My Volunteer Journey: Lessons from Kimuka and Uthiru.

Volunteering has always been a part of who I am—a chance to give back, connect with others, and learn from experiences that go beyond my comfort zone. Over the years, this journey has taken me to many places, but few have left as profound an impact as the projects in Kimuka - Kajiado County, and Uthiru - Kiambu County. These two experiences served as eye-opening milestones in my efforts to make a difference.

In Kimuka and Uthiru, we organized a project dabbed (I Am Fearless) as part of the Tetea Global Schools Campaign. The initiative reached 684 total: 582 girls in Uthiru and 102 girls in Kimuka, focusing on topics such as menstrual hygiene, period poverty, sexual abstinence, rape and other forms of violence, and the importance of education. The numbers alone are a testament to the scale of the campaign, but the true impact lay in the lives we touched and the lessons we learned.

From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by young girls whose bright smiles belied the struggles they face daily. It was humbling to see how, despite immense hardships, they were hopeful, playful, and eager to engage with us.

I have encountered many such stories throughout my volunteer journey—stories of young girls navigating life without family, relying on children’s homes for basic necessities like food, shelter, and education. Each time, I am reminded of how fortunate I am and how important it is to use that privilege to create change.

During the Kimuka and Uthiru visits, we didn’t just hand out sanitary towels; we connected with the girls through activities like playing games, teaching basic hygiene, and simply having heartfelt conversations. These interactions made me realize the depth of challenges associated with period poverty. The stigma around menstruation often leaves these girls confused and unsupported, perpetuating cycles of poverty and missed opportunities.

Over the years, volunteering has taught me that change happens in small steps. Whether it’s organizing donation drives, spending time at children homes or advocating for issues like access to menstrual hygiene products, every act—no matter how small—counts. The Kimuka and Uthiru projects reinforced this belief. They were not just about delivering supplies but about learning and growing together with the communities we serve.

This journey hasn’t been without challenges, but the rewards far outweigh them. Every experience reminds me why I began volunteering in the first place: to leave the world a little better than I found it. As I reflect on these moments, I am reminded of Mother Teresa’s words:

We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.

The Kimuka and Uthiru were just two drops in this vast ocean, but they reaffirmed my commitment to volunteering and my belief that even small actions can create ripples of change.

Written by: Peter Gitau (Project Lead & Member, Team Tetea CBO).