Claudia in Kenya: "I will never forget how much can be done with so little"
Claudia during her Solidarity trip to Kenya
From the first moment, Claudia understood what a solidarity trip consists of: "It is a priceless personal experience" where the person who benefits the most is the person traveling. He collaborated for 15 days in the shelter for street children in Kenya. As a nurse, she was able to heal some children. “For that alone it has already been worth it.”
How was your arrival in the NGO?
The welcome was super good, they explained the project to us, they gave us a dossier with information, they introduced us to the staff and they showed us the center. The second day they gave us a schedule that included the activities in which we were going to participate from Monday to Friday, quite varied! They included: preparing meals, helping high school students with their studies, sports, etc. There were also exits to the landfill area. The truth is, compliance with the schedule was quite flexible in my case, so I was able to participate in the activities that most interested me without any problem.
 |
| Claudia during the Kenya project. |
Tell us what a normal day was like during your volunteering
In the mornings we arrived at 9 a.m., and, as soon as we entered the door, many boys and girls came to greet you with a hugIt's wonderful to start the day like this! Then we joined the planned activity, and we interspersed these activities with free time that we took advantage of to play with the children or talk with the center staff.
The days of departure to the landfill varied. We used to get on a bus, go to the supermarket to buy bread and milk and pick up the children and their mothers. There we played with them and gave them food. In my case, as a nurse, I also healed the wounds of those who needed it, with the first-aid kit that they always carry on the bus.
Any anecdote that you remember with special affection?
I liked going into cooking classes, where I learned some traditional recipes. One day we offered to teach them how to make gazpacho, and it was quite funny watching the faces of the girls seeing what ingredients we used and how we prepared it!
I'll never forget treating wounds at the dump. How can you do so much with so little? I was surprised how much they thank you for something that for us is simple and everyday. For that alone, the journey has been worth it! I started with a group of young children, which tripled as I went along. Pol, the bus driver, normally in charge of tending the wounds, paid a lot of attention, and was very willing to learn how to do it. It struck me that he did not have basic notions for it. With the help of other volunteers (Isaura, María José and me), we rearranged the first-aid kit, and made a document with basic steps for wound care. He liked it so much that at the same moment he went to town to laminate it so he could take it with him. It is the most rewarding thing I have experienced in my 12 years as a nurse.
 |
| Claudia was joined by other volunteers. |
What did you like the most about the solidarity trip?
Being able to be in contact with another culture, and learn so much from them. the heat of children and all center staffFrom the moment you arrive you feel at home. Accompaniment at all times from the organization both here and there. My fear of going alone was feeling unprotected, and it has not happened at any time.
I was also very lucky, because I met at the house with two exceptional companions, We hit it off from day one, and we haven't had a single problem. In addition to the experience, I bring two good friends with me.
And the least?
For me, the trip fully met my expectations. I understood from the first moment that in Kenya the way of working is more flexible And the hours are a bit lax. That makes some people uncomfortable, but it wasn't a problem for me. On the contrary, with the lifestyle we have here, it's even appreciated!
 |
| During the volunteering, street children were also visited. |
What would you advise a person who is going to travel to the project?
It is important that people understand that a solidarity trip consists of traveling in a different way, responsible and supportive. Probably the one you help the most is yourself, giving yourself an experience that will bring you great personal growth. What we are going to take with us is a priceless personal experience. Of course, they are life-changing trips, because you don't visit the country as if it were a shop window, but we join its culture and its people, we see its realities, the pleasant ones and those that are harsher and more unfair. In both cases it is a privilege!