In the summer of 2024, Croatian student Marta Kon volunteered at our St. Anthony's orphanage in Tanzania. In an interview for the Croatian TV show “Kod nas doma,” she shared her experience of preparing for and traveling to Africa, as well as the love and life lessons she learned there.

You can watch the video here >>

For Marta, going to Africa was an opportunity to experience a different way of life. “We might have a bigger problem because we constantly compare how things are in Europe and Croatia with how they are there. But they simply live that way from a young age, from the moment they are born,” Marta explained. “I didn’t see much sadness there because they don’t have something or feel like they are missing anything.”

Antonia Rukavina from the Kolajna ljubavi Association, who helped Marta prepare for life in Africa, also spoke about the mission. Antonia highlighted the special bond between the volunteers and the children in the orphanage, giving children a much-needed sense of belonging and support, and providing them with a better childhood despite their challenges. "There is a special connection between the volunteers and the children. Love develops there... And when volunteers come with their full hearts, bringing joy and dedicate themselves to them, the child receives all the attention right away," said Antonia.

Although volunteering requires following specific rules and guidelines, life experiences in Africa often defy these limitations. “One of the rules is that you can’t have a favorite child in the orphanage, but when you get to Africa, some of those rules go out the window,” Marta confessed, and she “blames” five-year-old Isaya from the orphanage for that.

This video is a testament to the deep commitment of Kolajna ljubavi's volunteers. It provides valuable insight for those considering this type of volunteering and wishing to bring joy and support to those who need it most.