Doing volunteer work with children while living with a Maasai tribe can be a life-enhancing experience for everyone involved. Svetlana Busuttil shares the story of her unforgettable time in Africa with Melanie Vella.
From an early age, Svetlana Busuttil has volunteered in children’s residential homes in Malta.
“I love being in the company of children,” the 25-year-old said, and this enthusiasm fuelled her dream to volunteer with children in developing countries.
Initially, Svetlana’s ambition was to travel to Brazil, and this is still on her bucket list.
However, when she read an article about volunteer work in Times of Malta, the opportunity seemed perfect.
“I can still remember the title, ‘The man who wants the whole world to smile’. This is how I first heard about the NGO Right 2 Smile and the person behind it, Damian Attard.”
She researched the organisation and a year later signed up for a volunteering opportunity in Kenya for six weeks.
Right 2 Smile is dedicated to creating responsible volunteering experiences with a focus on children in vulnerable communities in India and Kenya.
These interactive cultural exchanges help both the local villagers and the volunteers who are willing to dedicate their time and talents to bring about change.
When Svetlana first arrived at the Right 2 Smile project in Olasitti, Kenya, she couldn’t believe she was living her dream.
It took a while to adjust to the traditional Kenyan food that consists of cabbage, rice, beans, corn, kales, chapatti bread and kideri stew that she ate with Lydia and Susan, the Maasai family she lived with during her stay.
Each volunteer lived with a host family, ate all meals with them and slept under the same roof. Mother-of-two Lydia, 22, and her niece Susan, 16, taught Svetlana how to make chapatti and kideri, and she soon realised that cooking and eating this foreign food was all part of the adventure.
The Maasai tribe are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi-nomadic people who have distinctive customs and dress.
Svetlana rolled up her sleeves and immersed all her energy into spending time with the children who attended the school built by Right 2 Smile.
A part of me is still there and every time I have a bad day I come home and watch videos of the children singing Maasai songs together and it makes me feel positive again
Since she worked in the educational department, her main role was to organise activities such as painting, storytelling, singing and outdoor games. Svetlana also got her hands dirty and helped paint the school benches and organise the library.
“One of the activities I enjoyed the most was when we took the children for an outing to an animal orphanage.
“They were so excited as the majority of them had never been outside of their small village or been on a bus,” she said.
“Every day was highlighted by different events that made a great impact on my life.”
The Right 2 Smile volunteers visited a nearby village, Illkilorit. Svetlana would sing action songs to the children from the local school and they would all gather around to sing, dance and have fun.
“The joy I used to feel at that moment is inexpressible. The third and last time we visited the village, all the children began singing one of the songs I taught them – Abba laba kumba – as we approached them.
“I felt so excited that they recognised me and remembered the song,” said Svetlana.
Before they left the village, some of the local women gave Svetlana Kenyan handmade jewellery made from brightly-coloured glass beads to show their appreciation.
The group took time out to explore Kenya, going on a three-day safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve where they saw rhinos, elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes and plenty of other animals. They were even invited to a traditional Kenyan wedding.
A strong bond developed between all the volunteers as they shared an experience that is unique to every group that embarks on such a journey.
“Before we left for Kenya, all the Right 2 Smile volunteers would plan fundraising activities together and make other preparations, which helped us to get to know each other.
“However, I truly discovered the other people when I lived with them and we went through this experience together. I have gained the true friendships of nine other volunteers and we are still in contact,” she said.
After the first two weeks, Svetlana remembers feeling a little home sick.
“I started missing my home, food, having a shower and electricity all the time, all the things I usually take for granted.”
Despite her family encouraging her to go for just three weeks as it was her first volunteering experience, a courageous Svetlana had insisted on the longer trip.
“The other volunteers cheered me up and by the evening I was back to my usual excited self. By the end of the six weeks, I found it very hard to leave.
“A part of me is still there and every time I have a bad day I come home and watch videos of the children singing Maasai songs together and it makes me feel positive again.”
Once Svetlana returned home, it was the simple things that delighted her.
“The feeling of floor tiles under my feet was so refreshing. When I walked into the kitchen and saw a bowl full of fruit it made me feel so lucky, as others have so little,” she said.
The first few days back were challenging, as she felt like people who were not part of her experience couldn’t understand her.
“Being back home, I realised that many people don’t appreciate the true value of life. They waste a great deal of their time moaning about material things.
“This experience in Kenya gave me a genuine insight into happiness which I don’t think can be achieved with material objects. I can truly appreciate what I have and I am more conscious of waste when it comes to food and water.”
Svetlana has a strong connection to her host Masaai family and will be revisiting them for another experience with Right 2 Smile this summer. She is now the NGO’s national project manager.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the kids mostly, as Damian has told me they ask for me. I’m also excited to eat chapatti and kideri again.”
Svetlana is also determined to volunteer in India, Brazil and Cambodia and passionately recommends others to do the same.
“A volunteering experience is usually considered to be about giving your time to others, however what I received from these people and this experience is so much more than I gave.”