Volunteering in Africa has a magnetic pull for Nicky Gouder, who spent time aiding deprived communities despite fears about Ebola and leprosy.

Africa is a continent of profound diversity and mesmerising culture.

Bound together by a sobering soulfulness, yet with an overarching brutality where mother nature is visible in her extremes of beauty and cruelty.

As anyone who has travelled to Africa can confirm, there is a magnetic pull that makes you come back again and again.

Not just for the evocative memories, but also in some way to atone for the unfinished business that the Western world in particular has with this great landmass and its people.

As soon as you set foot on its soil, you start to understand how amazing Africa is. It attracts thrill seekers from around the world.

From encounters with wild animals on a safari, with breathtaking scenery as your backdrop, to experiencing the diverse cultures, religions and traditions.

I continue to return for all of these reasons but also for its people, their spiritual richness and restless joy.

My first African experience was in 2009 when I travelled to Kenya to contribute to the missionary organisation Ġesù fil-Proxxmu and its growing number of projects in the country.

Despite the challenges even to get there, I knew right away that I would return.

Spending a couple of weeks in what is, by our standards, a hostile environment, lacking the most basic amenities and spending almost every waking minute contributing in whatever way possible, this was by far the most rewarding feeling I have ever experienc­ed in my life.

I returned to Kenya in 2011 for another voluntary experience, but this time last year I was considering going further afield.

I wanted to experience a new part of Africa and take my voluntary work to another level.

My fiancée, Maxine, and I decided to visit Gingo and Tulema in Jimma, Ethiopia.

Ethiopians have a zest for life that is as genuine and profound as it is intense

Our trip coincided with the outbreak of the Ebola virus in west Africa so we approached the trip with more caution than usual, even though Ethiopia is on the other side of the continent from the countries affected.

Both Maxine and I were naturally anxious about this virus, on top of other diseases that are endemic in the country such as leprosy and malaria.

Although we took every precaution to ensure we did not put our health at risk, I can honestly say that it becomes irrelevant once you’re there.

The Health Department in Floriana is also very up-to-date with the latest information on particular diseases, particularly when travelling to destinations considered to be high risk.

They provided us with all the necessary vaccinations and inoculations as well as basic information on prevention and simple precautions.

Gingo and Tulema are communities that house hundreds of families suffering from leprosy in particular.

A large number of people with leprosy had been abandoned by their relatives and tribes for fear of contagion and find themselves living either on the streets or, for the greater part, in the local cemetery.

They are collectively known as the people ‘living above the dead, but below the living’.

Thanks to the initiative of the Ġesù fil-Proxxmu project started by Fr Ġorġ Grima, this is no longer the case as many of them now have a roof over their heads.

Ethiopia is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Even after experiencing Kenya, the country shocks the system for the sheer lack of basic infrastructure.

What hits you first is the endless procession of people with torn clothes and no shoes, staring at us like we were aliens.

This initial surprise swiftly disappears to be replaced by wide, beaming smiles and an infectious curiosity and enthusiasm.

This gave us the energy and determination to give our utmost and work harder towards completing the tasks we had set out to achieve.

While we complain about being stuck in traffic or not able to go to our favourite restaurant, we always have food on our table and a roof above our head, others do not have these most basic necessities

For the next two weeks we completely dedicated ourselves to seeing various projects to completion.

These included painting a kindergarten school’s walls, helping construct a facility bringing portable water to the community and building a children’s library.

After years of shortage, families living in Tulema now have access to water thanks to the water pump financed by contributions received from donors in Malta, such as Alliance Trust Company Ltd, Capstone Advisory Co. Ltd, Capstone Assurance Ltd, Fenech Farrugia Fiott Legal, TAP-K Resources Ltd and the Corinthia Group of Companies, as well as our friends and families.

Completing this project was a moment I will cherish forever. I vividly remember the look on everyone’s face when they saw water coming out of the tap for the first time.

Before this, the only access to water involved a three-hour walk to and from the nearest water source.

What we take for granted is a luxury for these people who, regardless of the hardships that life and circumstance has thrown at them, face life with their heads held high and a stubborn pride that you will only experience in Africa.

Ethiopians have a zest for life that is as genuine and profound as it is intense. Their appreciation for even the slightest gesture is quite simply humbling.

The villagers wanted to express their thanks for providing running water and set about organising a feast in our honour.

This involved preparing their traditional bread, which we ate together.

We were also invited to join them in a prayer of gratitude. Regardless of personal creed and beliefs, we all prayed together in what was a very touching, memorable moment.

Towards the end of our stay, we realised that having completed all the tasks that we had set out to finish, we still had some available funds.

We used this cash to buy food, which we later distributed to each family for the weeks ahead. Most families live from day to day not knowing where their next meal will come from.

I believe that in spite of their extreme deprivation, compared to our excess, they have something that we seem to lack.

I have yet to meet people so rich in spirit, so grateful for each little gesture of kindness, yet so devoid of any self-pity.

Yet their needs and deprivations are still a long way from being satisfied. I plan to continue contributing to the projects being managed by Fr Grima and I believe that with some effort and awareness, we can all pitch in to make a significant difference.

I have seen it happen and I know that it works. I know how even a small donation can have a large impact on the lives of many.

I believe that we sometimes take life a bit too seriously and do not understand what problems really are. While we complain about being stuck in traffic or not able to go to our favourite restaurant, we always have our minds at rest that we will have food on our table and a roof above our head, others do not have these most basic necessities.

This should help us put things in the right perspective and realise that there are still people in need of compassion and material assistance, but not pity.

To contribute to the projects managed by Fr Grima in Ethiopia, Kenya and Brazil, visit www.gesufilproxxmu.com.

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