Barbara Parkins

 

 

 

 

I was born in 1959 in a small rural community on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia where I grew up with my four siblings on a small farm, which today is owned by my daughter. I have two grown children, a son 24 who is in the Australian Armed Forces and a daughter 26 who works as a Medical/Specialist Centre Receptionist.

 

My mother raised her five children in the Seventh-day Adventist faith which to this day, gives me my fundamental beliefs and passion to help those who are lacking in basic humanitarian needs and rights.

 

I always wanted to be a teacher, however life doesn’t always turn out the way we plan and instead I became a Secretary/Personal Assistant and Office Manager. Later I pursued study to become a teacher/ trainer at TAFE level as well as continuing various studies including Project Management.

 

Over a period of 13 years I mentored and led the women throughout my Church’s Conference, which gave me opportunity to develop my public speaking skills and have since travelled overseas to speak to different groups (Russia, Thailand, Alaska) and in particular to Papua New Guinea where there is a great need for mentoring for women against domestic violence and many other issues.

 

My holidays were used to travel whenever possible, but always with a large component of volunteer combined with humanitarian, work. I have always wanted to do what I could for those without opportunities as we have, especially women and children who are exploited.

 

In 2010 I felt there was something that I needed to be doing and somewhere I needed to be to follow my passion and dream of working with the underprivileged. In 2011 opportunity came for me to go to Africa, initially to help out some friends who were working trying to get some hospitals and clinics viable again, however that work wasn't able to be done but as I had already booked my ticket and felt a call to go to Africa I continued with my plans to help there where I could and ascertain needs.

 

As I flew into Kenya and landed I felt like I was “coming home”. Travelling throughout the country incorporated auditing and looking at different projects, spending time in orphanages and meeting the Maasai people. Being accepted into their bomas and their families, was a dream I had never imagined would ever come true and I realised this was where I was meant to be and work. I also saw the great need for education, especially for the women and girls and when the opportunity came to do this I knew I couldn’t turn it down. Also when I realised how much FGM still occurred amongst the girls my passion flared to where I could not walk away from this work and plan this to be a huge part of the education of the area where I would live.

 

I was asked to go to Zimbabwe during this initial 4 months in Africa, to run a children’s home and so spent 6 weeks there working with the children and growing to love them dearly, as well as the country and people. I have made quite a few friends there, so will always have a connection with Zimbabwe and one day hope to be able to help with projects there as part of my Organisation.

 

In 2012 I resigned and took redundancy from my work which was a HUGE leap of faith and went back to Kenya for 3 months to live and work with the Maasai in the setting up of the school and other projects. I returned home for Christmas and returned to make Kenya my home.