ICS Zimbabwe

Volunteering with ICS has definitely helped me develop my understanding of social and development issues.

From the first day I met with the UK volunteers, I was very excited yet and I had a fear of the unknown of working cross culturally.

During the first week of the cycle l was very shy. I did not have the confidence to make contributions to team discussions and I was an indecisive person, but my experience over these two weeks with the UK volunteers has definitely improved my confidence.

We are officially in Zimbabwe! This week the UK volunteers arrived ready for action. We met up with the in-country volunteers, who we’ll be working with for the next 11 weeks. Orientation, orientation! The first week pretty much consisted of us getting to know each other, cultural exchanges, the DOs and the DON’Ts (code of conduct) we have been good so far, pinky swears. Oh, the host families. The kids (me included) were handed over to their host mums and dads for the remainder of their time here in Zimbabwe!

One of the most nerve-wracking things in the build up to leaving the UK for Zimbabwe was deliberation over where and how we might be living. Who will I be sharing with? Will I have electricity? Will I have running water? So many questions. The placements and partner organisations in Zimbabwe are based in various areas so there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ guide to host homes. But we hope this blog might help a select few, lucky enough to be placed in a more rural location!

After a sleepy 15-hour overnight flight from London, via Addis Ababa, the UK volunteers finally arrived in Harare on 4 October, before travelling on to the eastern city of Mutare to meet with the national volunteers. The latest Diocese of Mutare Community Care Programme (DOMCCP) team consists of 13 volunteers; that’s 5 UK volunteers, 6 national volunteers, plus veteran team leaders John and Ngoni.

Seven weeks ago I had zero clue on what ‘ISALS’ could have possibly meant. Now, after having completed five training sessions with an average of 80 farmers per session, I’d like to think I have acquired enough information on the subject to confidently say, “Why yes, I do know what an ISAL is!”

My “Mangwanani mese. Ndinonzi MJ!” was met with a series of giggles and whispers. This was Lowdon Lodge, a boarding school for seven - 17 year old girls with various disabilities. 

Our first meeting with the girls started with an informal baseline survey. We joined them at St Dominic High school for their Friday PE lesson. They split into two groups: one group doing a coached wheelchair tennis session and us volunteers running the netball session.

The best things in life are for free and I would never trade the happiness that I experienced with the contact boys in Bvumba for anything. A group of Progressio ICS volunteers, members of local partner organisation Simukai and eleven boys who live and work on the street went to Leopard Rock Hotel in Bvumba. It was the least that we could do for the children, to take them away from all the noise and hullabaloo associated with the hustle and difficulties on the street.

A significant part of the duties conducted by the Contact Department at our local partner organisation Simukai, is to conduct day and night street visits. Street visits involve volunteers visiting particular spots on the streets in Mutare where it is known that children who live and work on the streets can be found. 

Mary:

Yowaziggy!

Despite all the planning, research and injections nothing will prepare you for the many firsts you will experience in Zimbabwe. While we have yet to find anything we haven’t enjoyed, or at least been intrigued by, there have still be many times when we’ve given each other reassuring glances or have howled with laughter.