Improving links with KVDA, Kenya - Summer 2004

I have wanted go to sub-Saharan Africa for as long as I can remember, so it was with no small amount of excitement that I packed my bags, ready to say goodbye to grey winter days in Brighton to spend Christmas in the sunny climes of Kenya. Having done my best to forget all the most important things at home, as well as nearly leave my purse and tickets in the taxi on the way to the airport, I finally bordered the plane for Nairobi, stopping off at almost every conceivable destination along the way.

The aim of the visit was to increase North/South co-operation with KVDA, our Kenyan partner organisation, to gain a better understanding of the realities of volunteer projects in the country and to discuss ways of increasing the number of Kenyan volunteers coming to participate in projects in the UK. A number of meetings were organised to discuss these issues and the rest of the time was spent travelling around the country visiting short and long term projects that were taking place at the time. I was also invited to spend Christmas at the family of the president of the organisation, an incredible opportunity to experience a rural Kenyan Christmas, complete with a 6 hours African carol service, actually a lot more fun than it sounds.

For me, this was a perfect way to see and visit a country, being invited into communities, having the chance to meet and talk to local people and of course, to meet international and local volunteers all involved in community projects. Long chats on buses and at people’s homes, as well as the inevitable sharing of newspapers that happened on every journey, meant that I really managed to gain an insight into the country, the problems it is facing and the potential solutions.

At a time in which the global situation is making it more difficult to carry out international volunteer activities in the country, I was really impressed by the scope and range of the activities taking place, and the commitment of all KVDA members to continuing intercultural exchange and community development. The perceived terrorist threats within the country and the subsequent travel warnings issued by a number of countries in the West, meant that the number of international volunteers participating in KVDA projects dropped dramatically. This not only affected the projects themselves but the functioning of the organisation who, without any state or additional funding, rely on the fees paid by the international volunteers to support their activities.

One of the highlights of my stay was the three days spent at a short-term project which saw 35 local and international volunteers working together to make 3000 bricks and construct a classroom for a secondary school in a rural region in western Kenya. However it was also much more than this - the opportunity to learn about each other’s countries and cultures and the location for much laughter and many friendships to be formed. Particularly during the mud flights that were an essential part of the brick-making process and the evenings spent huddled around the campfire, talking and counting shooting stars.

It is obviously impossible to sum up an experience like this in a few words, in the three short weeks that I was there, I gained and learnt so much. I got to meet amazing people who I will continue to keep in touch with, experience the fantastic hospitality of Kenyans, learn to make bricks, experience a Kenyan Christmas, travel on matatus, see zebras, ostriches and warthogs, develop a taste for ugali and sukuma wiki, and generally just soak up the beauty and diversity of the country and its people. I am now just planning when I will be able to return!

Helen Bartlett

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Solta Solar Academy, Croatia - Summer 2005

The voluntary experience was truly amazing, I coudn't say it lived up to my expectations, as I had no initial expectations. Being with people from all over the wolrd, united due to common beliefs and ways of thinking creates th is amazing energy which can't be described in words.

I wasn’t the luckiest out on Solta, a small island off Croatia. I caught an eye infection and had to go onto mainland to the hospital where I was given steroids to clear the infection; I wasn’t told they were steroids just that they “could help”. The hospital had signs that no guns were allowed; however the waiting room was more than appropriate to have a gun. Strange how different politics are outside of Europe.

It was a renovation workcamp in the old army barracks on Vela Straza, a mountain 204m above sea level, which did mean we had to climb this everyday to go to the beach or the local village. The camp was full of little surprises; no warm water, showering out of a hose, a few snakes, the van arriving late meaning we walked everywhere for the first week. But these small events made the camp the experience it was. And knowing this wasn’t going unnoticed, all the renovation work we were doing was for a cause, kept us going, even me with my swollen eyes.

Then there was the wound on my leg and my bruised ribs, gained through slipping while carrying logs down a hill! The life of a volunteer!!

For those considering doing a work camp, all I can say is why not? Now reflecting back I think about sitting on the edge of Vela Straza cliff, watching the sunrised at 05:30,, or standing in the rain with two fellow volunteers watching the most magical and energetic sortm I've ever witness in my entire life. Just take a chance and volunteer. Only good things come out of it.

Janica Dennison.

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Youth Action Project, Mexico - Summer 2005

We went our to organise a sports festival for young disabled kids but ended up working with drug and alcohol addicts in a rehabilitation home – on the last day playing bongos and chatting with the residents it was hard not to cry as they thanked us for making a difference in their lives. One addict said ‘it may have just been another days work for all of you but for us it is a day we will never forget – the day people from all over the world cared enough to listen to our stories”. Wow! We also arranged a breakdance contest, attended by hundreds of breakdancers from all over Mexico. As

we frisked the dancers on entry (for spray cans) and welcomed top djs to the underground car park where the event took place. We all realised we were entering into a subculture we had never known existed. Through my project I met some amazing people and really managed to experience Mexican culture as I was welcomed into peoples’ homes and lives freely. I loved every minute of it and learnt a lot about myself and others. ‘In case of emergency’, breakdance!’

Jeannine Richards

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Click here for a country profile of Mexico

International Youth Camp, Russia - Summer 2005

When I first told my family and friends that I was going to Russia their reaction was: Why do you want to go there? Most of them thought I was crazy to travel alone to a foreign country where I did not know the language or even the alphabet! But I am so pleased that I set myself the challenge and chose an unusual destination. I gained far more from the experience than I would have done if I had chosen a European or English speaking country.

I would recommend Russia to anyone. It is a beautiful country steeped in history and nature. I have discovered that Russia does not live up to people’s prejudices; many people think it is a dangerous and backwards country but the truth is opposite. I never experienced any trouble during my visit and met many helpful people who made my trip easier and more enjoyable. I have made many friends, local and foreign, who I plan to visit again in the future.

I would advise volunteers to choose a country that they know little about because it is fascinating to learn about the culture and history. Do not be deterred by a country where you do not speak the language or know little about it. Personally, I found it very rewarding to know that I had organized the entire trip and made it safely to my destination. The most difficult part was the organization beforehand; once I was on the plane I had no problems and enjoyed a brilliant couple of weeks.

Kitty Shiner.

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GALICIA AN ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TRAGEDY

After the sinking of the oil tanker Prestige in Galicia on the 13th November 2002, causing the biggest black tide in the history of Europe, Legambiente, one of our partner organisations in Italy, began mobilising teams of volunteers to go out and help with the after effects of the disaster. From the 8th December, 5 teams travelled to Galicia to work alongside the organisations ADEGA and SEO, rescuing birds and trying to clean the beaches. For the two months that Legambiente representatives and volunteers were present, they kept a diary in an attempt to encapsulate their thoughts and feeling about the catastrophe:
30 November 2002

THE BLACK TIDE STRANGLES GALICIA - Ten days after the sinking of the Prestige, the catastrophic gravity is still present. Rocks, beaches and even the piazza of this sweet Galician village are coloured black and covered by a nauseating oil layer, many centimetres thick in some places. A few seagulls continue to fly, curious about the actions of those strange Martians who try to clean this toxic waste from beaches and rocks. On the other side of the village, the beautiful beach shows no evidence of the tragedy; seagulls and cormorants continue their lives over the sea, going out only to dry their feathers in the sunlight.
The only sign of the catastrophe is the small port, completely full of boats, that at this time should be working on the sea. The fish market is empty. Many houses have hung a banner against the government's censoring of information, the mass-media and the management of this crisis.
From the first moment, the Spanish authorities have tried to minimise the dimension of the accident. "A black tide never existed. Only some cases of pollution at the coasts, spread as leopard spots". If we look at the actual facts, we find that

400 Km of coasts are contaminated. Out of 350 beaches existing in Galicia, about 150 are affected, and about 700 people and thousands of volunteers, who do not see their efforts recognised or organised by anybody.
Many beaches look intact or already cleaned, but actually the oil is still there, hidden under the sand, because the oceanic tides and the powerful waves settle it, creating a kind of "sandwich" with deadly effects for the fauna of the sand: As many people say, this is only the first step of the real black tide.
13 December 2002
GALICIA, THE FISHERMAN'S DRAMA - The first Legambiente group has arrived in Galicia. They will stay for ten days. We are continuing to search for contaminated birds, from Fisterra to Muxia. At "Langosteira" beach we have
just found eight "Chapapote" victims - Chapapote, a new Galician word born to definite the thick oil poured into the sea by the Prestige...sounds even funny, but it's not...

We have found the army cleaning the oil on the beaches, together with the fisherman, and with the Spanish and international volunteers. The fishermen are those most affected by the economic consequences of this tragedy. Those who have a license will receive some money from the government, but there are too many without a license...too many that live from the sea will receive nothing.
From the fisherman's' words we recognise a trauma, they are already thinking about other jobs, other places: "Because this oil we see at the beaches is a very small
part from what is into the sea".
2 January 2003 - DIFFICULT NOT TO CRY
Today 18 tonnes of oil has
passed through my hands,
dense, nauseating, sticky, cursed. Today, a free day for the army, we have had access to one of the most contaminated beaches. What we saw today was totally different from the other places, and the things seen until now. It was horrendous. Difficult not to cry.

dense, nauseating, sticky, cursed. Today, a free day for the army, we have had access to one of the most contaminated beaches. What we saw today was totally different from the other places, and the things seen until now. It was horrendous. Difficult not to cry.

6 January 2003
DEMONSTRATION
Today is Sunday, and we are at Santiago. Like every Sunday, at the Cathedral's square there is a small demonstration. The people are dressed with the typical white overalls the volunteers wear who work at the beaches. There is a sign which says: "Criminal Impatience", "democratic cleaning up"; there are also written some names

of politicians - Aznar and other ministers blamed by the demonstrators for the chaotic situation. Some of the people say it is easier to clean the beaches than the Spanish government.
22 January 2003

CLEAN HANDS - Today we have come back to Praia De Carnota beach, which adopted us for three days. After having cleaned with a lot of effort the "chapapote" over the rocks, they are dirty again, and last night the black tide arrived for the seventh time. But our work yesterday wasn't useless; the oil that yesterday we collected is not going to come back to the sea.

It's half-past eight in the evening. We have just come back to our hostel, time to take a shower and go to the bar for a beer, talk about the day's work and write these lines to inform you, hoping you don't forget what we are seeing here.

From April onwards, Legambiente will begin again sending volunteers to carry on the work of clearing the Galicia beaches. If you are interested in assisting, further details are provided in the Special Projects section of this newsletter.