“Mimi ni dada Karla na mimi ni dada Jojo, sisi ni mavolontia wa hapa.” This sentence was written by a girl from the children's village one morning during a shared art session. She handed the note to us with a smile. Translated from Kiswahili, it means: “I am sister Karla and I am sister Jojo—we are the volunteers here.” And she’s absolutely right. Jurena (nickname Jojo) and Karla—we are the new volunteers for the coming year at Amani Orphans Home Mbigili. We are 18 and 19 years old, from Cologne and Leipzig, and after finishing our high school exams and the end of our school years, we’ve embarked on our journey to Tanzania.
When we arrived here at the beginning of August, the wind was whistling through the trees and the windows of our new room were rattling in the night. Even though it was rather chilly and uncomfortable outside in the evenings, we were welcomed with warmth and kindness. As soon as we stepped out of the car, several children ran over, grabbed our heavy luggage, and carried it straight to our rooms. Some children are open and curious, eager to meet the new ones, while others are more reserved and need a little more time to get used to us. During a shared evening meal, we met the management team, had our first friendly conversations, and then fell exhausted into our beds. Tired, but deeply relieved and grateful—because we had been received so warmly.
What touched us most deeply was how the older children care for the two youngest! Every day, the two little ones learn a new word, wander around the compound with the others, and play joyfully with the ball and Lego. The way the children interact with one another immediately gave us a strong sense of family. Despite the occasional small disagreements throughout the day, there is a genuine spirit of mutual respect and kindness here. It’s clear to see that the children are growing up in a very safe and nurturing environment.
The past few days have felt full of excitement, filled with joyful and heartwarming moments—but also with tears, as we said goodbye to the previous volunteers, Clara and Lotta. There was a big celebration, complete with music, dancing, heartfelt words of gratitude, and plenty of damp handkerchiefs. For everyone involved, and especially for us, Jurena and Karla, it was a deeply moving experience. We truly felt the depth of what a close-knit family the children's village truly is. Everyone has their place, everyone knows the routines, the daily paths, and their responsibilities. Clara and Lotta handed over their roles to us with care, showed us the routines and tasks, and shared their experiences with us. Now, hand in hand, we’ve taken up the work and are fully immersed in the daily rhythm of life here—grateful and happy to have found our place as the new volunteers.
Wir freuen uns sehr auf unser Jahr hier und hoffen, den Kindern viele schöne Momente bereiten zu können. Wir kommen mit vielen Ideen für mögliche Projekte im Gepäck und hoffen, ein paar davon hier verwirklichen zu können!
The first few weeks flew by, and the temperatures are rising again day by day. We are getting better and better at communicating in Kiswahili and are learning more every day!
Best regards from AOHM, Jurena and Karla