WHY
VOLUNTEER?

Taking Volunteers to Kenya is perhaps one of THE best things that I have ever done. To provide the platform for a person to be able to give of themselves; their heart, their mind, their time and their passions. 

I started Memusi Foundation back in 2007. A project that I stumbled into the life of. Into the life of people who I now consider to be my family. Who I care deeply about and love. Memusi is not my job, but something that I do because I care about the people who we are trying to support and believe that we have the right projects in place to achieve positive change in partnership with people and the communities that we support. 

 

I have worked for over a decade in Volunteering and could see the enormous benefit to the lives of beneficiaries, but also to the lives of volunteers when the 2 connected. For those who have spent time with me in Kenya, you will have heard me tell the story of Sir Richard Branson stating that we should take children into the World, because it is the greatest classroom that there is. For the children who I support in Kenya, they dont have that luxury and I decided that I wanted to bring the World to the children instead, through a volunteering programme. I wanted to build upon what I was seeing in the UK and connecting people who care with the people who we try to support in Kenya. So...I decided in 2016 that I would take a trip! Not sure what we would do exactly or indeed if I would ever take a group back, I was blown away by the difference achieved by the Volunteers and the impact that it had on all involved. This is where Memusi Volunteering was born. 

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Volunteering in Kenya is not a business and there is no guarded reason for taking volunteers to Kenya for me other than what I have written above. Volunteering is an integral part of the overall strategy of the work that we do as a charity in Kenya and sits alongside teacher development, healthcare and construction. It plays a key role in taking forward aspiration and helping children to achieve their goals and ambitions...and also brings inspiration. It gives an opportunity for people to bring and use their skills to support the delivery of our strategic goals. It is central to all that we do.

 

I expect nothing from you as a Volunteer other than to give all that you can and act with respect. Volunteering doesn't have to be working until you are exhausted and you don't need to be dirty or tired. If you want to just spend time with the children, that is fine with me. Equally, if you do want to have an experience where you get dirty and tired, that is fine too. The biggest thing is that you are there, you care, you are showing love and connecting to people who need to know that people care. You as an individual will educate, inspire and drive forward a child way more by simply being present than you will ever appreciate. Everything else that you do in your time with us is then added benefit. 

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I am delighted that we have trips for 2022 through to 2024 published now, have been able to add our friends at Riziki to our Volunteering programme as well as new online Volunteering offers. Whether you are a return volunteer or a new person who wants to join Memusi by giving as a Volunteer, please do get involved. You will be making a massive difference. 

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Matthew 

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