One of my favourite words in Swahili is “kati kati”. It means something like “in the middle”. And that is how I would describe my arrival in KUBUKA. In the middle of a storm, in the middle of a transition, in the middle of many changes.

Personal alterations when changing Malawi for Kenya, passing through Spain to give a quick hug to my people. Changes in KUBUKA, in the field, within the coordination. But this roller coaster is being an exciting challenge. I came here attracted by the organizations’ vision, by its way of understanding cooperation and self-sustainability of its projects as the main objective. But I’m not going to mislead you, I lived the first few days with pressure, because it is not easy to take over from a person who has been in the field for 4 years coordinating and seeing the projects being born, whom everyone loves and respects. I was lucky to have coincided at least 2 weeks with super Myri. And just when she leaves the nest, BOOM! the summer volunteers arrive. A great group of people full of energy who are almost as new as I am.

But once the first month passed, thanks to the constant support of my beloved colleagues Blanca and Pau, with whom I have a great time and learn every day, things have calmed down and I can now find my moments to catch up on everything. I’m learning and building relationships with my coworkers, laughing a lot with Patrick and Wambu, admiring Eli to the end, getting excited in the study of Made in Kibera, going crazy trying to understand the SACCO meetings in Swahili (which I enjoy a lot), enjoying like one more girl every time I go to Lisha Children’s Home….Moving forward!

And as I get to know the movie, I see all of the things that have to be done and with my excitement as a newcomer to the job, I hope that many of them will get ahead. I believe in it because KUBUKA has a great human team in all three countries. I like to have gotten into this family, despite not knowing the majority personally, and I am very excited to get to know my colleagues here in Kenya, when they come to visit us and hear from them that they see many changes, that things have improved a lot compared to years ago, because that means that we are moving in a good direction.

In that direction, with fresh air, we will continue working day by day. With the challenges that await us, the frustrations and joys, the achievements and progresses…and the truth is that….I’m keen for it!!!

I am happy to continue in by beloved Africa, to have the opportunity to discover Kenya and to surround myself with people so eager to carry out projects that inspire and give hope. And happier still for everything they are going to teach me.

Karibu KUBUKA, Karibu Kenia and Asante sana!!!