Humanitarian Mission Log: Chiara Dell'Orto

Testimonianza della volontaria Chiara dell’Orto

Ever Since I was a child I have dreamt of going to Africa and bringing a smile to children's faces, I remember that I even wrote it in the essays at school, "going to Africa and making children smile" besides always being a dream of mine, is almost an obsession. I've always loved to see people smile, even more if I could get smiles with using simple gestures and without too many expectations.

This year, at the end of my university career, I wanted to throw myself into this experience, I wouldn't call it a journey because I'm not referring to a simple journey, but a mix of unique emotions that are not easy to describe. I returned to Italy after two weeks spent in the village of Ngugo in Nigeria, we met the people of the village who welcomed us at sight and the children overwhelmed us with affection and love, we spent satisfying days, trying to support the local people with a BLSD training course and with outpatient visits for those who needed them. I met fantastic people with whom I shared this experience, I lived in a different world from mine, I met many people and children of the village, I learned a lot but above all I appreciated life with a different awareness. It's really true that Africa changes you, it turns you upside down, it touches you in the depths of your heart and you Africans leave us with a piece of yours, at least that's how it was for me.

Too special to describe it in words, thank you Dr. Mariaolide Tonin for having included me in this mission and for the trust given, thank you Rosi for the tenacity shown during the mission and for the attention to me as a "sister", I thank the SOS solidarity association for this beautiful experience but above all last but not least, the team we made up during that time, Vincenzo, Salvatore and Giuseppe, also thanks to their presence this experience was unique and I could not have wished for a better team.

I hope one day to return to Ngugo and raise more smiles from the children there.

Chiara dell’Orto