SERVE volunteers share reflections after Overseas Volunteer Programme
30 volunteers from across Ireland complete the SERVE Volunteer Programmes in India, Mozambique and Zambia.
They were involved in a variety of activities with members of the local communities. These activities ranged from playing with young children, teaching English, organising a Sports Day, helping teachers in classrooms of youth with disabilities, facilitating youth work related activities, helping with building work, designing and making a mural about the Global Goals and so much more.
Aine Levis volunteered in Zambia. Aine said, “My volunteering placement may now be over, but this journey is never ending.”
Aine added, “I have come to an understanding that this work should no longer be understood as optional or as charity but rather as an issue of justice and therefore an obligation.”
All the volunteers worked closely with SERVE partners i.e Association of People with Disabilities (Bengaluru, India), Young Africa (Beira, Mozambique) and Assumption Parish (Mazabuka, Zambia).
One the leaders for the Zambia group is Edith Carroll, who previously worked as a PE and Irish teacher shares an anecdote from the SERVE Volunteer Programme:
“Together with another volunteer we were privileged to be able to help organise a teachers' conference on one Saturday of the volunteer programme. Teachers from the local primary, secondary and special school all attended. Cledwyn, the headteacher in the special school, Flamboyant began the morning’s agenda, and I was blown away by his knowledge and his compassion as he spoke. I was also taken aback by the response of the other teachers to him who asked questions and aired their reservations about the concept of inclusion and special education. When asked about particular instances where learners retreat into themselves, find themselves unable to communicate or struggle to make any friends, he patiently explained that many of these young people have experienced trauma and the behaviours we see on the outside are the child's way of coping with the abuse, neglect, or addiction they have experienced in their homes.”
“One of the most heartening things that happened during that conference was Euphrasia, a Maths teacher from Luyobolola Primary school added to Cledwyn's comments by saying "We have to do our best for our students because we might be the only ones in their lives who are showing them care or love". Despite the terrible lack of empowerment among those working in the teaching profession, the fear they experience yearly that their jobs will somehow disappear, and the endless paperwork they are obliged to complete, people like Euphrasia and Cledwyn give me hope for education in Zambia. But they can only work within the bounds of the resources provided to them and that's why if governments don't make education a priority in a meaningful and effective way (unlike the ill-thought-out free education bill), partnerships like that which these three schools have with SERVE are critical.”
John Mannion was one the leaders of the volunteer group who went to India. John reflects, “I was also very conscious before going to India or any country I have volunteered in the past not to go with a superior European attitude which can come across as if we know more, I travel with an open mind and open heart to embrace and learn from different cultures. Thankfully this attitude enriched my interactions with all the people I meet and it was also brilliant to hear some of the volunteers telling the partners in the feedback group how much they had learned from the Indian work practises and how they will use these techniques and ideas when they return to Ireland.”
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