ICS blog

With preparation as a key factor to success, I began my research for Zimbabwe pre-departure. One of the things I discovered is that Zimbabwe has an 80 per cent Christian population. I noted this point noticeably as a practicing Muslim and gathered several sources of information to take with me. When I arrived, I realised I would be staying with a Pastor in a Baptist Church and upfront with a statistic I had read. When we arrived in Gweru, we were introduced to all our host parents straight away and then driven to our homes. 

As we leave behind the week that marks our half way point, we can’t help but wonder where our time in Nicaragua has gone. Without sounding overly egotistic, I think it’s fair to say that Cycle 15 have slotted into life and the project in El Bramadero pretty spectacularly. Already, we’ve faced challenges ranging from deadly snakes to alarmingly close forest fires but we haven’t let any of this get in our way. In fact, it’s often the smaller, day to day realities that can feel like the biggest trials and tribulations.

Our first workshop - a UK volunteers’ perspective

On 7 May we conducted our first workshop for our Rowa beneficiaries. Income-generating activities (IGAS) were the focus of this workshop. All the beneficiaries are involved in both group and personal IGAs, with some of these including goat rearing, piggery, poultry, and groceries. Out of 191 beneficiaries, 156 came to the workshop.

En esta quinta semana de emplazamiento con el grupo en la comunidad ha pasado algo inesperado que ha impactado negativamente al medio ambiente de Bramadero y a todos los voluntarios británicos. Para nosotros como nicas es algo “normal” porque en nuestro país es una técnica que utilizan los agricultores con frecuencia para preparar la tierra, previo a la cosecha. Sin embargo, en esta ocasión se salió de control y se convirtió en un incendio forestal que afectó alrededor de 150 manzanas de tierra. 

Since completing my ICS placement working alongside a local Zimbabwean charity, Simukai; I decided to start a motivational speaking project aimed at young people in Primary and Secondary education to encourage staying in school, safe sex and a life without drug abuse.

Following a fifteen-minute walk through surprisingly beautiful flowering tobacco plants, preceded by a typical Malawian bus ride of flailing limbs as a result of both the road conditions and an attempt to dance to the African music, we were greeted by Boston L.M. Mayotcha, the High Chief of Mayotcha village. Dressed in smart-casual attire with the addition of a fur headdress and a bone bangle, he greeted us with a welcoming smile.

It is undeniable that in the UK we are rather detached from where our food comes from. When you walk into a supermarket you are confronted by an endless variety of products sourced from all over the world: grapes from Spain, tomatoes from Italy, lamb from New Zealand, and indeed Honduras provides a portion of the fruit and vegetables sold in UK supermarkets. 

When I arrived I hadn’t anticipated the extent of dryness surrounding Parcila. I knew the water supply to the community had been limited to fifteen minutes a day, but I didn’t realise how much the drought would have affected the landscape. We came from Managua, which sits next to one of the biggest lakes in Nicaragua, so the surrounding region is reasonably well hydrated. In contrast, the trees in Parcila look fit to crumble, with dark spots on them like partially burned logs on a fire.

So here I am, sitting in my door less bedroom, just had my first bucket/pila shower, and a long evening of meeting and greeting my host family. In the last week, I have met a fantastic group of national volunteers who don’t speak a word of English (leading to much awkwardness), literally pushed out of my comfort zone by flying to the other side of the world. I am soon to start work on a theatre production and bio-construction. I almost keep forgetting I’m on anti-anxiety medication.

Living with a host family for six months in a foreign country has forced me to reflect on what that term actually means: family. The lifestyle, the relationships, the interactions are all very different from what I am used to and what I have known growing up in Africa; it has challenged some of my preconceptions as well as reinforced my belief in the importance of these bonds, however alien to me their manifestation here may be.