Service felt like a long walk through the heart of the community, sometimes with my colleagues by my side, sometimes alone, but always learning something new from the people around me.
This month started with one of my favourite activities so far: a yoghurt-making session with Sauti ya Upendo Self-Help Group. Twenty-one members gathered around, curious and excited. By the end of the training, they were discussing flavours, packaging, and how they could turn yoghurt into a small business. Watching their confidence grow was such a beautiful moment, the kind that reminds you why you’re here.
Service also took me to different corners of the ward. I accompanied my colleagues for their Community Mapping activities. One session didn’t happen because the community attended a burial, and it reminded me that service isn’t just about delivering activities; it’s about walking at the community’s pace, respecting their rhythms and realities. When the mapping took place, listening to people talk about their assets, their challenges, and their hopes for development was deeply inspiring.
There were days when I stood beside farmers during the Pig Farming Project launch, and days when I sat in a room full of leaders during the Ward Administrator’s Public Participation meeting, just listening, absorbing, and understanding how decisions and priorities are shaped in the ward. Every voice, every concern, every idea paints a clearer picture of what development truly means here.
My interactions with chamas also continued, from Tuwezeshe Juakali to Radio Isukuti, each group with its own energy and passions. Whether we were discussing poultry rearing or how to make poultry medicine from local ingredients, these sessions showed me how eager people are to learn and grow their small enterprises. Of course, some days brought challenges, phones dying during sessions, members refusing photos, or meetings postponed because of funerals. But even those moments taught me patience and flexibility.
One moment that touched me deeply was spending time with 24 children. We talked about hygiene, handling school challenges, Sexual Reproductive Health, and the importance of listening to parents. Their honesty surprised me, especially when they asked if next time we could talk about “how to get a ball” and “how to be courageous.” Kids have a way of reminding you that sometimes the simplest needs mean the most.
By the end of November, I realized that service wasn’t just about activities. It was about relationships.
About listening more than speaking.
About learning the community heartbeat.
About understanding that impact isn’t always loud, sometimes it’s quiet, slow, and deeply human.
As I continue serving my community, I carry all these stories with me, every meeting, every smile, every challenge, every breakthrough. Serving here has taught me that development isn’t something we “bring” to people; it’s something we build with them, step by step, conversation by conversation.
Here’s to more stories, more growth, and more walking together.
