The Korando Dome House and its Educational Centre are our hub, our crucial point of any activity. For the time in Kenya this was my place of stay. Korando is a smaller village west of Kisumu (10 km away from town).
In December / begin of January there is a school break in Kenya, a new school year begins in early January. During this time the 17 children who live here permanently seem to have a lot of time unless they’re supposed to help with any community task depending on their age and abilities. For instance, they must help in the kitchen or have to handle the corn harvest from the farm. The older ones may have to help when construction works take place. Usually, the children are not allowed to enter the volunteer’s “Dome Home” but under supervision of any volunteer or staff they’re allowed to enter. Once they enter, they can play any game, do any drawing or other activity if being allowed in general. It can be challenging the more children there are, but we keep it under control.
Football
There is a kind of pitch on the compound, at times we play football for a while but not that straight in line with the rules. Positions may vary but what counts all the time is fair play, respect, team play. Pitch and equipment are not ideal, but it is what it is. The children do have fun anyway. Some of them are very talented and/or skilled. Some children must play in Crocs as these are their only pair of shoes. Sometimes they lose a shoe during the game and continue barefoot. Just one example. Saw this already a few times on other occasions and was shocked.
At some point I got them a new ball as the old one was almost gone. Now they play each day. With or without me or other volunteers. Now even more kids attend a play than before. Great to see that. Later the pitch got improved in many ways.
Nature Walk
There are some greenish mountains close to our compound. There are also rail tracks (very close by but almost not in use). People can walk along the rail tracks and around 2km away from our place there is a river with a small waterfall where kids love to go to. At times we go there. Usually these n(young) children are not allowed to leave the compound without permission by their legal parents (Mama Dolfine) or her deputies AND under supervision of any trusted adult (e.g. teacher, volunteers). Even volunteers need to ask for permission to go for a walk. Once we’re on the way, children are super excited about it. Especially to be in the water. Some volunteers join the kids in the water. It is an obvious fun for all of us. Both the way to there and back as well as the water fun means a lot to the kids. As much as possible they get equipped with hats and sunglasses. They love it but they also must learn to share as we do not have 17 hats and pairs of sunglasses for each and every one. But it works. At times, they get our phones to take pictures or videos from their perspective which is really interesting. And enriching.
Playing
If there’s no school or no homework to do, children mostly want to play or do anything else, whatever enjoys them: soccer, cards, board games, drawing, climbing on our mango tree, using any of our device we allow them to use. Some children are allowed to use our phones, to play a game or to take pictures or videos from their perspective. I have borrowed them my headphones and sunglasses too. Tricked them by stopping the music or changing the music’s volume. 😂 There are so many small things one can do with them. There’s also a shelf full of games of any kind, (drawing) books and other items to engage the children with. It’s useless to sort the shelf out. 😂 But you don’t know how fast time passes if there are around twenty children (if not more) demanding attention every here and there, asking for this and that. But, I was surprised as it wasn’t really stressful. No, actually, we all had joy. 😂
We can even enter parts of the roof by a ladder. We been up there often times, just to hang around, enjoy the view and to climb the top of the dome’s roof – just to slide down again.
Hanging around
From time to time children get some candies or cookies, we’re making them a good time. Children appreciate this a lot. They know someone from far away cares about them. They know where they can find us and unless they are spending time with each other, they just need to hang around nearby the volunteer’s dome (and call for the volunteers by the name). There’s no day without being in touch with them. And it is no nice, such a joy. This way any relationship between volunteers and children grows every day.
Chapati Dinner
Once in a week, Thursday evening, volunteers are invited to have dinner with the children at their dinner room. They’ll have varied dishes however the famous Chapati will be served each time as a side dish. This is a definite highlight for the children.
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