My name is Rocío, I am 53 years old and although I almost double the age of many of my colleagues in KUBUKA, they always make me feel like I’m one of them.
My relationship with the NGO began in 2015 when my daughter, Paula, told me she wanted to volunteer abroad. I asked if I could go with her because I thought it would be a unique experience which I really wanted to live with her. We assessed several options and we heard of KUBUKA (at that time it was called Más Por Ellos) through different people, so we were interested to investigate a little mor to know if it was the best alternative.
Once we got to know it, we were able to verify that all its values coincided completely with ours. It was a totally transparent NGO and we liked that its projects took into account the community, in a way that taught them to be self-sufficient so that, in the future, they would be the ones in charge of managing them. In other words, neither gave them the fish, nor gave them the rod; they showed them how to make that rod to be able to fish for themselves.
For all this and much more, we chose KUBUKA and, after being lucky enough to be accepted, we went to Kenya. We spent almost two months at Lisha Children’s home, where KUBUKA welcomes orphaned, abandoned or vulnerable children. It is like a “boarding school/home” where they are cared for, educated, fed, etc. We gave painting lessons, academic reinforcement and we helped with everything that was in our hands. Its was, as I expected, an incredible experience that I will never forget.
Once I got back to Spain, I was clear about it being a beautiful project in which I wanted to continue participating, and that’s how it has been. Since then I have collaborated with them organizing events which aim to make the NGO known and to raise funds for the projects. Events of all kinds have been held, from mus and paddle championships, photo exhibitions, sponsor and volunteer dinners, pop ups, to a super music festival that takes place once a year called Noon to Moon. This year, as a novelty, a golf championship will be organized and we hope that the participation will be very high.
In my day to day, I am a painter, I do some graphic design, I teach painting classed, I do portraits and murals and I am also a mother, a daughter of elderly people and a housewife. Therefore, my relationship with KUBUKA focuses on helping a little on what I can, and although I sometimes know that it is not much, I know it is more than nothing and that is what is important. Because we all have our occupations. All my fellow volunteers work and even some still study. They are young people who dedicate their free time to help. That’s why I admire them. Because they are doing this very well. Because it is a well-prepared team who seeks the welfare of others who have not had our luck. I feel fortunate to be part of KUBUKA and to see that every effort, no matter how small, has its reward on the other side of the world.
