To be a part of something big – Mara’s story

I have spent four unforgettable months with the children of Mundo de Niños. It was one of the best times of my life.

During these months, I did various activities and projects with the kids, for instance dancing, collecting trash on the beach, baking “Plätzchen” around Christmas, and launching a fundraising project to buy new mattresses and dental care. I happily remember the hours we spent dancing in the inner court and constructing sand castles on the beach. My bond with the kids, the tutors and the teachers grew stronger with the time and I quickly became part of the big Mundo de Niños family. The daily routine of the kids also rapidly became mine. Each time I was arriving to the “Casa Hogar”, I was welcomed with happy shouts from the kids and dog barking.

In the afternoon, I used to help the children do their homework, play with them concentration games or dance hip hop.

With some of the boys, I had short learning therapy sessions once a day. Through ludic learning, the boys could develop their imagination and cognitive skills, among other things.

At sunset, we would sometimes play football on the football pitch.

In January and February, the kids were on holiday so their mornings were free, and I would sometimes spend entire days with them. I would for instance take them to their surf classes or we would play in the inner court.

By the end of December, I launched a fundraising project with the support of my friends and family in my hometown and with the money collected, I could buy the kids new mattresses and hygiene products and pay their visit at the dentist.

My work as a volunteer has enriched me on many levels; it also gave me maturity. For these reasons, I would absolutely recommend to work as a volunteer for Mundo de Niños.

Thanks to the children, I learnt a lot about life and most of all about myself. They let me be a part of their lives, and they became part of mine.

 

Mara, 18, Germany

 

More information about Mara’s fundraising project: here.