To ensure regional understanding and cooperation 3 voluntary organizations UVIKUITA (Tanzania), Zimbabwe Workcamps Association (ZWA) and South Africa Volunteer Workcamp Association (SAVWA) forged a partnership for a 40 days regional caravan workcamp which started in Tanzania, moving to Zimbabwe and ended in South Africa, scheduled 10 days per country. The workcamp had 3 main themes, namely Environmental conservation, Cultural Heritage preservation and Social justice. This project aimed at long term goal of increasing and promoting regional volunteer exchange programs as well as raising awareness of volunteerism and its importance.
By tracing the roots of IVS in these 3 African countries, volunteers had to explore and experience local cultures, social behaviors, and languages, natural and cultural heritage and connect themselves with the communities and challenge their perspectives or mind sets in order to develop new views and ideas as Youth Leaders in environmental protection. In a nutshell, it was an experience of learning and unlearning African voluntarism to have a better understanding of the societies and also contribute to community development in the frame work of International Voluntary Service. The participants had to travel across 4 countries using buses as way to promote green travel and this is normally the African day to day experience. During this, they also had to experience volunteers’ mobility across the borders. This workcamp was very diverse, rich with energetic and enthusiastic youths from different voluntary organization around the world, namely UVIKIUTA – Tanzania, ZWA – Zimbabwe, SAVWA – South Africa, KVDA – Kenya, SCI – France, NICE – Japan.
The first 10 day phase of the workcamp started in Dar es Salam, Tanzania hosted by UVIKIUTA and it was themed, Environmental Leadership. Volunteers were involved in learn by doing activities, to develop an urban gardening and organic farming methods. As volunteers, took part to gardening activities in the Chamazi eco-village, planting medicinal plants and organic vegetables during this workcamp, the idea was to raise awareness to young people and the community, about the impact of fast food on our health and on our environment and to return to spiritual connections to the earth and remember that whatever we do has an impact on our environment. The urban gardening is very environmental friendly as it is in the form of recycling of empty plastic containers which are then filled with manure and soil, this type of gardening save space and keeps the environment clean. Besides the focus on environment, volunteers had to participate in sports (football) as part of community engagement and connection. This was also aimed at ensuring fun, mental and physical health while volunteering.
For the second phase, volunteers had to travel for 3 days to Zimbabwe. The journey was filled with joyful moments with the volunteers who had become more than a family, it was interesting trying new food, fruits and beverages along the way.
The second phase of the camp was hosted by Zimbabwe Workcamps Association in Goromonzi. The voluntary organization had recruited local participants across Zimbabwe to join the caravan participants. The camp activities were community oriented, whereby the Demberere Village, Goromonzi worked together with ZWA and come up with activities which the community needed the most, to ensure local development and cultural exchange through the participation of both parties. The Zimbabwean phase covered a number of topics such as: Environmental conservation, Peace and Social justice and Cultural Heritage preservation. To ensure community engagement and interaction, volunteers together with the local people were involved in a clean-up campaign at the village shopping center. This was very interesting and in line to the theme of environmental conservation.
Besides clean-up campaign, as part of environmental conservation, volunteers were involved in making a Fire guard within the village. This was to prevent forest fires in destroying the natural forest of Demberere Village. Volunteers had to learn the use indigenous traditional knowledge and its importance towards protection of the environment. Fire guards are commonly used in many areas around Zimbabwe and because of its simplified traditional technique in nature, which is very sustainable and many communities can practice this method since there is no special knowledge or technical resources required.
Under the theme Peace and Social Justice, volunteers were involved indirectly through the construction of Traditional Chief’s Court. Volunteers were to fetch grass for thatching, their hands were very crucial in the construction of a Traditional Peace house (Court). During this activity, they had to learn how the cases or disputes are handled in the community and how the Chief make peace with the community and through these learnings and participation, volunteers got a deep insight in peace and social justice as far as traditional courts is concerned.
For the final stretch of the Caravan Workcamp project, the volunteers joined the activities of SAVWA centre in Pretoria, South Africa, this time in an urban area. The workcamp started with an orientation session that was helping us with non-formal education tool to share participants’ feelings and expectations at this stage for the last 10 days of CARAVAN. This session was very important as it enabled participants to express theirs feeling after the past 2 countries and to share their expectation as the curtain was about to come down.
The South African phase ran with 2 main themes which are Organic gardening and the after school kids program. Organic gardening, volunteers had to preparing the ground using the no-dig method and fixing the garden fence. The volunteers had to learn the advantages of organic gardening which includes:
● Chemical-free produce, this avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, ensuring healthier produce.
● Environmental friendly, this method promotes soil health, conserve water and reduce pollution.
● Reduces soil erosion among many other advantages.
SAVWA runs an after school program which aim to develop kids from young age as little as 4 years. In the afternoon, volunteers were also joining the after school kids program and spending time with people from the community contributing thus to a better cultural understanding. This program provides the kids with Outdoor play, games sports or free play in safe environment aiming to promote physical activity and teamwork. It also provides Homework Help, this covers tutoring and guidance on their after school work. The kids also enjoy creative time such as arts and music which encourages self-expression and confidence. The kids are from the local community around SAVWA in Soshanguve, Pretoria. The volunteers had to interact and socialize with the kids every day in the afternoon. This was very interesting for the volunteers as they had a new experience to spend time with the lovely funny kids. This complemented all other activities in previous countries as it was now different and new, to have time with a young age population.
Conclusively, tracing the roots of IVS from East to Southern Africa caravan workcamp was a lifetime opportunity which had strong positive impact to the participants and the communities of these 3 countries. Having the courage of traveling about 2 000 miles and spending 40 days with the communities shows a collective concern and responsibility for Environmental conservation, Cultural Heritage preservation and Social justice, from the youth volunteers. This learning journey shows the aggressive actions and readiness of IVS organisation to fight for a better world for everyone. The richness of diversified actions in the African region, in defining volunteerism is a huge testimony of Oneness, Ubuntu
– I am because We are!
Written by Ian Tawanda Mugowa