More Random Volunteering Notes
3 weeks of volunteering have come and gone. The 1st group we were with left yesterday and a new group has arrived. A cumbersome amount of goodbyes and hellos and other introduction type conversations. There is a group of about 8 of us who have remained from previous groups. The majority of the new people are from 2 schools around New York who are doing post graduate work in Art Therapy. Some skepticism from us about how effective art therapy can be if many of the people here lack the most basic of requrirements - food, sanitation, primary education, etc. We will see how it goes.
One thing that seems to be non-optimal, is that many of the placements that people have previously been at are now vacant, leaving a gap in the support they are getting. None of the primary schools that previously had some very good volunteers at them now have anyone. It seems that because the volunteers get to pick they type of volunteer work they do, this leaves gaps in the program some time.
My 1st placement - Moshi Disabled Network, will get one new volunteer, and art therapist. The 2nd placement, Chawamaki does not get anyone, but I will be at each for another 3 weeks. I plan to start making my afternoons more busy, as there are plenty of places to go. Paula is tutoring and going to Juvenile Detention in the afteroons. I might do some of that and in addition try to teach some computer skills to some school kids. I will let you know how that all goes.
Enough for now, time to do something else.
August 12 2007 08:12 am | Tanzania
August 12th, 2007 at 10:45 am
you 2 are totally amazing. I almost wish I was there to help out. oxo