My name is Meltreen Sikele, I am 26 years old, and I come from Kenya, where I attended primary school for seven years. Through the ERASMUS project, I came to Europe, staying in the Czech Republic, France, and Italy, and I obtained a 22-month master’s degree in international development (GLODEP).

I met Africa Mission through Federico Tosca in Pavia, who connected me with the organization. Subsequently, I spent four months in Uganda in the town of Moroto, participating in a project called Fostering Sustainability and Resilience for FOOD security in the KARAMOJA Sub-Region (F-Sure). I was assigned to this project, aimed at developing farmers' capacity in integrated natural resource management and sustainable land management practices using agro-pastoral field schools and watershed management approaches in the Moroto district. During my stay, I lived in a communal house of Africa Mission alongside some Italian workers who helped me learn Italian.

Typically, I would wake up and have breakfast together with everyone before 8 AM, then we would head to the office to work on various projects, which sometimes involved visiting farms, villages, or different districts. My main tasks included developing monitoring and evaluation tools for the project, as well as conducting research and data analysis. Lunch was taken back at the office, and in the afternoon, we continued working on projects until 5 PM. After work, we often had some free time to explore the town, grab a drink, or shop. Evenings and nights in Moroto became less secure due to theft and safety concerns related to COVID, so we spent our nights watching TV or playing games together. Some days were dedicated to other activities, such as hiking, visiting waterfalls, going on safaris, and similar outings.

The last time I saw my parents was two years ago, except for this year when I had the chance to see them during the Easter holidays for a few days. They live in a small village in Kakamega County, and fortunately, we can keep in touch through phones. Currently, I would like to work with Africa Mission or other organizations related to international development, preferably in Africa. In the coming months, before returning to Africa, I would like to visit some European countries while volunteering, as I haven’t had the opportunity due to the pandemic and my studies.