Humanitarian mission log: Alessia Guida

Journey log from Alessia Guida

Thinking back to my experience in Nigeria, there are still many things that I can't quite understand and that I reflect on day after day. You are confronted with a reality that you cannot remotely imagine until it is there in front of your eyes. The people who live there have the capacity to appreciate the little things in life and in their searching gaze you can grasp the hope, and profound gratitude that hardly exists nowadays Despite the humble conditions, they face the days with a smile on their faces, almost giving you the perception that everything is fine, but it is not so. It is a country that needs effective assistance, and I do not think it is the only one. Malnutrition, poor sanitation and poor medical care reign compared to what is needed. To face such a journey, I recommend first of all to feel confident that you are able to instill something in these people: comfort, solidarity, positivity but above all trust and respect. It is not an easy experience and in my opinion it should not be faced when you are too young as you are psychologically immature, but it opens your eyes to many things that you may have considered trivial and obvious. As much as I am still shaken and touched by this journey, I know that I have returned as a different person, hopefully more mature and with the awareness of wanting to return in the future to give even more effective help!