When l look back, it’s difficult to believe that we are almost at our mid-term mark. Time has gone by so fast and it only feels like yesterday that we began our volunteer journey. There is nothing more we could ask for than to have our cycle extended. We are enjoying every moment that we are together as a team either working in the office or out carrying out our activities and more so in our host homes. Starting out on this journey has been a really wonderful experience so far.
For the past two weeks we have been so immersed in our activities. I am glad that everyone has taken to his or her roles and duties with great stride. Unlike the second week, which was spent mainly on planning for the activities and indoors at the office, all the team members have been travelling to Sakubva and Destiny (suburbs in Mutare), as well as in and around town to carry out various activities. The UK volunteers have been using the Kombis (local buses) more often to get to different places, and they have got the feel of it.
Among the groups that we are working with are three After School Clubs, children working and living on the streets, as well as a group of twenty girls with disabilities. Being part of these children’s lives has given us a change of perspective about the way we used to view life. We have come to learn and appreciate the essence of life and be grateful for who we are and what we have. This experience has also helped us remove the various misconceptions that are labelled especially on children living and working on the streets.
We have so far had sessions on Sexual Reproductive Health as well as Children’s Rights. Peer education sessions are usually followed by psycho-social activities which include playing soccer, volley-ball and art. These psycho-social activities helped us bond well with the various groups and continue to make the activities more lively and fun.
As a team we have been attending devotion services every Wednesday first thing at work at Simukai. We also had a language session whereby the U.K volunteers got to learn a few words in Shona. We have also been spending more time after work and Saturdays together as volunteers. This has brought us even closer and we have come to be like a family. It’s sad to think that we have a few more weeks to go before we are separated.
Can’t wait to discover what the next weeks have in store for us.....
Written by Sandelleh Pfukwa (ICV Team Leader-Simukai)
