Prior to entering the fall semester, students Stacey Valimont and Mary Katherine Hoag traveled to Hekima Place, an orphanage in Kiserian, Kenya.
Hekima Place is “a home in Kenya for girls orphaned primarily by HIV/AIDS,” according to the official site. Founded by Pittsburgh native, Kate Fletcher, the home has been in operation since 2003.
Fletcher will be visiting St. Bonaventure University on Monday, April 10 in the Board of Trustees room.
According to Valimont, a senior environmental studies major, the word “orphan” isn’t used often, because many of the girls have living parents that are unable to support them.
Valimont also explains that the orphanage is set up to provide all essentials for its residents.
“The orphanage provides an education, a home and three meals a day for no cost to the girls or their families,” she said.
Despite providing basic needs, education can be lacking, said Valimont.
“The education in Kenya helped me appreciate American education,” she said. “The teachers merely write things on the board and students copy it. There is no interaction between students and teachers and asking questions is discouraged.”
Although education is limited and resources are sometimes scarce, students seemed constantly motivated to learn, said Valimont.
“I won’t forget any of the girls, but one in particular was Clove, who was about 11,” she said. “I met her while she was doing homework. I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she said she wanted to be a neurosurgeon. ”
Both Hoag’s aunt and cousin volunteered at Hekima Place in 2015, and were planning on returning, said Valimont. They inspired the girls, who quickly began preparing for the trip.
Prior to arriving in Kenya, Valimont and Hoag tested their fundraising skills on the local community, selling newspapers outside of the Allegany Wal-Mart. Churches from their hometown also sent donations to support the trip.
Volunteering opportunities at Hekima Place are numerous. In addition to property maintenance, cleaning and gardening, housekeeping, classroom work and supervising the children are also required. Volunteers are expected to work closely with the children, and spend at least five hours a day with them.
In addition to volunteer work, Valimont and Hoag were able to explore the area.
“Kenya was not what I expected a third-world country to look like,” she said. “There were houses made out of metal slabs and people running around barefoot. However just a few blocks away was one of the richest neighborhoods in Kenya.”
Despite poverty and hard work, the volunteers were able to experience everyday life in Kenya.
“There were hardly any places with Wi-Fi and we were completely off the grid,” she said. “We could really live in the moment, it was so stress free.”
In addition to hard work, volunteers were able to enjoy themselves.
“On one of our last days of the trip we went on a safari,” she said. “It was incredible. We were able to see all of the ‘Big Five’ [elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and wildebeest.]”
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