African Impact St Lucia 2015!

Hey everyone,

Here in St Lucia we are a new team ready for all the exciting project developments and new opportunities that await us in 2015!

I would like to introduce our wonderful new Business Manager Sianne Pedder from Tasmania, Lorna Bonnington the new Project Manager from Scotland, Alyse Umbinetti the Volunteer Coordinator from Seattle and our new THAF intern Andrea Martinez from Colombia! Our incredible Zulu team members are Mumsy our cook/housekeeper/coordinator, Nonhlanhla our Community Coordinator, Nokwethemba our Education Coordinator, Shwele our Healthcare Coordinator and Patricia our housekeeper/cook who is currently on maternity leave. So our diverse international team is looking forward to working together this year on developing our projects and bringing new ideas to our operations here in the beautiful St Lucia. This blog is a forum for us to share with supporters, past volunteers and friends what is happening on the ground here in St Lucia.

I would like to start the year by sharing the summary one of our current volunteers gave on his experience during his first week on our Orphan Daycare and HIV Education Project 

African Impact: Changing Lives One Experience At A Time

By: Brian Cockman, Volunteer, January 25 – February 8, 2015

African Impact uses Explore, Inspire, Impact as part of its tagline, but after one week of volunteering in St. Lucia, South Africa, I can tell you it’s so much more. Each of these words is brought to life through daily programming where volunteers can work alongside the community in order to affect positive change. Activities like working with children in the local crèches (daycares) and participating in HIV / AIDS prevention groups to learning about local Zulu customs and meeting people from all over the world, African Impact delivers.  

 

My first week I focused on education, which is one of several tracks you can select, and taught young children their ABCs, how to count, and several other enrichment activities aimed at making these young people more comfortable in using English. While at the Inkanyezi Creche, I joined two other volunteers from Australia in singing songs to teach the students their colors, body parts, and shapes. The children and the women who take care of them are amazing and truly make you feel welcome.

 

Also a part of this experience was a house-building project for an elderly lady (gogo in Zulu) in the community. She currently lives alone in a 10’ X 10’ (just over three meters squared) house. We laid the concrete floor in her new house on our first day and then put the roof on during the second day with the help of an experienced builder. What struck me the most was the gogo’s genuine gratitude and kind nature. I learned many lessons on this particular project, but perhaps the most important was this: Being happy isn’t about how many material possessions you have. Happiness comes from within.

This week, I’ll be on healthcare and HIV / AIDS outreach within the community. If it’s anything like my first week, I’m sure it will give me an even greater appreciation for this once in a lifetime experience. Hats off to all the African Impact volunteers and its staff for making this trip something I will cherish for the rest of my life.

 

Here at A.I. St Lucia we would like to say a HUGE thanks to Brian and all our volunteers so far in 2015 for all their hard work and commitment to our projects.