My name is Leah from Kiambu county. After I graduated with a BSc in Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable Development at The Cooperative University of Kenya, I wanted to find my own purpose in life and be able to give back to my community especially after being inspired by my a on community development. So, I started to look for an organization that advocated for the welfare of children.
Initially I found an opportunity to volunteer in St. Marie Eugenie Pre-primary and Primary School, in Kawangware, Nairobi county. My job wasn’t always easy, dealing with children with different needs and behaviours, and with their parents, but I faced the challenges with courage. While working at the school, I had the chance to meet international and local AMA volunteers from Kenya and Spain. This inspired me to find out more about the AMA programme hoping to be fully at the service of others, which led me to the opportunity to come to Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Arriving in the UK felt like starting a new chapter in my life, away from my family and friends. I now live in an international community, gradually learning the languages of my fellow volunteers, their food, and their way of life. Despite our differences, we celebrate each other’s strengths and uniqueness and, most of all, we continue to journey together in faith.
Each one of us is called to make a difference through his or her own way of relating and engaging with others, daring decisive actions, even within our small sphere. Kids Kabin allowed me to make these words become reality, providing me with the opportunity to work with children from disadvantaged backgrounds offering them a range of creative activities. This helps children to discover and develop their own potential, while learning new skills in the centre. I will never forget the long bike rides on the streets of Newcastle, the Christmas parade giving out selection boxes, my first-ever ice skating, making items in the pottery, and countless other remarkable moments with the kids!
I am grateful for all my experiences as an AMA volunteer! I cherish every moment of it and am thankful to God for blessing me in ways I could never have imagined. This experience has also inspired me to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work, to continue to be a catalyst of change in our world and contribute to creating a better and safer world for children.
