Jambo! My name is Shailin Balgobind and I’m 19 years old. I worked as a volunteer for CRCI from half January to the beginning of April. My dream is to be a doctor and travel all over the world to carry out my profession. Unfortunately I couldn’t start my education in schoolyear 2008 – 2009 due to strict procedures. By coincidence I met a Dutch Boardmember who was telling me about CRCI and from the start I was very interested in the organisation. Instead of wasting a whole year doing nothing, I could be in fact a big help within CRCI and the mix of working in an orphanage, distribute foodpackages in slums and learn more about the African culture sounds like a pretty good way to spend my time. For me, this was the right time to explore the world, to expand my limits, to find out if I really could realize my dream and I was hoping that CRCI could help me in the right direction… and it sure did!

My Experiences in these months were mind-blowing. Some things you just got to experienced yourself and can’t be put into writing. That said, let’s give it a shot anyway. One of the things I liked so much is the fact you staying in an orphanage. This way you really get to know the African Culture; their way of raising children and from the moment you step in the orphanage; you’re taking part of looking after these children. When you wake up in the morning or when you come back after an long exhausting day, you’ll be with these small children and I can assure you that they’ll get very close to your heart.

Besides being in the orphanage, you’ll visit many places outside CRCI. We have visited different kinds of schoolprojects in the slums, which was good to see the children are getting education. I think for many families this is the basics of getting one step forward. Furthermore we visited Kibera, one of the biggest slums of whole Africa, and distributed clothes and food. It’s strange to see so much poverty next to the high skyscrapers in the capital city of Kenya. In order to chill from time to time, we’ve made several trips, close and far away. For example, we’ve watched a footballmatch of Thika United, we’ve been on Safari in Samburu, we’ve even gone to the coast and visit the white beaches of Mombasa. There are so many activities you’re able to do.

Another thing I liked while working for CRCI, is that you’re free to do what you want. You make a schedule together with the director Nelson, but this schedule is not fixed and you can fill it in with whatever activities you want to do. I also enjoyed working with the staff of CRCI; everything is going more smooth when there’s a lot of communication. Altogether, after a few weeks of getting used to my new residence, I was really feeling comfortable in Kenya.

I’ve had a great time in Kenya. For me, there were a lot of challenges I got to face, from visiting families living in real poverty and people along the road with different infections to getting sick yourself and be miles away from home sweet home. I noticed you adept very fast to new situations and improvise to solve your problems and afterwards you see everything worked out. You learn so many things. Being in CRCI made me realise it’s a peaceful place for the children and I experienced the organisation really makes a difference by sheltering unfortunate children in Thika and surroundings. Working within CRCI and being part of that is an indescribable feeling!