I love the kids a lot and I feel like one of them when we are playing together or talking to each other. I could say for me is also the best way of disconnecting.

The kids in Kibera are really active and they love and enjoy a lot to play football, even if after the match they are going to need a first aid kit because of the injuries and scuffs that they got in the scratchy field. Despite the difficulties, seeing them this happy makes me feel a lot of joy in my heart.

The first aid tool kit is one of the things that people from Kubuka donated. But we have many others: balls, sport clothes, shoes, school materials like crayons, school bags, etc. These things may be seen to be small but here in Kenya they are a big motivation for the kids and also for someone like me, who nowadays I am working for Kubuka.

But about my personal motivations, working with the volunteers is one of the biggest. It is not only about feeling good with them and have fun together, mainly is about learning a lot from them and also having the opportunity of teaching them about my country and my people.

When I talk about learning I mean someone like me, who didn´t have the opportunity of going to the secondary school, through this exchanging experience, I will have the chance of getting more than the basic things that are thought in the books. I am learning computers, how to be and work with different people, how to hold a meeting, etc. Or in few words, I can say I am learning about the life.

But I will say that is the people like me, that we are working together, who is teaching me more. I mean the local people that live and work in Kibera. One good example to me, are the teachers. They are really committed with their work of helping the kids. Even if they are earning a salary, is never enough for all the work they are doing, for their big motivation and for being always ready to collaborate any time.

Apart from the teachers, there are other people that we are working together with for the rest of the projects. I admire from them the way they give themselves into the project even if they have to combine their work with other jobs to survive and support their families. They feel ready for everything; they are able to make a research of something that they don’t have any idea. And they will do it with a big smile in their face, which gives to me the biggest motivation to work with them.

In closing, when I said before that being with the kids is my best way of disconnecting, I mean to disconnect from all the challenges that I have when I am working, challenges that are in my family, challenges in changing my own life. Although I know that disconnecting is not the cure, it really helps. I believe that everyone needs to disconnect time to time, but what I really believe is that whenever we fight hard by working in our challenges, eventually we will overcome them.

#love #laugh #live

Raphael Mureis