24.10.2023

“Like a family meeting!”

Working on political topics was just as important as working on the intercultural relationships the volunteers have at their placements.

Don Wambereki (right) in conversation with fellow volunteers. Photos by: Lara Diederich Fotodesign

“It was like a big family meeting! Learning how others are using their time, was very valuable for me.” This is what Don Wambereki, Volunteer from the DR Congo in a psychiatric hospital in Germany summarizes the Interim Seminar of the South-North Volunteers at UEM. In September, they met for one week in Wuppertal, having come half the way through their volunteering year already. Coming to the seminar, Don emphazises how important the community of the volunteers is for exchange.

Topics of discussion were, among others, dignity and racism in the volunteers’ experience in Germany. How can we cultivate our dignity, both individually and collectively? How can we protect ourselves from external violations of our dignity? These questions were part of the seminar. But there was also time for an international night with contributions from each volunteer and for open question spaces, where any difficulty or unclarity could be discussed. Volunteers, no matter which country they come from, often experience a range of different emotions during their service, and here they had time to exchange about this, both with one another and with their program officers from UEM.

After the seminar, Don says: “It was very nice actually, and most importantly we could think of the remaining time we have in Germany. After reflecting on the last half year, we could turn towards the six months to come: What do we want to do differently? What can stay as it is?”