Written by CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer Ms. Fatty Ka

Dear reader, have you ever felt like you have never done anything despite so much effort and sacrifice? Well, I do. I felt like it after a long interview with a teacher at the box for little ones located in a village about twenty (20) km from Kedougou, on the road to Dindiferlo. I realized I was not yet a volunteer as I thought, at least not as much as Aïssatou. The latter has committed to building a hut, made of fences and straw, to keep little angels from wandering and insecurity whenever their parents were leaving for the fields. Her commitment is not recent because she had built this box in 2009 and remained there until 2014 by going to work every morning without any expectation at the end of the month. Despite many difficulties that could make her give up at any time, she held out thanks to the love, affection, and familiarity with children. Heaven thanked her for taming good Samaritans who gave the village a box for little ones all modern and well-built. Working without pay is not something we see every day in humans as them being the most sacred but also the greediest of the planet. Yet this brave lady does it and that for years.

Aïssatou does not just teach in the box. She also does the household and brings water to the children. It is water she drew from the primary school. In fact, the box does not have enough money to pay a housekeeper, let alone a caretaker not to mention there is no fountain to drink.

Who would be willing to do much for the children of his community?

Currently, his concern is to find ways and means to equip the box of toys and a cafeteria.

The commitment and devotion of this woman for the cause of children of her community should serve as a reference, a model. Give meaning to our lives is to live in service to others. A still, self-centered and based on interest life cannot be radiant and fulfilled because it will ignore the many other facets of happiness. Life is good when we are happy but it is even better when others are happy thanks to us.

Dear readers, let’s give meaning to our lives by living yes for ourselves but also by living for others. Take the example of nature. The rivers do not consume their waters, the trees not their fruits, the sun not its energy and so on. Just to say that “Being a volunteer is good, but being a volunteer as a person is even better”.