What some previous volunteers have said about their experience at Peace Matunda:
When I left Peace Matunda in 2008 I knew I would forever be changed and that I would find a way to return and to support the orphanage from afar in whatever way I could. I was fortunate to return in January 2010 and was amazed by the changes that Kaaya and The Cicely Foundation had made……. If you have the opportunity to volunteer at Peace Matunda I would highly recommend it. Whether it’s from the children showing you what hope and courage are, taking a ride on the dala dala, hearing about a child that can’t go to school as they can’t pay the school fee, comforting a sick child, or walking down Mt. Meru to the market at Tengeru you will be changed forever by the experience. The only question is – what will you do now?” Heather Campbell, Edmonton, Canada, 2010.
“What makes Peace Matunda an incredible place are the children, who are kind, smart and so much fun to be with. I couldn’t have felt more welcome and saw the best of Tanzania through the eyes and hearts of the young children there. Kaaya [Project Director and Founder] was also wonderful and allowed us to suggest and implement projects with the kids. I highly recommend volunteering at Peace Matunda orphanage for anyone who wants to be touched by the lives of others”. Jamie Piekarz, Toronto, Canada
“Children arrive at Peace Matunda Orphanage under a variety of harsh circumstances — mostly due to parental abandonment or death from diseases. Even more unfathomable, a few mothers have given up one of their children to the orphanage because they simply are unable to care for the whole family. Hard to believe, yes — but the startling realization we volunteers came to, after a very short time in this very remote village, was that giving a child over to the orphanage was actually not the end of the road but the beginning of hope. Peace Matunda Orphanage becomes their first safety net (food, shelter, clothing) which then allows them better access to school and a safe place to nurture their eager minds. And in the long run, volunteers at Peace Matunda help to create more smiles than sorrow in their world of harsh reality”.
Arlene Stinchcombe, Toronto, Canada
- Volunteer Michael Althoff with the children
“Volunteering at Peace Matunda has been an incredible experience. Teaching at the school is both fun and challenging, but more than anything, it is vastly rewarding. After school, I look forward to discovering what all the kids we are living with are up to. From making mud houses, to jumping rope, coloring, or any sort of games they have made up. The afternoons are always different and always fun. It is difficult to put into words how my experience at Peace Matunda has impacted me. Beyond a greater understanding of what many part of the world suffer through just to live day by day, the children have taught me the importance of love and hopeful joy. I did not come to Africa to “change the lives of others”, but I also did not anticipate I would be so changed either. My time at Peace Matunda has instilled in me a love that I have not exprienced elsewhere, and I am certain that this is the first of a number of trips in my life to Peace Matunda”. Michael Althoff, Richmond, Virginia, USA
“Teacha, Teacha!” These words will forever hold a strong place in my heart because of the amazing children at Peace Matunda (“P.M.”). Although I was the teacher in the classroom, I was taught more about love and life from the kids than I could have ever imagined. Just thinking of the memories I made with all the kids always brings the biggest smile to my face. Not only is the time spent with the children life changing, your chance to emerge into a culture so far from the western world is awesome. My experience at P.M. was more than I could ask for and if you’re wondering wether or not to take the jump and volunteer, please do it! It will impact your life in more ways than you will even know”. Abby Zimmerman, Chicago, Illinois, USA
If you want to know more about volunteering at Peace Matunda, we can put you in contact with one of our previous volunteers.
