Mji wa huruma, home of the aged people

NAME MUCHUKI RUTH NYOKABI

ID NUMBER 651952

COURSE COMMUNITY SERVICE

COURSE CODE CMS3700

SEMESTER FALL 2019

TASK FIRST IMPRESSION REPORT

COMMUNITY SERVICE FIRST IMPRESSION REPORT

INTRODUCTION

The first community service class I attended was compulsory in order to acquire guidance on how community Service works. My first option was Karura health center but I wasn’t fortunate enough to get a position, instead, I went in search for a position at Mji wa huruma, home of the aged people, where I was received warmly and secured a place.

MJI WA HURUMA HOME FOR THE AGED

Background of the organization/site:

Founded by Charles Rubia, the first Mayor of Nairobi, Mji wa huruma was located in bahati estate before it was moved to Runda Estate in 1968. Its aim was to bring together elderly people abandoned after independence. The minimum age in order for you to be admitted into the home is 65 years of age. Back then, runda estate was used as a recreational Centre for the white settlers but was later donated to Nairobi city council to be a home for the aged.

The Nairobi City council then got into a partnership with Salvation Army church, which was then granted administration rights over the home, but the council took full responsibility over the home in 1998. The home survives on well-wisher, rotary club of milimani, ministry of labor social protection, karania foundation MP-shah hospital, the Asian foundation and other partners who have come on board over the years such as the PCEA Evergreen church.

FEELINGS FROM THE FIRST TIME AT THE SITE:

When I first started community service, I had my doubts about the place since I have had past experiences with old people and all can say is my patience was growing thinner and thinner at that time, but my perspective changed after the first two days of working at the center.

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I brushed off the negative thoughts and walked in with a clean slate in mind. The first meeting with our site supervisor Margaret, and the rest of the USIU students was awkward at first. No one wanted to talk unless asked a question or when asking where the washrooms were…I found it quite hilarious because I atleast have had a taste of the place as being a member of PCEA evergreen, one of the contributors in helping the home run. It was a plus Fir me and I was happy to have it.

Margaret, was quite accommodative from the word go, as she would direct us on what needed to be done, making our transition very easy in terms of working with fellow staff and the old people too. Communication wise, I first thought that we all needed to learn kikuyu/kamba as it is the common language amongst the aged people and the staff, but I found out later on that swahili breaks the Language barriers and sometimes use of signs for the aged.

Initially, we washed the hall on the first day and I thought the place had a lot of work to be done, but after splitting all the work amongst all six of us, we have been able to get all the works done in the 3 or 4 hours we work there.

(SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE SITE)

STRENGTHS OF THE

The site has staff that are very accommodative and help the old people consistently and tirelessly. Never have I heard them complain about working at the site

The site also has a dispensary that caters for the medical needs of the old people without them having to travel far in order to seek medical attention.

WEAKNESSES OF THE SITE:

The site requires a vehicle to aid in transporting the elderly people who need urgent medical attention or have passed on at the site.

Supplies are delayed sometimes as it’s a city council funded sit and requisition of resources tales time to be processed and received, e.g: food stuffs, toiletries and water.

OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE SITE:

I think the site is situated in a blessed area whereby they can get support from their neighbour’s who include: families and other well-wishers, the churches and the United Nations.

The site is also big and the land they have can be used to grow cash crops and food crops in order to sustain the site and cut down on some of the expenses the site may need covered quickly.

The site also takes interns and people looking for attachment in order to help with the understaffing issue.

THREATS WITHIN THE SITE:

The home being located near the Huruma slum, which derives its name from the home and Githogoro slums which isn’t far from huruma slums, isn’t very safe as I have heard on occasion about sticky situation eg: robbery, murder and armed gangs. If the home could receive a donation of electric fences inoder to keep bad people out, that would at least reassure the place of safety.

What the student expects to do to improve the site?

ACTIONS THAT WILL HELP TO IMPROVE THE SITE:

Firstly, as we continue giving our time to helping out at the site ,I would like to propose that the site get permanent dustbins around the compound to avoid littering and poor waste disposal methods. This will maintain the cleanliness and beauty of the site.

I would like to propose that the city council hires more people at the site to help in daily management and activities as the site is currently under staffed and the work load takes much longer with just 6 people as compared to the site having atleast 10 people.

Lastly, I would propose that the site sets a specific day every 6 months to host people from the neighbouring community to receive donations mainly of dry foods that the site can store and to help in the daily activities at the site.

CONLUSION:

The six we have worked at the site, I have learnt how to appreciate the small fine things in life. Regardless of how little they may seem for example having your own home, privacy and being able to do basic things like walk around or make sane decisions. I’ve come to also come to the conclusion that I don’t want to be old, but we might all get to reach that stage in life that we won’t be able to do things like before and might need some help in certain areas. Either way, I have learnt how to let things flow, to give thanks for life and to live life before I grow old.