Harborough volunteer heads off to Kenya to witness first-hand the work done there by Oxfam

A Harborough woman is off to Kenya to witness first-hand the work done there by Oxfam.

Judith Rout, a volunteer at the charity’s shop in High Street, is joining a self-funded, 12-day expedition to the African country. The participants will include a number of Oxfam’s major cash donors, among whom are two of her friends.

Judith, a former science teacher at Robert Smyth Academy, is an ardent Oxfam supporter.

“When I retired six years ago, I promised myself that I would work in the shop and I really enjoy it. I have always been a big supporter and I am also chair of the Harborough Friends of Oxfam,” she said.

Those going to Kenya are not only self-funding, but also paying for two members of Oxfam UK to accompany them.

“I am very excited and really looking forward to it. I think talking to the people at ground level will be very interesting. We imagine people out there are struggling, but I think they are fighting back and doing well. I think I’ll find it tough, but encouraging at the same time,” said Judith.

The charity has nine Kenyan projects and the group will visit six of them, all of which promote women’s rights.

“The projects are given £2,000 annually for three years and they have to report back as to how they have used the money,” explained Judith.

The projects include working with women to set up a farm co-operative; providing emergency safe-houses and hostels for women suffering domestic abuse; protection for female domestic workers; support for victims of female genital mutilation; and the promotion of women’s political engagement.

The group will stay in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, where most of the projects are based, but they will also travel to the north of the country.

“We’ll be staying mostly in hostels, looked after by local people, although one of our bases is also a safari lodge, which will be very interesting,” added Judith.

On her return, Judith plans to spread the word about Oxfam’s work by giving talks to various groups.

Although thrilled at the prospect of the trip, Judith knows that she’ll suffer from home-sickness - even though she’s only away for 12 days.

“I get really homesick – it’s pathetic! I have always wanted to go to Africa and when I was young I would have liked to have done Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), but I knew I would get so homesick,” she said.