«People looked at us with a smile, and their first words were always expressions of gratitude for coming to work and help their community.»
Miriam Méndez
GAES Terrassa – Burundi with Fundación Clarós
I took part in the first expedition to Bujumbura (Burundi) alongside Fundación Clarós. Since it was the first time, we didn’t quite know what to expect. When we arrived at the C.M.C.K. Hospital in Kinindo, people looked at us with a smile, and their first words were always expressions of gratitude for coming to work and help their community.
The days there went by very quickly—there just weren’t enough hours to help everyone. But after all the hard work, the reward was even greater. Their expressions are etched into your memory forever.
I fitted 20 hearing aids. I know that thanks to them, both children and adults will hear for the first time in their lives—or for the first time in years. Some of them had never learned to speak due to hearing loss since childhood, and when we gave them hearing aids, their faces lit up with expression.
All of these experiences make these missions truly unforgettable. Thanks to Fundación GAES Solidaria and Fundación Clarós, we were able to bring a ray of light to a country full of very special people.
After these days, I can truly say that I arrived in Burundi with an “empty” heart, and I left with a heart full.