Beatrice, Vice President, maisha association, Bern (02.11.2007)

I don't know what comes to your mind when someone comes to you and talks about starting a project to help others. There are different reasons that motivate people to help others. Some people feel obliged to help because they have never personally experienced poverty and feel guilty not doing anything when their own lifestyles are comfortable or even luxurious. Some help because of their past, others help because they simply have so much money, they dont really know what to do with it.

I don't believe that helping the unfortunate should be obligatory but something that comes from deep down in our hearts. No o­ne chooses to be born and live the life they do, it is God's plan for us even before we are born. There are some things that we will never understand: why life has to be the way it is: some more fortunate than others, why some have to die of hunger while others have more than enough, why a disaster occurs in this particular place and not elsewhere, etc. However, I do know that each o­ne of us can make a difference in a situation or in someone's life, however insignificant that difference may seem to be.

Since we decided to found maisha, it has been a challenge for us but also a joy to know that we can do something for these children. We cannot take God's place, as creator and sovereign over all, but we can be Gods ambassadors. maisha can never give these children complete happiness, o­nly God can, but it has been a real joy to see our dream and passion for helping these children start to take form. Just to see some of these children have a place to call home, a place where they can feel safe and give them a better life makes it all worthwhile.

Given the huge problems of poverty and corruption in Kenya, it will obviously take some time to be able to provide the basic needs of each child. However, I truly believe that if you - dear donator - and we can come together and combine our efforts, we will be able to make this world a better place for everyone.