Kenya: My first volunteer experience was with a children’s home close to my home. I helped the children with their homework, cooked dinner for 34 children which was quite interesting. All of the cooking was done over an open fire since there was no electricity at the home. On the weekends, we would clean their rooms and fetch water for the week in a nearby well. This experience taught me how to appreciate the little things I have and made me come out of my comfort zone. Moreover, I realized that those who need help are much closer than I think. While at school I got an opportunity to work with Kenya Network of Women with Aids, in the beginning I helped with administrative duties then I got a chance to go in the field with the counselors. This I must say was a very scary experience. The counselors go to visit women infected with the disease and they provide counseling, food, medicine and sit and play with their children. Most of the sick women were too weak to cook or do anything for themselves let alone their children. This experience was an eye opener as I was able to see and understand just how real the AIDS pandemic is.
Canada:
To begin with, my experience in the 2 years I have been here is more on the professional side. I began my volunteer work at the university with one of the student organization, AIESEC Ottawa. I have done sales training for my team as well as the chapter, attended marketing meetings with various HR managers to discuss our Global Internship Program (GIP). The GIP is a program based on exchange between various companies and students in other AIESEC chapters abroad that we facilitate. Here, I got to work on my presentation skills, organization, leadership skills as well as conflict management. I also learnt the importance of a motivated team so as to accomplish set goals and objectives and how as I leader I should be sensitive and aware of the different needs of my members.====== ====== My other experience was last summer with the Catholic Centre for Immigration. Being my first summer in Canada and I was not taking any classes, I decided to search for a volunteer opportunity through volunteer Ottawa website. I decided to give my time to this organization since they were having their annual Community cup, over the years I had grown to love soccer. In addition, I figured this would be a great opportunities to meet other new comers in Canada. The day of the event, I helped with the set up and registration of the teams as well as helped keep score. As the day drew to an end we helped with clean up and take down. This turned out to be a great way to meet new people and out of this experience I recently was offered the opportunity to join this year’s Community cup planning team as the Community Cup Coach coordinator.
My first volunteer experience was with a children’s home close to my home. I helped the children with their homework, cooked dinner for 34 children which was quite interesting. All of the cooking was done over an open fire since there was no electricity at the home. On the weekends, we would clean their rooms and fetch water for the week in a nearby well. This experience taught me how to appreciate the little things I have and made me come out of my comfort zone. Moreover, I realized that those who need help are much closer than I think.
While at school I got an opportunity to work with Kenya Network of Women with Aids, in the beginning I helped with administrative duties then I got a chance to go in the field with the counselors. This I must say was a very scary experience. The counselors go to visit women infected with the disease and they provide counseling, food, medicine and sit and play with their children. Most of the sick women were too weak to cook or do anything for themselves let alone their children. This experience was an eye opener as I was able to see and understand just how real the AIDS pandemic is.
To begin with, my experience in the 2 years I have been here is more on the professional side. I began my volunteer work at the university with one of the student organization, AIESEC Ottawa. I have done sales training for my team as well as the chapter, attended marketing meetings with various HR managers to discuss our Global Internship Program (GIP). The GIP is a program based on exchange between various companies and students in other AIESEC chapters abroad that we facilitate. Here, I got to work on my presentation skills, organization, leadership skills as well as conflict management. I also learnt the importance of a motivated team so as to accomplish set goals and objectives and how as I leader I should be sensitive and aware of the different needs of my members.====== ======
My other experience was last summer with the Catholic Centre for Immigration. Being my first summer in Canada and I was not taking any classes, I decided to search for a volunteer opportunity through volunteer Ottawa website. I decided to give my time to this organization since they were having their annual Community cup, over the years I had grown to love soccer. In addition, I figured this would be a great opportunities to meet other new comers in Canada. The day of the event, I helped with the set up and registration of the teams as well as helped keep score. As the day drew to an end we helped with clean up and take down. This turned out to be a great way to meet new people and out of this experience I recently was offered the opportunity to join this year’s Community cup planning team as the Community Cup Coach coordinator.