As many of you know, this summer I spent one month volunteering in the village of Olasiti in Kenya where I lived with a host family for the duration of my stay. Nothing could have prepared me for what I would face during my time in Kenya and what I would experience.

My host family were so kind to me during my stay despite the little they had. They live in a tin hut with a lack of electricity, lack of water and no money. Both of the parents of the family are unable to get a job and have to provide for 7 children. I cannot put into words how kind and caring my host family were and how they made me feel like a member of their family, they made my experience the best it could be.

In Kenya, school fees have to be paid for all children who attend school no matter their age. My host family is really struggling to afford to send their children to school, let alone help and support the older children to attend university. This is a huge problem because they will not be able to get any job when they are older without this education. If the parents can't afford to pay the school fees the children just simply don't go to school. This has a massive negative effect on them in later life where women who don't have jobs bead all day in order to try and sell to make a little money and men spend their days looking after any livestock which is their only source of money.

As well as education, the main problem in Olasiti is the lack of water! Some people go for up to 5 days without having water and walk for hours in search of a supply. The whole village is supplied water by a spring which is so dirty and is drying out. Piping which links the spring to the village is leaking because of its poor quality. They are currently suffering from a drought and so they don't even have any rain water collecting in their water stores to help them. Not only this, but it has a knock on effect in livestock dying because they have no food or water because the land is so dry. Livestock is a large source of wealth for these families and therefore they are struggling.

It is so hard to explain how little these people have in comparison to us. I cannot bare to think that anyone has to live like this so I am asking for any help you may be able to give no matter how big or small to help this community.

Thank you for reading my story and I am truly thankful for any support you are able to give! Please feel free to ask me about my experience as I will be happy to share.