As we all approach the half-way point of our volunteer work at four weeks, all the volunteers prepare for the mid-term evaluation. The mid-term evaluation is when everyone reflects on the work they have achieved thus far, how we have fulfilled our roles, challenges we have encountered, and the solutions to them. Progressio had arranged for all of us to go to Managua where the presentations would be hosted in a hotel.
Upon arrival I think most of us were tired from waking up earlier than usual and the journey to the city. Nathan came up with a rather energetic and creative energiser combining actions and sounds which everyone repeated in unison.
All of the volunteers had to prepare a presentation on their individual performance. We had to assess if we’d been able to fulfil what we were supposed to, if we did something different to the criteria, and what ideas we were able to execute. I enjoyed the mid-term evaluation because we were all in one location and it reminded me of the first week we spent in Managua having met the national volunteers for the first time. It also gave us the chance to work together in our own specific role groups and forced us to improve our Spanish language skills.
With regards to our work with the eco-latrines we have now started eighteen and six have been completed. Despite the slow start, we have made a lot of progress since we started working in our own construction groups. There have been some issues where a few houses do not have water so we cannot make cement but the volunteers have always found something to do such as digging the filter hole. Some of the families which we are building for have been hospitable to the volunteers - providing drinks and food.
Written by ICS Volunteer Harvie Chiu
