My project in Malawi

In less than two weeks I am going to Africa, Malawi. I am going to work as volunteer - Development Instructor at the Humana People to People organization in Teacher Training College. Being a volunteer is the most interesting and challenging experience in my life. I was working with children with special needs in a school in Denmark. I was studying for six months to gain knowledge which will be useful in Africa. I am prepared to go to Malawi. I have a big hope to change something and I will work a lot. I have goals to reach and tasks to complete there. I am happy to go to Africa.

Why Malawi?
Today Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with over 60% of the population living in abject poverty. The primary school became free of charge in 1994, the enrollment of children increased and the need of teachers increased as well. In 2002 Humana People to People established the first Humana Teacher Training College in Malawi. Today still thousands of teachers are needed. Due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic many teachers are losing their life in an early age. It is not unusual to find 70-100 pupils and one teacher in the primary school.

What am I going to do there?
I will be working in Malawi Teacher Training College (TTC) in Chilangoma for 6 months. It doesn’t matter that it is going to be half a year - I have many tasks to do and many goals to reach. I will work in preschools, Youth center; I will organize clubs with students at the college. I will plan and lead different activities with students and children in Youth club: films, art club, sports, courses about HIV/AIDS and other questions for young people. I will organize open days with community. The teacher training colleges have developed themselves to be lively centers for a range of activities for children, youth and for the local and oftentimes broader community as such, running for instance evening schools and skills training courses; outreach activities and improvement actions; establishing and/or supporting local preschools; establishing farmers' clubs or similar programs with the point of departure in the primary school; and more.