Kenyan Cuddles

A little hand clasps mine...

Tiny shared shoes belong to tiny abandoned feet

Not long ago, on a trip to Nairobi, Kenya, I spent a little time visiting a home for abandoned babies and children of imprisoned women.
The Nest (click HERE for the website) made for a very interesting day in my travels.


What made the experience so memorable was the surprisingly sunny nature of the children. As I entered the orphanage with three of the other girls from my crew and some big bags of nappies and colouring pencils (our small 'gift'), the kids peered up from big brown eyes with big wide smiles in anticipation of their latest visitors. One little soul threw her arms open wide expectantly - it’s time for a hug!

I’d expected them to shy away, at least a little frightened by these intruders, invading their nursery in the middle of playtime, but to the contrary, the children extended a very warm welcome. As they confidently showed us their favourite toys and played happily with our sunglasses on the grass lawn outside in the sunshine, it struck me that this was not exactly the picture of poverty I’d tried to prepare my sheltered eyes for.

I loved their cheeky smiles :)

At The Nest ‘Halfway Home' in Nairobi, Kenya, the abandoned children range from new-born to 18, beyond which age they are considered ready to take on the working world. The children we saw were aged between 1 and 3; none of them did much talking, but they do know a high-five when they see one which is just ridiculously sweet.

HIGH FIVE!

On leaving the orphanage, I thought about the life of these tiny creations and it occurred to me that there are many visitors to the orphanage each week, their nursery is swimming in toys and both foreign and local volunteers regularly stop by for a few months to help out. You could be fooled into thinking these kids have done alright. And I suppose by African orphan standards, they have.
But as we, the latest set of temporary huggers, say our goodbyes and head up the dirt track road from The Nest, I am thankful like never before for my family, for my mother’s hugs and for the huge privilege that is my chance at life.

Love from lucky Dolly x