Jadon

Situated within a short drive of Lusaka airport, Lusaka and a safari lodge.  Kasisi can be found in beautiful surroundings with a local lake bringing in hundreds of striking birds.  The centre is larger than you would expect, but it has to be to accommodate everyone who resides within its walls.  The sisters keep everything neat and very regularly maintained a very tight ship.  The orphanage provides a safe and nurturing environment for all those that reside within its walls.

Accommodation:

I was given my own small cottage which was excellent, bigger than expected and with toilet and shower facilities.  Meals are cooked and served for you three times a day.  The food is varied and always delicious, the same the sisters eat.  They are all too accommodating if there is anything you need or require.  Standards are high across the board.

The sisters:

The matriarchs of Kasisi are loving and generous, they will treat you as their own.  They will do all they can to help you.  Throughout my stay I never heard a word said in anger.  But they are certainly not pushovers; they have iron discipline and apply it well in structuring the children’s environment.  The sisters of Kasisi are smart and possess a joyful sense of humour.  I myself an atheist was worried I might not be accepted but all are welcome and treated the same.  I will always fondly remember the warm debates on religion that I subjugated them to, I was always met with genuine intellectual insight.

The children:

The children’s behaviour is some of the best I have come across, should they do something wrong, they will listen to you and do as you ask.  They are very loving and full of energy, always keen to learn.  Throughout my whole stay I cannot think of a time where if I listened I could not hear someone singing.  They are well disciplined and have a strong respect for their elders.  Often I watched as they helped their less abled peers that were in need of a helping hand, without being asked.  They do their chores and daily duties without complaint. 

Overall comment:

I stayed at Kasisi for 6 weeks, taught over 100 hours of lessons and experienced a new country.  I met and engaged with each of the 200+ children that live there.  Playing, teaching, helping and learning.  The only thing I regret is that I couldn’t stay longer and do more.  The place is addictive and you soon realise why the volunteers are so reluctant to leave, often extending their stay (in some cases by years).  I feel Kasisi has given me much more than I can ever give it back in return.   Should I travel again I would revisit Kasisi or another similar establishment, as the experience is much richer and more rewarding than comparatively bland travelling.  My stay here has profoundly changed me for the better, and I hope to continue helping them from my own country.

Jadon