This SHORT TERM volunteering programme, and school visit programme for Sitima in Malawi, which uses Network for a Better World's volunteer-house and projects is managed by Enkindle Consulting Limited
Bessie's Place is our base in Sitima - a rural district in Southern Malawi
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Whats it actually like as a N4BW volunteer?
A typical week volunteering with N4BW may look a little like this… Monday Teaching (Primary) Health Survey Tuesday Teaching (Secondary) After school clubs Wednesday Health Education Women’s Group Thursday Teaching (Primary) Business Development Friday Research & Development Resource Development & Evaluations Saturday Free day & excursions Free day & excursions Sunday Free Day Free day Basic outlines of N4BW’s programmes. *Note – these programmes are subject to change and availability of programmes will vary throughout the year. Teaching (Primary) Basic teaching of English, numbers, reading, writing and play. Working alongside primary school teachers to enrich and develop existing lessons. Supervising children during lessons and breaks. Teaching (secondary) Further teaching of English, Maths, reading and writing. Using these lessons as an opportunity to incorporate further teaching of health e.g. reproductive health, HIV, relationships. Supervision of children and evaluation of progress. Working alongside secondary school teachers to enrich and develop existing lessons. Health Education Meeting with local communities (men women and children) to teach basic hygiene, proper use of bed nets and other equipment and the importance of looking after their health. Providing information of ways to improve health and referring people with further concerns to appropriate places / people. Encouraging the local people to share concerns and swap tips on healthy living. The main health issues the health education programme focusses on is malaria and other diseases common to the local area, and nutrition. This is also an opportunity for local health workers from other organisations to work with N4BW on this programme in monitoring health in the area and providing their own care. Research and Development Working in the local community to identify the changes N4BW and other organisations are making in the area. To record any new development challenges needing to be addressed in the area. Designing and undertaking surveys / questionnaires / focus groups with all demographics in the area to keep the local people engaged. To provide a point of contact for anyone with recommendations and suggestions about N4BW’s work and to record this information. To pass on the relevant information to the co-ordinator. Health Survey To assess the health of local people (men, women and children). Complete a short questionnaire with a quota of local people in different areas to identify illness e.g. malaria, TB, HIV, malnourishment etc. To record this information and pass on possible referrals to local health organisations. Working with a translator to access as many locals as possible. After School Clubs Assisting in the running of various after school clubs for different age groups. A playgroup for early years allowing children to play together and providing mothers with free time. A girls group for young girls to come together and share their concerns and questions about growing up. An opportunity for them to engage in crafts and explore life skills. A boys group – following the outline of the girls group with the chance to communicate their concerns as well as take part in sports and other activities. These clubs will vary depending on the number of volunteers at any point and the time of year. Women’s Group Assisting in the running of the local women’s group at the community centre. This group provides an opportunity for women of any age to come together and learn from each other about everything from pregnancy and childbirth through to menopause and old age. Volunteers will help promote the group in the local area to attract attendants and record attendance rates. Volunteers will also assist in setting up activities such as crafts and swap shops. Business Development To assist in the running of a drop-in centre for local entrepreneurs to seek advice for small businesses. To research business initiatives in the local area. To provide information on basic business development (this information will be provided by N4BW) and provide a place for people to talk through their ideas. Business development also enables people with similar ideas to find each other – creating partnerships and contacts locally, and an opportunity for small business owners to share their experience of challenges and successes. Resource Development and Evaluations To design, create and develop resources such as teaching materials for use throughout N4BW, in line with the needs of the area. Examples could include instructions for number and letter games for maths and English. To complete all daily and weekly volunteer monitoring sheets to be collected by the co-ordinator. |
This could be YOU....
Name: Damian Wynne
Age: 56 Hometown: currently Darlington but originally Newcastle Career: Bank manager until early retirement in 2014 Interests:Walking, cycling and rugby 
“I have been here only four days but what an education. We are used to hearing and seeing that Africa is poor but until one sees the conditions in which people in this rural area live, one cannot really understand it. Many people living in a space which would enclose a reasonably sized room at home. No power, cardboard or cloth for windows and doors and little furniture other than a mat on which to sleep.
I feel fortunate to be here to learn from these people who have great joy and sense of community and also to help them in any way in which I can. I appear to have been appointed a PE Teacher, an English Teacher and a Computer Guru in the space of a couple of days and am looking forwards to getting started after the Easter Holiday. I will also be involved in various health projects distributing mosquito nets and improving hygiene. It all seems a long way from my previous career in Banking. A Picture of Damian giving a Mosquito Net to Enoch and Martha Jeremiah. “We were out walking yesterday and met Enoch and Martha outside their home. Martha was suffering from a bout of Malaria and the family have no net. We returned today with a net and soap. We agreed to visit again next week to check that they have been able to use the net properly” |