Kenya: Volunteer support for the Waldorf Kakuma project and schools in Mukuru

Mariëtta Vasen and Michael Fichtner from the Netherlands both work in special education and behavioural therapy. They try to structure their lives in such a way that they can volunteer for several months each year in projects worldwide. At the beginning of this year, they travelled to Kenya and supported the Waldorf Kakuma Project for several weeks. They were invited to work with the pedagogues of the project on the topics of "trauma" and "children with disabilities." Here they share their experiences with us:

The Kakuma refugee camp houses about 300,000 refugees in northern Kenya. Most of them come from Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a very special place where the local Turkana people, refugees, and aid organizations come together. We spent five weeks there. In the mornings, we participated in the programs at the Child Friendly Spaces, and on Fridays and Saturdays, we conducted training sessions for the staff. We were deeply impressed by the project and the work being done with the children. The conditions in the Child Friendly Spaces, especially in the reception centre, were very challenging due to the hot climate. Despite the burning sun, the swirling dust, and the lack of shade, the team managed to create a good program with various activities for the newly arrived children in Kakuma.

After five weeks in Kakuma, we travelled to Nairobi, where we spent another week. There, we worked with teachers from various schools in Mukuru kwa Njenga, a poverty-stricken neighbourhood that is heavily affected by annual floods. Even here, the conditions were difficult, but the pedagogues were enthusiastic and dedicated, and our training sessions were well attended.

Both in Kakuma and in Mukuru, we provided training on working with children with disabilities. Although we saw only a few children with disabilities, the topic generated great interest and many questions. It was fascinating for us to see how differently the concept of "a person with a disability" was perceived. We hope we succeeded in raising awareness about the potential of all children – including those with disabilities.

As we write these lines, we are on the final leg of our journey home and reflecting on the special time we had in Kenya. We would like to thank the teams in Kenya, who welcomed us so warmly in Kakuma and Nairobi and took care of us. And of course, we are very grateful to the Emergency Pedagogy Department of the Friends of Waldorf Education for the opportunity to participate in this wonderful project and share our knowledge.

Mariëtta Vasen and Michael Fichtner