Jana Dular Wang'ombe
Mother, HUMANITARIAN, lawyer, author and FOUNDER OF ELA Africa
Jana has been living in 4 African countries for 15-years. She has been running sustainable projects assisting mostly children & youth in poorest villages of Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi. Her biggest and up-to-date ongoing project has been changing lives & upgrading education and skills of thousands of Malawian children and youth for over 13-years and she has spread her help to Kenya as well with her newest project.
Read Jana’s full story, it is the one that changed her life so magnificently, so magically and in such fantastic ways that it can’t be captured in this text block.
Order Jana’s book THE WARM HEART OF AFRICA on ela.africa2011@gmail.com and support ELA’s projects.
Subscription documents for volunteers (Slovenian)
ELA's volunteers stories
Up to date ELA Malawi hosted over 50 volunteers and for summer 2024 we are expected no less than 25 volunteers at ELA KENYA to help us! Everyone is warmly welcome. Read stories of our volunteers at ELA Kenya in 2024.
My desire to volunteer at the ELA Center began many years ago when I became a sponsor to a girl in ELA centre Malawi. But the journey from Slovenia to ELA’s village was 2 days in 1 direction, and as an employee and a mother, I had time constraints. This year, however, the ELA center opened in Kenya. A few emails and decision; “Let’s go to ELA KENYA.”. 5 female friends who travel together a lot; Helena, Branka, Stanka, Klavdija and myself, a conversation with Jana, the plane tickets with all the instructions and we were ready to come.
The arrival to ELA was “spectacular” because of 11 huge suitcases with collected materials for the center and already on the minibus the news spread that 5 white women were coming to Runyenjes. Since the program at Ela only started 2 weeks before our arrival, there were not many children at Ela yet, so we had time to arrange the center…painting and a little revitalization of the facilities.
In the local school with which Ela works togeter, the children put on a real show for us. Softness of movements and melodiousness are already laid in their cradle. Those children who came to the ELA Center after school looked at us like we were Gods, with immense respect, big sparkling eyes, dressed in school uniforms, knitted sweaters and knitted caps; because it is still African winter, 15-25 degrees.
First, lunch was cooked by the lovely Violet on an open fire, then kids were playing on the playground, learning in the classrooms with teachers Kezzy and Angie and us.
A good 3 hours in total at the beginning, but in the end over 130 lined up every day over the 3 days during their short vacation. A really big crowd of village children, so eager to play and spend their free time in a more productive way. Their English has a very special accent and it takes some time to get used to it. So we teachers were “teachaaa” (R just got lost somewhere). Everyone in the village shouted after us ” teachaaa, teachaaa “.
When we wanted to buy some lemons, we were invited right into the living room of a local woman, where then half the village gathered, laughter, a short chat, a lemon and an avocado for each and a huge bunch of green plantain bananas, which are great fried as chips, otherwise for cooking as a potato substitute. When opening the wallets the lady said: “No, no , no”. Such modesty, the struggle for survival, but also the cheerfulness and joy that we visited them, and that those were their gifts to us, because we are teaching their children. Just around the corner near the center stood a mini stand where we bought finely chopped cabbage with a knife, the cutting board was a hand…what an art. Here you have a really authentic contact with the locals. Nothing is prepared for “tourists”, this is how they live.
Attending Sunday mass was also a special experience. Everyone “gets excited” and one lady had such a beautiful coat that Helena wanted to buy it. Oh, how funny it was for her when we approached to her and wanted to make a deal, but because we didn’t have the money with us, the deal fell through.
There are so many things that else could I list; those magical rides on motorbikes through the tea and coffee fields, to the waterfalls, shopping in Runyenjes, weekend trips around Embu county, the walking route to the city that the Maasai watchman James showed us, conversations with Jana, stories shared by Tanja and Tea (Tea and I were only together for two days, but we laughed heartily at her stories) and trips to the music of Jana’s husband Jesse and, of course, spending time with their beloved children Amani and Leeka. Amani says that the two of them are also “muzungu”.
All this is the ELA center in Kenya. Thank you Jana for this rich experience.
ASANTE SANA, KENYA.
KARMEN CERAR
Retired kindergarten teacher and volunteer OF ela KENYA IN JUne 2024
When the opportunity to volunteer at ELA Kenya presented itself, I did not hesitate to go, because I knew that this was the place where I needed to be, so I went there with an open heart. Already the higher altitude, the pleasant climate, the color green all around, the sound of animals and at the same time the slower everyday life of the locals, started to impacting my heart so positively.
The children who came to the ELA center every day always instilled their joy in me. Every day, through them, I got to know how they learn at school, what is the environment in which they grow up, what is their everyday life like and what can I bring to a part of it during my stay at ELA. It was the best thing to watch when we revived their creativity and self-expression through the music and art workshop. There isn’t much room for that in school, and I’m grateful for the opportunity we were able to give them.
I drew my energy for work in a peaceful environment surrounded by tea plantations, in slow and mindful washing of clothes, washing myself in a bucket, cooking githeri, enjoying fresh fruit snacks, playing with children and talking with colleagues at ELA and neighbors , in their stories. No, it wasn’t (always) easy, because the world in this small village is so very different from mine. Also, the fact that ELA in Kenya was at the beginning of its journey presented unique challenges, especially in communication and work organization, but at the same time, it was an opportunity for me to gather and offer many new experiences and leave a piece of myself there. Let me conclude by saying that spent a lot of time thinking about what I can bring to ELA, what I can give to the children, and I realized again that the process goes in both directions. The children, the staff and other locals were also my teachers.
Language soon became only a secondary tool of communication, as we connected more holistically through play, eye contact, music, silence, hugs, dance. Such junctions were one of my favorite moments, encounters in the middle of the African continent. Probably because they reminded me that we are all part of one huge community. Because they reached deep into my heart with the true meaning of ‘being human’.
KLARA SIMČIČ
Student of musical therapy and volunteer of Ela kenya in july 2024
Africa beats differently. Her pulse has become sweetly familiar to me this summer.
Time here flows in its own frequency. The days are longer, fuller and more present. There’s no hurrying in Africa and pole pole (slowly) were phrases that characterized my entire stay on this beautiful continent for one month. It was a wonderful reminder to me that everything and everyone grows in its own time.
It offered me a difference in its simplicity/modesty. It is probably a combination of all experiences – bathing in a bucket; brushing my teeth with a view of palm and banana trees; cooking on a fire, with my dearest Violet; endless joy every time I went to school to pick up dear children and bring them to ELA centre; riding a boda boda (motorcycle) on the beautiful red Kenyan soil; painting the classrooms; chats and singing around the fire…
In the area where I lived, many people live in material poverty. This caused me to hold my breath quite a few times. Despite such a situation, the eyes of these children speak differently. They are full of sparkle and hope, even if they may not show it to you at first. They taught me a lot, probably much more than I was able to teach them.
My favorite memory is the moment when we were together by each other’s side. Different language and culture were completely irrelevant then. The only thing of value was our own presence at the moment in question. That was enough, more than enough. We were all we had to each other at the time. I believe that this is where the greatest beauty of life lies.
Human hearts are such that they can accommodate more beings and more places in their existence.
So my heart, in the presence of so much love, expanded its horizons a little more, found a new corner of its home, where it beats with the frequency of Africa.
Asante sana dear Kenya.
EVA CEMIČ
physiotherapist and student of FUTURE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST and volunteer OF ela KENYA IN JULY 2024
When I travel, I say I invest in myself.
For this summer, I decided on a slightly different way, where, in addition to all the challenges and experiences, I also learned, enriched myself and grew a little again. In the final stage, just coming and the fact that I was in it alone made me stronger.
The country, as far as I was able to get to know it and this green part of Kenya, made a positive impression on me. The lushness of nature, soothing green everywhere you look, powerful waters flowing into waterfalls, authentic brown roads, the colorful hustle and bustle of smiling people in the city, street food, simple and cheap, (tropical) fruits in abundance.
I am only saddened by the fact that animals are marginal creatures, hungry and without any human affection, values.
People are very friendly, approachable, communicative, smiling, positive. Never any bad experience with anyone, many new contacts made. The locals nearby are humble, but ready to share what little they have.
The children who came to the center every day were always smiling and full of energy. And yet so calm, patient, teachable, persistent and ready to cooperate and work for an incredible few hours together.
Very docile, teachable. Somtimes too much; you can see how much they are molded, with a modest amount of creativity and critical thinking. When they came to the afternoon activities full of expectations, their eyes sparkled. They came for the game, in which they happily joined, participated, enjoyed immensely, showed their playfulness and innocent mischief. Above all, the joy and good mood resonated, which drove them to visit again the next day.
I recommend volunteering to anyone who can leave their prejudices and fears at home and surrender to the African flow of life. Bring and open your hearts, accept and take whatever comes from your hearts.
You will surely be richer, more noble and full of love.
MARTINA KAVČIČ OBLAK
Kindergarten teacher and volunteer OF ela KENYA IN JULY 2024
One of the many fond memories from my volunteer is when me, Tea and Jesse sat together in the evening and talked about how life has brought us to where we are and what we want in the future. This evening, Jesse shared with us his vision for ELA, the story of how ELA grew in Kenya and the wonderful story of him, Jane and their family. He said something that really stuck with me: “You can’t force things to happen; you have to trust that the right things will fall into place when the time is right.” 
The African countryside has its own unique rhythm. The simplicity of everyday “shower with a bucket”, cooking on the fire, playing with the children, afternoon walks to the city and conversations by the fire filled me with peace and inner joy.
The children who came to the center were full of energy and enthusiasm for the various activities we did together. My favorite were the afternoons when children of all ages gathered and played and talked with us, full of joy and wishes.
My time in Kenya was wonderful because of the people who shared it with me: Jane and Jesse (their Amani and Leeka, and Grandpa Ben & Grandma Nancy), teachers Kezzy, Angie, cook Violet, ranger James and all my legendary ladies – Karmen, Branke, Klavdije, Helene and Stanke – and later Tee, who were volunteers at the same time as me. And, of course, Hudson, my unforgettable safari driver and our motorcyclists (special thanks to Patot and Francis, who picked me (and Teo) out of the mud when we lost our footing on the way to the waterfall. 🙂
I would recommend volunteering in Kenya to anyone looking for a truly special and enriching experience.
I am very grateful for this wonderful experience and I admire Jana for everything she has created and continues to create at the ELA Center. I can’t wait to go back and see the progress they have made. 
