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At the orphanages for younger children and babies there are
trained carers, so you are there to help them and give general support
where needed. Your support is excellent for
the carers as well as the children because it frees their time to
concentrate on other areas such as gaining financial support and working
on administration and legalities of running an orphanage.
By
playing games with the children you also encourage confidence building
for the children. It also encourages children to use English in an
informal way, and even with the younger children it gives them exposure
to the language at an early age.
For many of the older children you are able to integrate
education into games and also help with homework etc. Where children are
not taught at the orphanage you will help these on their return from
school in the afternoon.
Work Content
Your work here will be to help the carers with the day to day
running of the centers, and general care for the children.
Most of your work will be to help and assist the carers with their daily
rounds. You will also be asked to help clean equipment and various areas
within the orphanage.
It is difficult to be specific about the day-to-day work you
will do, but you will get a good general feel of the orphanage by
working and/or observing. The type of work you will be allocated will
depend to an extent on your own abilities and capabilities, which is
understandable given that you will be dealing with children’s health and
safety.
Your hours may vary, but normally you will work from 9-5
Monday to Friday. However, you may sometimes work evenings or nights,
sometimes over weekends, etc., but you will have time off on other days
instead.
The
level of education of the children is generally very poor, and it will
be up to you and the Director to discuss how best to use your skills -
it may well be in the form of informal English or vocational teaching
which is one of the biggest privileges to receive.
You
should be supervised all of the time while you are there, and you will
be given help and directions. Your work load will depend on yourself and
your attitude, with more work becoming available as you grow in
confidence; and the staff with you.
The work as a volunteer may include:
-
Preparing food for
the children.
-
Helping the
children eat
-
Helping carers and
caring for the children
-
Occasionally taking
the children to the hospital for immunization, treatment etc.
-
General cleaning of
the compound and the orphanage.
-
Washing the
children, and their clothes
-
Teaching informal
English, Arithmetic and sports to the children
-
Organizing and
facilitating games and plays for the children.
What will you gain from doing this
project?
-
Skills in working
with the needy children (you'll see from the photo alongside that
the children’s living quarters are pretty poverty-stricken!)
-
Learn about Zambian
society and life styles of its people.
-
Gain experience in
working with children in difficult circumstances
What will you the Project
gain from your work?
As a
result of your volunteer work, the orphanage, the workers and the
society at large will benefit directly or indirectly as follows:
-
Will get an
opportunity to interact and learn foreign cultures
-
Have access to free
work force and services
-
Will have their
traditional knowledge and skills of doing care work supplemented
with initiatives from the volunteers.
-
The children will
have access to love and care which is fundamental for their growth
and development.
Teaching Football
It is possible for coach football at the orphanages.
Children in Zambia
really are a joy to teach; their enthusiasm for sports really knows no
bounds. Although for the vast majority coaching won’t have a direct
impact on their lives; indirectly it has immeasurable effects.
Personality changes, health awareness, increased confidence and social
skills are all benefits from the coaching they might otherwise fail to
receive.
The
children and people we work with in Zambia are
are fantastic - you will be greeted with huge
smiles and a very warm welcome. Usually the children
don't want to let you go and may even resort to clinging on to your legs to
stop you from leaving. You are sure to enjoy every minute of your
experience! |
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+44 01903 502595
