Your Summer Horizons
The Resilience and Spirit of Rural Kenya
Each country and culture encounters its own unique challenges. In rural Kenya, the daily reality of facing death and illness is so pervasive that burials have become a central aspect of community interaction. Despite battling numerous diseases, shortages of running water and electricity, often subsisting on a single meal per day, and having just one doctor for every 150,000 residents, Kenyans remain remarkably resilient. They place immense value on education and community. Witnessing their willingness to share their lives with our group of 25 volunteers was both humbling and inspiring.
The Work:
Our dedicated group of volunteers embarked on a mission to rebuild homes destroyed by the historic Kenyan floods. They also produced and donated bread to 3,000 families from a bakery built with donations from our volunteers a year ago, a facility that has been generating jobs and providing sustenance for the community ever since. These initiatives, led by our unwavering Kenya Coordinator Pius and his wonderful team, have significantly benefited many residents and continue to do so.
In rural Kenya, many families reside in huts made of mud walls with grass-thatched roofs. Typically consisting of a single room shared by the entire family, these fragile huts offer little protection from the elements. As a result, many families suffer from diseases like pneumonia and coughs due to harsh weather.
Under the hot Kenyan sun, our group was hard at work constructing homes for families in the community. The work was muddy and laborious, but a volunteer vacation week wouldn't be complete without dirt, determination, and dedication. Our volunteers were able to assist with the building of three new homes, upgrading three families from grass-thatched shelters to iron-roofed homes, providing multiple rooms and a safer, more private living environment.
Learn More About Globe Aware's Kenya Program
The Adventures ( Kenya Cont.)
The week was brimming with adventure, rewards, and a deeper understanding of the daily life-threatening challenges many Kenyans face. Our volunteers enjoyed remarkable Kenyan excursions, such as spotting hippos on a boat ride, visiting the equator line, and engaging with children at a primary school. The week concluded with a safari, an exhilarating hot air balloon ride, and visits to local villages, including an encounter with the renowned Maasai tribe. This immersive experience not only connected them with Kenya's landscapes and culture but also provided profound insights into diverse ways of life.
From Our Volunteers (Kenya Cont.)
Discover firsthand what our volunteers thought of the experience.
“As I get older and my family grows, these trips become more and more special to me. You only have one life to live and we have the choice of how we live it. I always return home from these adventures with a deeper sense of purpose and a more full gratitude of the life we live.”- Casey Baugh
“This past month Ben and I went on a humanitarian trip to Kisumu, Africa! I can hardly put into words what this experience was to us. The people, humility, and culture were beautiful. We also took a 2-day safari in the Masai mara and that was incredible!” - Ashley Bolingbroke
Are you interested in learning more about our Kenya program? You're in luck! We now have a brand new podcast episode dedicated entirely to Kenya:
“Preparing For Your Adventure in Service in Kenya.”
Kimberly Haley-Coleman, the Executive Director of Globe Aware, covers her volunteer vacation week in Kenya. She has plenty of information to share with everyone, including her experiences, observations, and volunteer work, along with tips on what to pack, how to get there, life during the program, Kenyan customs, and more!
Globe Aware Updates From Peru & Vietnam
Our lovely volunteer Vicki spent a week with us in the ancient town of Hoi An, Vietnam. Her schedule included a variety of activities, cultural exchanges, and meaningful moments.
“I had an amazing birthday week this year in Hoi An, Vietnam on a volunteer trip with Globe Aware. I read stories to students and spent time with disabled children at two separate NGO schools. I even helped build a chicken coop, and bought chickens for a local family, and learned how to make yummy banh xeo and mix a kumquat drink. It wasn't just volunteering, as I also go to visit the old town, and coconut forest during the week!” - Vicki Iskandar
"Just the thing we were after ..."
Abbas, a returning volunteer, and his friends joined us in Peru! Discover what made this experience so memorable for him!
“What I liked best was interacting with the people. Potato farming and spending time with the family there, as well as spending time with the kids and improving the school. I felt we made a positive impact on all the projects we worked on. Rocio was awesome, and very open to adjusting things if we wanted to.
The food was great! Delicious, traditional cuisine made with fresh ingredients was just the thing we were after. That it was home-cooked was a plus!” - Abbas Rangwala
Learn More About Globe Aware's Peru Program
Learn More About Globe Aware's Vietnam Program
A heartfelt thanks from the Malawi community!
Thank you to Globe Aware volunteer, Sarah Hammett Clarke for her generous donation. This contribution will help feed over 1,500 young children between the ages of 6 and 14 through a school feeding program. Her donation has already provided bags of maize, sugar, soap, a cooking pot, and drinking water! Community meetings are also being held to assess and address additional needs.
Malawi is currently facing a hunger crisis, exacerbated by the impact of Cyclone Freddy during the 2022/23 rainy season. As a result, many families have not been able to harvest enough food, leading to an increased dropout rate among students.
Many students are motivated to attend school due to the availability of meals. Our Coordinator, Imedi, believes this not only provides essential nutrition but also encourages students to return for their education. Malawi Coordinator Imedi shared updates of children gathering for hot meals this week, all thanks to the generous volunteer donation.
Learn More About Globe Aware's Malawi Program
Globe Aware's Donation Page
