The Season of Giving Back

Athough the festive season is known to be a time spent connecting with loved ones, there is no better way to make use of it than by volunteering! Known to boost physical and mental health, volunteering over Christmas is a surefire way to spread the holiday cheer far and wide.  

Stuck for ideas? Whether your heart lies with community and people or even animals, there are plenty of ways to make the world a little brighter during this Christmas period. 

Volunteering with People 

When it comes to worthy causes, the Precious Virginia Home is an initiative that certainly fits the bill. Formed in 2016 by the resolute Electine Wanyama, the home is a safe haven for 53 persons living with severe disabilities including cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus in Kakamega County. Electine runs the home as a family providing care, counselling and essentials such as food and toiletries for the home’s beneficiaries. The tight knit home is welcoming of donations to continue its impactful work of ensuring that all who need its services can thrive. 

Another cause where the dignity of persons living with disabilities is put first is the Mombasa Women Empowerment for Mental Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre. Built on the principles of reducing stigma and bridging the care gap for underserved communities, the Centre has been a godsend for individuals who live with mental illnesses. The Centre prides itself on having uplifted women living with disabilities from the streets of Mombasa with heart, training, and education. Run by mental wellbeing advocate Amina Abdallah and open to both volunteers and donations, the centre is a great place to share the joy of the holiday season with rehabilitating women in the coastal region. 

Volunteering with Animals 

Further inland at Ol Pejeta, volunteering is believed to be the collective action needed to further conservation. The conservancy encourages people to experience its breathtaking wildlife as much as it calls for willing hearts to come forward and protect Kenya’s unique flora and fauna. Being the only place in Kenya where chimpanzees can be seen and having built a reputation of saving rare animals from the black market, the team at Ol Pejeta have a wealth of knowledge about safeguarding animals. Its programs for the public include an immersive conservation programme which imparts crucial knowledge on endangered animals and allows participants to spend time caring for them.  

Wild animals aren’t the only ones in need of care. At the Nairobi Feline Sanctuary, volunteers can support staff with cleaning, feeding and petting its increasing numbers of stray cats. The sanctuary is also open to those with creative skills to lend their imaginations to social media skills and design efforts to their internet profiles. To get involved with at risk cats, volunteers can also offer transport or spend time retrieving distressed cats. 

Whether you can physically get involved with volunteering at these organisations, donate to their worthy causes or amplify the issues they work tirelessly to address, they benefit from as much input as possible to conduct their work.  

Have you ever spent time volunteering over the Christmas period? We would love to know how you have put your hummingbird spirit to work during the holidays via the comments below!