Getting to know their sponsored child and their home country – that was the goal of the 16-member travel group that Christine Bitsch and Dr. Isa Rait led to Kenya in August 2024. The long-standing DfA activists had already prepared the trip last year. After 20016 and 2018, this was now the third sponsorship trip led by dentist Christine Bitsch.
“After spending a day in Nairobi, we spent a week in and around Nyabondo before visiting a national park at the end of our trip,” says Christine Bitsch. “In Nyabondo, we spent time with our children, visited the DfA projects, and had countless encounters with the local people.” Once again, the concept of the “encounter trip” proved successful. “On the last day, everyone sat together in the hall of the widow village – godchildren, godparents, Germans, Kenyans. I was very moved by this,” reports Christine Bitsch.
Reception with music and dancing
Daniela Schröder also took part in the 13-day trip to the home of the DfA sponsored children. The 45-year-old from Hamburg already had experience of traveling and sponsoring children and had been actively sponsoring children in India when she heard about Dentists for Africa from a friend in November 2023. The friends jointly sponsored a 10-year-old girl. Experiencing Africa for the first time and meeting her sponsored child in person was a special experience: “We were welcomed with music and dancing in the widow’s village. We all danced together, and I even danced with my sponsored child without knowing it. I felt a connection right away. When she asked me my name later and we were officially introduced, it was as if it was meant to be.”
Communicating with hands and feet
Communication often worked without words: “We communicated with our hands, feet, and lots of laughter. The children supported each other, and we godparents were right in the middle of it all. It was wonderful to see how quickly a community developed.” The contact with the godchild’s guardian was particularly moving: “She was so grateful and said, ‘We thank God every day for the sponsorship.’ I said, ‘No, YOU are strong.’ But she just replied, ‘No, I thank God!’ while she worked in the kitchen.”
Time for encounters
The trip offered intense encounters, not only with the children: “In the widows’ village, all doors were open, everyone was welcome. Although we don’t speak the same language, it was immediately apparent from touches on the shoulder, for example: ‘I want to connect with you.'”Joint activities such as the boat trip and the afternoon of games also brought a lot of joy: “We played soccer, threw cans, and jumped rope – everyone could express themselves, and we all had a lot of fun.”
Dr. Isa Rait also confirms that it was the encounters that the entire group appreciated: “We engaged with the people; we were there as friends, not as tourists.”
Educational work
During the trip, Dr. Isa Rait, supported by several sponsor parents, gave a presentation on menstrual cups: “The girls and sisters were curious, some of them also embarrassed. But in the end, they came to us, wanting to know more and try them out. It was a big step that showed me how important education is,” reports Daniela Schröder.
Emotional farewell
The farewell to the sponsored children was an emotional affair. “Almost all of the sponsors and sponsored children cried,” recalls Dr. Isa Rait. “Sr. Seraphine said she had never experienced anything like it before. Even the men were deeply moved.”
DfA offers sponsor trips at regular intervals under the organizational leadership of the travel agency Tugende. Please feel free to add your name to our waiting list, and we will inform you as soon as the next trip is being planned.
In the meantime, you can also get in touch with your sponsored child by letter. We will forward your letters to your sponsored child via our office and our Kenyan sponsorship office.
You can read the entire interview with Daniela Schröder here.