Hello from Namibia!
Pauline says hello from Namibia! Since August 2022 she has been following us for a year via the weltwärts program from volunta gGmbH Namibia came to look after children and young people with a lot of commitment at steps Okakarara. Pauline tells us about her first tasks and experiences here:
I'm Pauline and I've been a volunteer at steps for children in Okakarara since August. I have various tasks in the project in Okakarara.
In the morning before breakfast I do sports with one of the five kindergarten and preschool groups. After breakfast there is art for a group or mousebook in the preschool. My co-volunteers and I divided these tasks up depending on the day of the week. In addition to the kindergarten, there are also income-generating steps. These include in Okakarara the guest house, the sewing workshop and the garden. On Mondays, after breakfast, I drive to the garden in Ongombombonde to pick up vegetables for the project's soup kitchen. In the afternoon there is After School Care (afternoon class) for the guardian angel children. Here I supervise the 5th to 7th graders with their homework. When these are done, we play games together.
I did not expect before that I would get used to the daily routine so quickly and that the Otjiherero language would be so relevant.
I particularly like the varied tasks in the project. I work with children in different age groups and can also get involved in the steps garden and the guest house. Located a few kilometers from Okakarara, the garden is more like a small field. The green plants in particular offer a nice contrast to the sand that otherwise surrounds me here. That's why the garden is also one of my favorite places in the project. I also like the fact that we volunteers have tasks that are clearly assigned to us, but that we are given a lot of freedom within the task itself, for example in organizing sports or art classes.
I was surprised at how quickly I learned many different new things, for example how to drive in left-hand traffic or think about exercises for sports. I did not expect before that I would get used to the daily routine so quickly and that the Otjiherero language would be so relevant.
Most kindergarten children speak very little English, which is why I quickly learned some vocabulary.
I was particularly pleased with how friendly I was welcomed by the colleagues. I like being here in Okakarara and am very excited about what else awaits me during my time at steps for children.
Dear Pauline, thank you for your commitment to steps in Namibia.
We look forward to further reports and wish you inspiring experiences!