• Voluntary service

The DRC School Project & Community Centre has the support of two volunteers per year through the German “weltwärts” program. We as an association benefit greatly from the close cooperation with them.

You are a German Citizen and want to do a one-year voluntary service, then have a look at the DRK-Landesverband Westfalen-Lippe. You don’t have so much time, the program “Weltwärts” is no option or you are just planning a short internship? Then get in touch with us and we will provide you with information. Note, however, that we do not offer any financial support.

We have asked the following question to all volunteers in the last years since the Volunteer Programme was established. We would like to share the answers of at least one volunteer from each year.

What made your volunteering at the DRC School Project & Community Centre so memorable and unique, and how did you and the local people benefit from it?

Felix Färber Voluntary Service 2010/2011

“What still characterizes me to this day is the “thinking outside the box” during my voluntary service in Namibia. It was an incredibly enriching experience to get an insight into the everyday life of the children and it was a lot of fun learning to do handicrafts with the kids or playing a round of soccer. Here, I have developed an awareness and appreciation for a number of privileges that in Germany seemed perfectly natural to me. An example for one of these privileges is access to education and sufficient school places for all children, which unfortunately is not always given in the DRC. It is all the better that the DRC School Project & Community Center is making a small but important contribution here and has even been expanded, renewed and improved since my time on site.”

“A year in Namibia and at the DRC School Project taught me many important things, including: “There is always a Plan B. ” If something doesn’t work in one way, you try to do it in another, and at some point you find a way that leads to the goal. But most of the important things that I took with me from this year have an impact on my inner life and are difficult to put into words. They are based on experiences and encounters with unique people and are a treasure for which I am grateful.”

Malina John Voluntary Service 2014/2015
Theresa Rhode Voluntary Service 2015/2016

“When colleagues become friends and this friendship lasts for many years and over 8000 km, this describes my voluntary service. I am very grateful to have become part of a community, to have met inspiring personalities and, together with the children and local people, to have used the available time as meaningfully and fun as possible. I have learned to question my European education and to be more optimistic and open to new things. For me “weltwärts” was a guide to my professional life, but also to voluntary work and I am looking forward to supporting the project and the community on site since my volunteer service. ”

“The unique thing about voluntary service was that I learned a lot of new things and changed my way of thinking. Among other things, I became more sensitive to topics such as racism in everyday life. Thanks to the DRC project, I had the opportunity to get an insight into life in Namibia. I also enjoyed working with children because they perceive the world differently than adults. The children had at least as much fun during the joint activities and excursions as I did. Through the expansion of the project library, which we carried out together with the teachers on site, the children now have access to more children’s books as well as school books. ”

Franca Sailer Voluntary Service 2016/2017
Carolin & Veronica Koess, Voluntary Service 2017/2018

“We have grown together with the kids over time and have really taken them into our hearts. At the same time, it was also nice to see how they have accepted and trusted us more and more. The project is an important part of their everyday life and a place where they can feel comfortable. We will not forget our colleagues, with whom we often chatted, held joint days of action and excursions and who always stood by our side. What was unique about our work was not only the great responsibility for the children, but also the creative possibilities we had in everyday life and other activities. The Voluntary service has challenged us in many areas in which we have been able to grow and learn. It also gave us an insight into the reality of life in Swakopmund and the DRC. And at the same time, we were able to contribute to enriching the everyday lives of some children and thus supporting them. This was a very nice and impressive experience, which we appreciate very much. ”

“My volunteer work at the DRC School Project & Community Centre was mainly shaped by the children and colleagues I worked with almost every day. They have shown me that together you can achieve a lot and that you should pursue your goals. It was always an unforgettable experience when a trip was due and you could see the children excited and full of joy in front of the project. They came to me with a gratitude and openness that I had never experienced before in this way, and this was an incredibly enriching experience for me. Completing my volunteer service at the DRC School Project & Community Centre was definitely one of my best decisions in my life.

Kira Harting Voluntary Service 2018/2019
Wir bauen das OPEN DOORS Education Centre (ODEC) in Namibia. Hier klicken für mehr Informationen.
We're building the OPEN DOORS Education Centre (ODEC) in Namibia. Click here for more information.