etc.), as they don’t count on their own, but also invite the villagers in charge of cooking and kids around.

- Washing: No washing machine. Villagers will be happy to assist you wash your clothes and dishes traditionally, but still you can help whenever you feel like and even wash the clothes if you personally prefer to do so.

- Transport: There are not common vehicles in the village and the most you can find is a boda boda (consisting of a motor-bike with a back seat). To come and go to town you will always get a motor-boat and a taxi or matatu (public van).

- People in charge: We, as volunteers, are the leaders of our own selves and therefore we are all in charge in all our activities in one way or another, in addition to the villagers. Some villagers will always help us, guiding, going to town and helping in any necessary task.

- Internet access: No (only in town)

- Shops: There are small shops where you can get basic things like sugar, soaps, oil, etc. But never expect to find cold drinks, or any especial requirement.

- Volunteering Work camp fees: There is no fee to be paid to any specific person or association but you will be expected to invest between 75 to100€ per week.There is great need that we invest some money to accomplish some of our pending projects as we are in the village. However, you don’t have to give this money to anyone, but you have to use it by yourself in the project that you choose, and you will be asked to give account for this (keep receipts or consult people around).

In Tsunza you will be very much welcome and cared by all the villagers around, but we have to keep into account that this is a big community with a harsh life, where people have to struggle along all their lives to survive day after day. So we don’t want to become a burden for these people who already have difficulties to obtain their own food and basic commodities. Therefore, not only will we try to pay for our own needs, but also we will make our best to become a relief to them and to contribute with the improvement of such a community.

For more information click here.

To apply, fill up application form and send to susanna.gomez@gmail.com

THE ESSENCE OF VOLUNTEERING

"Volunteering abroad is not an opportunity given to the rich and developed citizens of occidental countries in order to experience an extraoridinary adventure. In fact, I think it's unacceptable that we allow ourselves the luxury of dreaming about sensational experiences, while the people of the needy countries we want to visit can only allow themselves to dream of some piece of bread in their mouths.

A volunteer workcamp is not a selfish opportunity to satisfy our egos or our cravings for travelling; a volunteer workcamp is an opportunity that the volunteer himself provides in order to offer inconditional assistance and support, time, economic resources and efforts to the most needy ones; an opportunity to change a small, tiny piece of the world.

Therefore, a volunteer should never allow himself to become an extra burden for those he's trying to help. It would be simply nonsense. A volunteer must be a relief, water on top of fire, sugar on top of the bitterness that rules their lives, a streched hand, a balm for the open wounds, a whisper of peace...

Then, we cannot expect that a home, where we are planning to spend some time and where they already have problems enough to bring 50 children to school and provide them with food, water, clothes, etc., opens its doors for us only for love's sake, just becoming another mouth to feed. It is not the same being a volunteer in our own country or being a volunteer in a different continent in somebody else's home. Here, we can offer our time and efforts and later go back home where we are catered with everything. In Africa, to become an assistant requires something else.

When we arrive at an orphanage, we become part of it, another member, which means more food, more water, more electricity, more dirty clothes, more washing-up liquid, more bed covers, etc. It is clear that the romantic idea that Occidentals have of bringing our big love and tenderness to those people, of spending time by their side and exchanging our knowledge with them is highly praisable. But there is something that we should never forget: LOVE ON ITS OWN DOES NOT FEED CHILDREN.

I've been moving in and out of Kenya for almost four years now, living with those incredible peoples, and I swear that they really appreciate the time we spend with them, the moments we listen to their problems, the time we play with their children... But, no matter how strong you might me hugging them, if in that moment their stomachs are empty, and there is nothing to bring to their mouths, our big love will be vanished to ashes. And it is normal and understandable: human beings can only allow themselves the pleasure of loving and dreaming when the basic human needs are covered (drinking, eating and sleeping).

As a consequence, with my full belly, I allow myself a dream: to fill their bellies so that they can also dream. And among many others, the best ways to achieve such a dream are those where governments will never invest enough, building up strong and long-lasting infrastructures, with auto-sustainable projects which can bring them autonomy and better life standards and, ABOVE OF ALL, improving the whole institution of education by building up better schools, with better materials, improving teachers formation, and working on the basis of universal values and human rights.

Susanna