ICS blog

Progressio ICS ha sido para todos los voluntarios una experiencia que no se olvidará. Algunos han aprendido a cavar, a ensuciarse, a lavar llantas, a voltearlas y hasta decorarlas, como dicen Progressio ha sido una escuela para muchos.

WELCOME TO MALAWI

Utter amazement - the best way to describe our journey so far. From the moment we stepped off the plane in Lilongwe (Malawi’s capital) we could feel the buzz and enthusiasm from our national volunteers as they cheered and shouted at us from the terminal balcony.

Welcome to Africa. That’s what went through my head when I stepped into the assembly hall. Three hundred plus kids in a tiny hall and more piling in. Hordes of kids standing on tables trying to get a decent view.

Petrified. Complete and utter fear. So many expectant eyes and faces staring at us. Who was going to make the first move?

When we could put it off no longer, ‘Monile mose!’ (hello everyone) was met with a roar of approval and laughter - we haven’t quite grasped the accent yet.

Progressio ICS is more than just an opportunity for you to ‘challenge yourself to change the world´. Although community projects are the most tangible result of our ten week placement here, positive cultural growth through exchange is fiercely encouraged throughout the programme.

World Environment Day is observed annually on 5 June. The theme this year, ‘Seven Billion Dreams, One Planet, Consume with Care’, aimed to raise awareness on how humanity, the environment and societies all rely on the responsible management of the planet's natural resources. Climate change, waste management, water management and other environmental issues affect all of our daily lives, though we are not always aware of how.

We started the week of 8 June very joyful and highly, as we celebrated World Children’s Day in the school of La Sabanita. During this event we held speeches on the environment and recycling. We organised games for the students trying to leave them with some knowledge about how to look after the environment and how to divide waste into different categories (organic, inorganic and recyclable). The celebrations ended with two piñatas and lively music. 

The children enjoyed themselves thoroughly, having had their faces painted and taken part in several rounds of skipping.

Esta semana la lluvia llegó a la Sabanita, trabajamos entre lodo, charcos y mucha lluvia para terminar huertos. Como el nombre de nuestro grupo Colibrí, no dejamos de hacer pequeña acciones para generar grandes cambios.

Last week was the official end to my bout of illness, which I was overjoyed about. The illness is in no way related to the project and is more a product of bad timing. I found out that I would need surgery for when I get home, but I am now able to work again on the project, which is a relief. 

Picture the scene – you’re just about to embark on a 10 week placement, courtesy of ICS. As you sit and read various blogs recounting tales of colourful parrots, people and most importantly, hammocks, you begin to imagine the only challenge you’ll face is getting used to being woken up by the noise of a cockerel rather than the hustle and bustle of cars you’re used to at home. I’m here to establish that this idea is both true and false, via the medium of some real life challenges that I myself have faced here in beautiful Santa Marta, El Salvador. 

Environmental contamination is a social phenomenon that is not only from poor countries but a problem on a worldwide level, this harm has been provoked by society itself as we don’t see how important it is to care for the environment in which we live in.

This is provoked by the food that we consume and the plastic that it is packaged in, in the end this contaminates the floor and the water. Factories are also responsible for some contamination.