Ruth Groebner

Name: Ruth Groebner
Home Town: New York, USA

Ruth Groebner is an attorney and teacher from New York City. She has extensive volunteer experience in the United States but volunteering with AfCiC was her first international volunteer experience.

Ruth had the following reflection about her experience volunteering with KCLAW:

Being a volunteer with KLCAW has been a rewarding experience. I've been able to assist clients with a variety of legal problems. When I first applied to be a volunteer with KCLAW, I worried I might not be able to communicate with the clients due to my limited ability to speak Kiswahili and Kikuyu. Fortunately, this was not as big of a problem as I had imagined. Besides the fact that many people speak English well, the use of interpreters allowed me to assist clients. In addition to conducting client intakes, I conducted mediation sessions between parents about support and maintenance, drafted pleadings for clients heading to court, briefed pro bono advocates on the cases being referred to them, prepared and facilitated workshops on children's rights, the Sexual Offences Act, and between street children and police, prepared "Know Your Rights" brochures, and taught lessons on children's rights during the August Holiday Club. At the same time, I was able to get to know the children who live in AfCiC's Interim Care Centre and those who are patrons of its Day Centre. I was included in staff meetings and other functions, including Parents Day, the Holiday Club, and the Street Child Census Day. All of these experiences allowed me to have an enriching experience where I not only contributed to the mission of AfCiC but learned about life in Africa, the predicament of street children, and the inner workings of an NGO.