“Having volunteers who come from the community is so important because they understand the challenges”

My time studying special needs education at university inspired me to do this kind of work. I didn’t want to do the course at first – I wanted to do something related to finance and commerce – but my mum wanted me to study education. 

I had intended to change my course to business administration or commerce when I got to the university, but my first special education lesson made me stay. I felt like it was something that I needed, something I was interested in getting to know more about. I feel like it was in me, and I hadn't known before. I was so passionate about the course, and I ended up completing it. 

When I graduated, I started working with people with disabilities. There was something about working with them; they are open and friendly people. Serving them, working with them, ensuring that their needs are met – especially children at school level – has always satisfied me. That’s when I knew that this is what I wanted to do as a career. 

Right now, I'm doing masters in speech and language pathology, because I've realised most children with disabilities have a problem with speech and language communication: those with hearing impairment, with intellectual impairment, those with autism, cerebral palsy and other conditions.  

This is my career journey, to ensure that all are included, especially children with disabilities, in schools. That they are able to acquire equal and equitable education just like any other child. 

What inspired you to apply to be a VSO volunteer?  

When I was in Turkana, I was working as a teacher. That's when I came across VSO. I worked with colleagues who were also there implementing a VSO project in Turkana. I felt what they were doing was related to my career goal. I saw them promoting inclusive education and saw how I could help as a fellow advocate for inclusive education. I saw VSO job ad on LinkedIn and applied for it. 

What's your role on the ACTIVE project?  

I joined the organisation after being a classroom teacher. In that role, when you are advocating for children with disabilities, you will be advocating for inclusion in schools, but what about the community? Now that is a challenge

Joining VSO gave me an opportunity to explore more. I'm no longer working in a small area with a fixed routine like what I'm used to. 

It's introduced me to different opportunities. Today you are doing this, tomorrow you are doing that. The next day you are running an activity, meeting experts and lots of different people.

I am so passionate about meeting different people, and learning about different cultures and lifestyles. With VSO, I was able to get out into the community to ensure that children in schools are not affected by these barriers in their wider communities. I got an opportunity to learn how to advocate for inclusion, and to address the challenges out there, alongside the challenges we’re addressing in school. 

Where do you think you have made the biggest difference?

When I arrived in Makueni County, the ACTIVE project was delivered across health and livelihoods programmes. The education programme hasn't started yet, mostly because they didn't have an educated specialist in post yet. So upon arrival, I started from scratch.

Looking back, we have achieved a lot. Now, schools have children in clubs. They are very active and they know their rights. We have also spoken to them about safeguarding and protection matters. 
 
In these instances, I have been privileged to witness the power of collective action in empowering communities. The communities themselves have been instrumental in identifying and addressing issues, which I have then been able to present to the local authorities and those in a position of power who are able to effect change. 
 
I've also often directly connected people to service providers and authorities where they can get help.

How do you think you've grown personally and professionally? 

I'm naturally an introvert, but working in the communities has helped me to communicate better with different people. It has built my communication skills, it has built my courage, my boldness, my confidence, and I'm able to express myself in front of everyone.

When you interact with different people with different opinions, you also learn problem-solving and master how to approach issues in a way that favours both parties.

I've also learnt a lot about what’s happening within the communities and issues they face, which I wasn’t aware of. I got to learn a lot of the practices that I didn't know about, and I’m now motivated to try to find out solutions to the practices that are negative and harmful. 

Do you think that volunteering is more impactful than if you were to deliver this work as an employee?

When you are a volunteer, you must dedicate yourself, your time. You must be passionate about what you do. All my fellow volunteers are passionate about their work. They are dedicated, they give themselves to support the communities. There are people that I can say they have been of much help to me to grow in my career. 

Volunteers have this passion within them. They know where the issue is, and when they come out to support the communities, they support them freely and fully. So having volunteers, especially those who come from the community, is so important because they understand better than anyone. They have the passion to serve the community, they dedicate themselves completely to the work within it. 

What do you think makes VSO different from other NGOs?

Here on this project, you’re not treated like someone who doesn't have knowledge. They give you the opportunity to explore yourself, to get to know you. I was blessed to be here and now it's my duty to find the challenges in this area and help find solutions. Being able to solve these challenges also gives you an opportunity to learn and explore your skills.

What does active citizenship mean to you? 

An active citizen is someone who knows what they are supposed to do, who knows their rights, and who actively participates. My role is to empower communities to be active citizens.

In education, we are empowering children, parents and communities to know their rights and, when they are denied those rights, to know where to ask for help and advocate for themselves. 

When you think about what's next for you, how do you envisage your future? 

I mostly support inclusion for people with disabilities, so I envision myself in a world where everyone has equal opportunities and services. 

For example, in schools in Kenya, children with disabilities study in different schools or different classrooms to their peers. I'm hoping for a future where all schools are inclusive, where a child with visual or hearing impairment, with autism, or other conditions, can all be in the same classroom, taught by the same teacher.

I'm hopeful that communities and workplaces will include people with disabilities. When someone with a hearing impairment applies for a job they are excluded because they require an adjustment. I dream of a world where employers looking at the candidate’s abilities, not their disability. 

What would you say to anyone who is considering volunteering with VSO?   

If there's anyone out there who wants to volunteer with VSO, I want to tell them that this is it. The best decision you’ve ever made – you should not even think about it. Especially if you are a young person, you are just a fresh graduate. You are still energetic and passionate about volunteering.  

VSO gives you an opportunity to explore yourself, to get to understand yourself. There are some skills that are in us that we don't know, and volunteering with VSO gives you that space to be able to understand yourself, to know what you can do, to what extent can you go. 

It helps you grow career-wise, it makes you more resilient, and gives you an open heart to interact with different people,. 

How would you describe the impact that VSO volunteers make to the community? 

We’re empowering communities with knowledge – and knowledge is for the future.

Some organisations do good projects providing resources for communities, but it’s not all you need. I can give you money today, but if I don't also train you on how to manage it, I won’t be helpful in the long run.

VSO is coming in to empower communities to be able to have sustainable living standards, today and in future. It's something that is permanent. 

What keeps you going, when things get hard? 

The community voices. When you're done and they're saying, ‘We want you to come back and inspire us, empower us more’, their voices inspire me, and they make me proud. They motivate me to continue working."

The ACTIVE programme

ACTIVE aims to reach 2.5 million people across 19 countries - Bangladesh, Cambodia, eSwatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia - by mobilising marginalised groups, such as women, young people and those with disabilities, to act on the issues that are most important to them and their communities. 

This funding will help strengthen locally led organisations and create a culture of active citizenship – where marginalised people actively engage with their own development - whilst building the capacity of the UK’s partner countries to respond to the needs of their citizens across healthcare, education and livelihoods. 

Learn more