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Joan O’Regan from Ballymullen on one of her trips to Kenya with Brighter Communities.
A LOCAL woman has spoken of the benefits of volunteering overseas, crediting Kenya with ‘blowing her mind and changing her outlook forever.
72-year-old Joan O’Regan, who lives in Ballymullen, was recounting her time spent volunteering in Kericho County in Kenya with Irish NGO, Brighter Communities Worldwide.
The retired French teacher, who taught at St. Michael’s College in Listowel, had a fortuitous chance meeting with the Co-Founder of the charity Maria Kidney, which this year celebrates 20 years of shining a light on inequality.
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“I was visiting my son Jack who lives in Nairobi and on the bus journey from the Airport I got chatting to this very lively, bubbly Corkonian,” said Joan, who tells how she got involved in Brighter Communities below…
“She was full of life and energy and regaled me with stories about the many projects the charity started in Kericho County. I was really struck by the fact that the input of local people is rightly at the core of the charity’s work. People are key to the Brighter Communities Worldwide model – people making choices about their own development based on their values.
Brighter Communities Worldwide works in partnership with the people, this has lasting, sustainable benefits. Communities must own projects if they are to about real change and this happens through a strong base of local volunteers and a team of local staff.”
Joan O’Regan on one of her trips to Kenya with Brighter Communities.
“That bus journey flew; I was so interested in the various stories of their health, education and income generating programmes and let me tell you, once you meet Maria Kidney you don’t forget her! I met her again at an event in the Irish Kenyan Society and she persuaded me to volunteer”.
“I took the jump and went for it. I had always wanted to volunteer and Maria gave me the nudge I needed!
A group of us, including some from Tralee Mountain Club went to Ndubusat. It is an area of huge natural beauty and we helped to develop the sustainable tourism project there.
I went back in 2019 and helped to facilitate the Life Skills Courses. These courses are basic skills that people can use in their everyday lives and crucially, pass onto others. For example I saw how building little smokeless stoves makes such a massive difference in people’s lives. It’s not a huge thing in our world, it is monumental in theirs, it’s life changing”.
“It was hard for people to do the Life skills courses, for instance they had to take time off work, not an easy task. They had to get to the venue, very difficult for them as they had lots of terrain to traverse and in the majority of cases had to walk miles.
“However, they showed great determination and thirst for learning .That was the constant thread in all my dealings with the people there , their hunger for learning and knowledge. It is remarkable and so refreshing. They are so immersed in the community, it means the world to them”.
“They have so little but yet they can smile, they can laugh, they are a joyful people. It’s beautiful to witness and it changed my outlook completely. I go with the flow now, I’m not as fearful. It’s a great freedom really and one that I am so grateful for”.
“My sister came with me in 2019 so I suppose the volunteering bug is definitely spreading! I would really urge people to try and volunteer with Brighter Communities Worldwide if they can at all. I can’t wait to go back, it’s got under my skin now”.
“I am delighted to be able to play my part for Brighter Communities Worldwide. For twenty years they have been shining a light on inequality and it is an absolute privilege to help them.
They are holding their annual Kenya Ball on the 12th November in the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork and this is always a tremendous social occasion, and crucially a very important part of their fundraising efforts.
It will be better than ever this year as it had to take a hiatus during Covid so people are just dying for the opportunity to have an occasion to get dressed up for and have fun at.
It will be an opportunity for Brighter Communities Worldwide to look back at the amazing strides it has made for the past twenty years and importantly, to look towards the next twenty as there is still so much to do.”
“Kerry people love travelling to Cork, if only to boast about the Sam Maguire Cup so here’s hoping for a great contingent from the Kingdom!” concluded Joan.
• Brighter Communities Worldwide’s annual fundraising event – the Kenya Ball – will take place on Saturday, November 12th at the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, helping the charity to continue shining a light on inequality. Visit www.brightercommunities.org for tickets and more information on the charity’s programmes.
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