Some stories are not often shared, mainly because they come with heavy emotions and broken dreams, along with traumatic experiences that a person may have suffered. I am overwhelmed even as I write this story, as I have only been able to open my heart to a few people. My story happened 16 years ago, after the 2007 general elections. By that time, I was only a 7-year-old child raised by a single mother in Kawangware, Dagoretti.
It was during this time that there was the 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis, which was a violent political, economic, and humanitarian crisis that erupted in Kenya after former President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the presidential election held on December 27, 2007.
As a young child, I witnessed my fellow countrymen turn on me and my immediate neighbors turn on me due to tribal differences, but what could I do when I knew nothing about the tribal wars? I was just sad. Our home was set on fire, and my family was forced out. But all was not lost as an ‘angel’ was sent by the name of Mercy Corps, who helped me and my mother get shelter and food and took care of my frightened younger self. In my head, I wondered why my countrymen had chosen violence over their own, whereas people who had no idea who I was came to my aid and did not care that my last name was Njuguna.
Fortunately, we were able to get aid, and we ended up moving from Kawangware to Ngong, Kajiado County. After getting to a safe place, my life dream has changed from wanting to be an aeronautical engineer to changing at least one single life. Since then, I have devoted my talents, skills, and knowledge to helping youths living in slums stay away from crime and utilize their talents instead.
Volunteering is what I have always been doing since I was helped, and upon getting a chance to volunteer with CorpsAfrica/Kenya it was as if the world had given me a chance to give back to society and help someone by impacting their lives positively.
In my mind, I had only one thought, which was to ensure I give my all to society and that’s why I am a proud CorpsAfrica/Kenya Volunteer.