Having never been to Africa, or indeed, not having done much travelling at all, I had spent many hours reading and researching as much as I could about what might greet me when I arrived in Ruiru.

During the time leading up to our departure, I think I experienced most emotions known to man! Terror, excitement, stress, sadness, anxiety and exhaustion!! Before I left with my family I felt numb!! I had seemed to have lived every situation that we might experience – most of which, I had made up my mind, would be heartbreaking or horrific!!

We arrived in Ruiru late one Sunday night in July. Grace was there to meet us and welcomed us with a nice cup of tea!!! Immediately I felt at ease as Grace was able to reassure us that everything would be OK!! Hakuna Matata (No problem/Don’t worry) in Kiswahili, were words that would become very familiar to us all during the next two weeks.

Julie and Grace had planned a very full itinerary for us during the week we were in Ruiru, which ensured that we were able to experience the real Africa. We are all very grateful to all the staff at Out of Afrika for this experience. We were made to feel so welcome by everyone we met in Ruiru and all the schools and projects we visited.

We were able to visit our sponsored child George and his grandparents and sister. This was a very humbling experience as the living conditions were very basic to say the least.

George, his brother and sister live with their grandparents as both their parents have passed away.

We visited some primary schools where Out of Afrika is helping many children go to school through their child sponsorship programme.

Facilities are very basic and very different from what we are all used to in British Schools, but the teachers were full of energy and enthusiasm and the children were very well mannered and polite. They may not have new clothes or shoes on their feet, but they could certainly teach children back home a thing or two about good behaviour and manners.

The Ruiru Rehabilitation Centre was a place we visited several times during our stay in Ruiru. The first visit was very difficult. To see how little the children had, and to hear some of their life stories was very heart wrenching , but they all seemed to have a sense of belonging and all got on with their chores without being nagged at!! This was very refreshing, when compared with kids back home! This in turn nurtured a feeling of community spirit.

We were all very sad to leave when our week was up, and we all wished we could have stayed longer and got more involved.

We had arrived at the beginning of the week full of anxiety and nervous anticipation at what might greet us. We left at the end of the week, feeling very privileged that we had had the opportunity of meeting so many people with one thing in common – strength of spirit and optimism that we have lost in our culture. A resilience and resourceful people that make do with what they have, because that is all they can do – but they still manage a smile and a cheerful greeting – perhaps we could all learn something from that alone, I know I did.

Suzette Street