MALAWI - Volunteering at St. Mauritius Secondary School
2024-06-26
Liam Fein from Karlsruhe just returned from a three-month stay as a volunteer for the Umckaloabo Foundation in Malawi, and in early July Leo Waimer heads out for a trip of his own to get to know the Foundation’s work in Malawi and at St. Mauritius Secondary School.
Activities depend on qualifications and interests
When volunteers work for the Foundation, the tasks they take on and the activities they pursue depend upon the qualifications and interests they have to offer. That said, another factor in placing volunteers is the issue of the current projects which need attention.
Having studied to be a lab technician, Liam Fein was able to help with chemistry classes at St. Mauritius school and share his practical experience and technical knowledge with the students. Beyond that, he visited different projects throughout the entire country. People were extremely interested in his life in Germany, a topic which led to many questions and long conversations.
In addition to volunteers providing active support with projects or in the classroom, the key emphasis on their time abroad is for young people from very different backgrounds to get to know each other, have meaningful encounters with another culture and develop a sense of understanding for each others’ lives. Working at a school is a way to facilitate those opportunities on a daily basis.