Insights from an African Orphanage

I’ve been fortunate that through the organization I work for I have had the opportunity to volunteer for many community service activities. But there is definitely something different when you undertake such an activity as an individual. As mentioned in my why one of the reasons for undertaking this trek with K2 Adventures Foundation was their dedication to service in the communities within which they operate. So an integral part of the Mt Kilimamjaro trek is spending two days volunteering at the Mwereni Integrated School for the Blind. The school services over 600 children from within Tanzania many of whom are blind, have XP or are albino. And 75 of these kids are orphans who live on campus. The unsettling thing is if these kids did not have this school they would be unsafe in their society. As they would either be shunned or hunted (in the case of the albino children). And yet these kids are just like kids all over the world, they laugh, they play, they like to perform, they love to take photos and play with your phone, they like holding hands and they love candy! But there is one small difference, they really are grateful for the opportunity for an education in a safe environment. Something I know my children wouldn’t give a second thought to and as parents we take for granted. Through K2 a number of the students have been sponsored for a private secondary education (as Mwereni caters only to primary and then most go into a local secondary school) and we met a couple during our visit. Their dreams to be doctors, accountants etc are not dissimilar but when asked what was important about education their answers of “it’s the key to life” and “it’s the cure for ignorance – and a world without ignorance would be a world of love” just about crush you emotionally (in a good way!) So these kids who I went to help of course taught me more – the true meaning of dedicated service and what vision, leadership and the right sort of financial aid can achieve through education.