My COP Experience

| By Joy Soi |

It is said that good things happen unknowingly. I can say that was the same case with how I came to learn about COP. I had never heard about the club up until my friend mentioned it out of the blues in between our interactions. What caught my attention is the word community. I did not think twice about joining the club. Sincerely it has been amazing for the short time that I have been part of this group.

Two weeks ago I was invited to visit Mulaani Secondary School in Machakos County for mentorship purposes. I still recall how excited I was, this being my first activity as a COP member. The students were very friendly and welcoming. One thing stuck with me though, that they were not fully expressive as I had anticipated. They were not really open with their feelings and views about issues. This was completely different from the expectation I had of all high school students. As a result, I realized the need to be always open minded thus expecting anything and everything. People all over are different and this could influence their behaviour as a result of their surrounding environment as well as their personality. Therefore, we should make an effort to accommodate everyone regardless of how different the society raised us.

Last week, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit Joytown Secondary School in Thika. Contrary to the notion many have about physically challenged people, these kids are full of life and enthusiasm. Their disability did not deter them from living life. They smiled, had fun, danced, and even upheld good hygienic standards. They did their laundry, kept fit both physically and psychologically, and even took part in sporting activities. This got me thinking, “Who are we then not to do the needful?” This particular activity helped me open up my scope of thought; I became more grateful for what I had and realized that my incapability to achieve what I set my mind to is only but a matter of choice and not as a result of circumstance.

I look forward to other COP activities where I will interact with people, share ideas and learn new things.