On March 23rd I went to my last interact trip this year (a runda feeding trip). The trip went as usual, we met at 10:30 at Java house and finished around 12. This time I brought my friend Lucie along (she was visiting me this past week), which was nice - she really enjoyed the trip and I think experienced an epiphany and massive shift in understanding regarding Nairobi and the people here. I understand this shift, as almost every interact club member (including myself) has experienced it.
When we arrived everything was a little behind schedule - some of the food wasn't there yet, so we waited for a while for it all to arrive. When it did we unpacked the bread, mandazis and other packaged food and then piled it all out onto plates for the elderly people. We took them up to the houses and handed them out, then coming back and taking our seats to hand out the food to the children (that were already lined up outside). I handed out bananas while Lucie sat beside me and gave out buns.
Not many children showed up on this visit, only about 1000 or so, which was strange. There were a lot of small children, many with babies on their backs or trailing behind them. A great deal of adults that were usually regular visitors also didn't show up and I wondered what other events were going on that day.
All in all everything rang pretty smoothly indeed. There was not much tension at the end of the feeding and everyone seemed very happy with what we had achieved. We finished up the day with the handing over of some donations from ISK and a reflection on the day.
This year I have really enjoyed going to these runda feeding and OVC trips for interact club. I think that the extent that they expose you to the social situation here in Nairobi is incredible, and I love the shift in understanding that I have been able to experience. I have definitely improved in my understanding and awareness of the community I live in and the responsibilities I hold, my leadership and teamwork abilities, and dedication and committment. Being part of such a sustained and collaborative club as Interact has been amazing for me, and I will definitely think about joining again next year. I find the work that we are doing remarkable in the sense that it is almost completely student-led (the motivation and drive of the members is incredible) and that the leaders take such initiative, as seen by what we have achieved thus far. Being part of a group that's as engaged and hardworking as this allows me to be inspired in my other CAS activities, and I think that this passion is noteworthy.
To conclude, I have definitely developed as a person from being part of the interact club this year, and I think that we have been actively "Touching lives, one child at a time".
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