Since day one in Korando the children reached out to me, knowing I would stay there for a while. For some it took some time to break the ice. They had several nicknames for me such as “Jannis”, “George” and “John”. Any of these seemed to be easier than my real name, Johannes. Just weeks later I have realised that there’s another boy amongst 100+ children at this time, his name is “Johannes” and they called him by his name. It wasn’t actually difficult. 😆

However, it was Bon aka Bonface who has welcomed me as the first one of them and perhaps he had difficulties to call me by my name. It is likely that he has spread it that way, which is totally ok.

With Bon I did have and still have a special relation, we got along well from the first moment. He was one the children who has frequently asked for me, let it be for playing football, to hang around or just to share a hug. It was the time with him when I understood that many of the children did have a difficult background and that there’s a reason to be there, at this place, a shelter… They may have a family or not. At the time of my arrival there was no school (school break) and most of children went home. However, those still being around could not go home or this place in Korando is their home.

I will never forget Bon. How can I? He has even requested to have a video call with me when I was back home. By using another volunteer’s phone. He was so excited about it. Me too.

The children and the volunteers stay in different buildings. The children stay in their dormitories and the volunteers stay in their building called the “Dome House”. Usually, the children are not allowed to enter the “Dome House” or the office building but under supervision they are allowed. When available, we spent time outside of the “Dome House” or outside of their dormitories. The compound offers plenty of space and options to do whatever. When spending time, as highlighted in Korando Activities, we play cards, football or any other game. Or we give them the tools and materials to draw.

Sometimes we just talk, about so many things. They also like our accessories, especially they were so fascinated by my sunglasses. 😎 From the children’s point of view volunteers are “the door to the world” for them. They assume we have seen many places of the world and can show it to them or talk about it. They are always curious and want to learn about other places and things. How it looks like at our home, how things are there, how life is at our place and so on. We talk about so many things, change the subject so many times, and it’s easy to show them a lot of these things on our phones to illustrate what we’re talking about. At some point it ends up with watching photos and videos. Time flies until they got called for lunch, dinner or any assignment.

Many times, they just come over, call us (volunteers) by our names and wave their hand. Just wishing a good day or saying hello or sharing a hug. Almost all days have started this way. When there is no school, there’s even more time to play a game together. Mostly we played Uno. They love it. Apart of that, there’s a shelf in our “Dome House”, full of things and games they can access. Sometimes we need to moderate when someone does not behave well or fair. We explain them things in a way that they can understand. Again, some of the children might have a difficult background for several reasons.

Some children are new to this community and need to align and get familiar with this new place. Like Kate. She needed some time to get along with the others. Sometimes she was shy, sometimes she was looking for help. But she got more and more relaxed and integrated, the longer she was with us.

With time I have built connections with many of the children. Remember that they are around most of the times. And they know there are volunteers who become their friends. As a result, many of the children ask to meet a specific volunteer. I remember and won’t forget many of them. To name a few, I will never forget Bon, Ramzy, Dolfine Grace, Kate, Natalia, Milicent, Margret, Joseph, Vivian… the list is long. With some of them it was a special relation.

For instance Natalia. She is a young girl from the neighbourhood, allowed to be at our place. She was almost three years when we met for the first time but she rarely spoke. When she did not know a volunteer’s name she called him simply “Mzungu”, the Swahili word for a “white person”, that I have heard so many times already. It was totally ok, I mean how would you get in touch with some whose name you don’t know? As much as I thought about it I can only conclude that in Europe just a few people would ask you to start a conversation once you coincidentally have cross each others path. However, in Kenya it was one of the things I thought it appears different since I was called “Mzungu” often times. A way to start a conversation I have noticed many times. Anyway, for a while I tried to tell Natalia my name and to have her calling me by my name. Spoiler: it should take some time until she did. For the time being we “agreed” to either “John” or “George” – and she got it, she called me by either of these names. At this time she never spoke much. She said a few words but for some reason we felt a kind of special connection. She was afraid of some of the other children and especially of our dogs. To keep her safe from it all might have been part of building that special bond. She always felt herself well and save next to me. Consequently, we spent a lot of time together once she was around. Watching pictures and short movies on my computer. It was nice to see her discovering things, for example wild animals, photographed some weeks before at the Maasai Mara national park.

She is so cute. At least once in a week she did have a new hair dress and I liked it. It felt like to take part in other people’s life for quite a while, like to commune with each other. Despite she didn’t speak much, there was that conversance, growing week by week. She was was one the children who gave me the feeling to be part of a local (Kenyan) community. Appreciate this a lot. Like many other children she was up for jokes and fun, also to take pictures.

There are so many nice moments I won’t forget. One of these moments was a day when I returned from a morning run as part of a daily routine. When I was close to her family’s place she just saw me. As many children, they don’t care, they like you. She saw me coming and despite of a sweaty running shirt she wanted to give me a huge hug. When I noticed, I could not hesitate. She joined me on the way to our “Dome House”, where we both did have some rest and enjoyed the company of the other one. A nice start into a new day.

There is also Brenda. She was one of the preschoolers that I have seen so many times since the new school year has started in January 2024. She and her fella preschoolers were also very open and kept us busy. For me and for them it was an amazing thing to do all the simple and fun things over the day. A reminiscence to my own childhood. Jump rope, carrousel, swing… all these tiny things. They loved to be photographed. Especially Brenda. There she is:

And along with her friends. Always in for a joke or fun picture. 😁

There is Vivian, of of those staying there permanently. Always up for a joke, any fun, a game of cards (like many of the children she loves to play Uno). One of those I spent a lot of time with. A countless number of hugs included. It simply feels good to share time and some hugs. She was also one of the children taking extra lessons in English during the time of the school break.

Milicent was also one of those being there all the time. More shy than in an easy manner but always an inspiring person as she has helped me to relax when being stressed. Another lesson in life, because children can feel how others feel. If it is good or if there’s any tension. And they have their own way to help. The other way around I could also feel if something was wrong. Something that happens if you spend a longer time together. In a way. I am not a father but if you are a father or mum, I am pretty sure you know what I am talking about. This easygoingness also brought us upon the roof of the “Dome House”, accessible by a ladder. They love it. I definitely enjoyed it too.

And there are so many others. I will share more stories later. For sure I won’t forget Junior, Ben, Ramsy, Richard, Joseph, Bon, Barak, and Dolphine Grace.

A lot of chats, laughter, hugs, games, just a good time for all of us.

No matter if we are at our place, if we went for a run or on our way to the nearby river for some fun in the water (for so many times).

Some of the children wrote a farewell letter and handed it to me when I had to leave back home. So cute. And emotional. Sometimes I just read them again.