Isabel from Germany totally fell in love with our Mother Nature Camp in Zanzibar! We can totally relate! Setting out on an adventure in the tropical rainforest and helping to conserve the local nature and the environment on Zanzibar at the same time, is something truely amazing to do! You can read Isabel’s review here.
Set out on a travel adventure to the tropical rainforest of Zanzibar!
Isabel from Germany:
“I really liked the atmosphere at the Mother Nature Conservation Camp and that you build your own little community of local team members and foreign volunteers there. During the day you work, in the evenings you talk, play cards or other games, or stay in your tent and have some time for yourself.
The staff was extremely helpful. They even help you organizing tours, trips and excursions for your leisure time. The food in the camp is quite good.
I like that you also work together with locals and get in close touch with the local community. Everybody in the camp cares about the environment, nature, wildlife, children and the neighborhood. It’s interesting, that each day is a little different, depending on the volunteering activities that you’d like to involve in. It helps when you stay flexible, open minded and watch World Unite!’s preparation videos to get a good feeling of what to expect.
I would totally volunteer at the Camp again! 🙂
Isabel, from Germany
At the Mother Nature Conservation Camp in Zanzibar, you can involve in a variety of volunteering activities to protect the local environment in the Jozani Region and on Zanzibar!
Carin and other volunteers distributing food donations to families in India whose income is affected by the Corona pandemic
Be part of Sambhali Trust: We act and make a difference! Carin from Germany actively decided to continue her volunteer work in India during the Covid 19 pandemic. In our blog she speaks about the effects of the pandemic on the lives of people in India and why her work as a volunteer is particularly needed now.
It is late in the evening and I am sitting in our volunteer home, the Dev Bagh Ressort, in the middle of the Indian desert Thar in Rajasthan (approx. 1.5 hours by car from Jodhpur), under the beautiful Indian sky and under thousands of shiny stars. My heart is still pounding and there’s an almost mysthical atmosphere all around the place, with the full moon seeming within the reach of my hands.
We have just returned from our first basic-food-distribution. Our minds are still full of these experiences, but we can’t yet talk about them because this ride through desert has touched us so deeply.
We just visited the poorest families of Rajasthan in their little huts. Huts with only a fire pit and some firewood. In some there might be a couple of blankets hanging on the walls, which will be spread out on the floor at night to sleep on. When I entered one of these huts, my hair accidentally touched a toothbrush neatly tucked into the thatched roof, waiting for its owner to use it in the evening.
Some families might have a few goats which can give milk to the children in the mornings or a dog that guards the night sleep. The heat is everywhere and the storms blow the sand over your body, face and eyes.
Here in rural Rajasthan, the COVID-19 pandemic immediately had an existential impact: The quarry was closed for weeks due to the lockdown. Many fathers who provide for their families lost their jobs and there are no such things as unemployment aid or short-time work. The children cannot longer help to generate income, so their low earnings are also lost. Families were deprived of their livelihood overnight.
Sambhali Trust quickly recognized this critical situation in the Setrawa desert region and sat down with the local officials. The poorest families were identified by field workers and a mission to provide basic-food-packages was started. A team of foreign and Indian volunteers acquires flour, lentils, sugar, salt, tea and spices every day and packs them in 14-day rations. A food-package costs around 15 € and provides for a family of 5-6 people with the most important basic food for half a month.
Let’s look back a couple of weeks ago – our live in India before Covid-19:
Before Covid-19: Carin taught English at local schools in a playful and interactive way
In the middle of January I traveled to India / Rajasthan to support underprivileged children and women as a volunteer. Sambhali Trust welcomed us like a family. Sambhali Trust’s projects in rural Rajasthan are called “SETU” and consist of several missions which we want to build up.
In the morning we taught English in government schools – in a completely different way than the Indian school system usually does it. We tried to spread the joy of learning with songs, games, learning videos and workshops every day. We would also meet our students on the way to school or in the afternoons during the sunset walk to the dunes. Here, too, we would play “English” and explore the environment of the Thar desert together.
It’s touching to see that most people here can only live a very simple live or even live in poverty. I didn’t picture it like that before coming to India. The children are pure bliss: lovely, eager to learn and full of laughter and joy.
In the late afternoons we always offered additional English lessons for all children and teenagers in the area at our volunteer home Dev Bagh. The students walked several kilometers to get to our place right after school. In groups divided according to age, we practiced English dialogues, played educational games or watched motivational movies (e.g. “I am Kalaam”, Nelson Mandela) and discussed them in English.
During the golden hour, our field was always transformed into a sport and activity community-ground. We played cricket, volleyball, football, organized races and learned Indian dances with the boys and girls.
With the lockdown, all of this could no longer take place and the Sambhali Trust projects had to be shut down. For us volunteers, one question had to be answered: How do we personally want to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic?
Why I decided to stay in India during the Corona pandemic
One thing is for sure: during a crisis, you need a family that stands beside you – a family were people care for one another and support each other. Therefore, many European families have recommended the volunteers to travel back home. However, a team of more than ten of us decided to continue supporting the Sambhali Trust missions on site.
Govind Singh Rathore and his (extended) family treated us volunteers as if we were part of the family right from the beginning. With the beginning of Covid-19, we all moved into self-isolation at the Dev Bagh Resort in the Thar Desert where our community was even strengthened.
We are provided with the latest information at all times, we play and laugh together, we have conversations in up to five languages, we cook together and share the housework, we exercise together and enjoy nature – and we fight together against COVID-19-Pandemic. Side by side, from heart to heart.
Hygiene and safety measures for us and others
We take good care of ourselves and stick to the common hygiene and safety measures: keeping physical distance to others, wearing a mask, washing and disinfecting hands, no coughing or sneezing at each other.
In addition to the basic-food-distribution for 251 families, Sambhali Trust also provides the residents with information about preventive health care and has e.g. soaps distributed to 810 families. The national press reports intensively on our projects.
We have now provided the families with the food-packages for the third time; we are grateful for international support and that we can help personally on site. Every day after lunch, we pack the food-packages together in the resort and send out our daily changing team with good blessings. At sunset we are waiting for the returners, receive them with disinfectant (insider joke: our joy, our fun cannot be taken away through COVID-19) and spicy masala chai and hear, while sitting in the warm sand, the reports about the gratitude and open hearts of the locals in our area – the friends, families and relatives of our laughing students.
I am grateful to be part of Sambhali Trust: We act and make a difference! Fighting against COVID-19-Pandemic globally – connecting internationally!
Carin from Germany, in India
Here you can read all about Carin’s volunteer organisation.
Carin’s Indian family
Students at the local school after the hand washing workshop
Distributing food donations together with local and international volunteers
The houses of many families in rural India are quite simple
Lina felt very comfortable during her time in Nicaragua. In her host family and in her volunteer project she was warmly welcomed.
Lina from Germany has decided to volunteer in the picturesque city of Léon in Nicaragua. Today she talks about her tasks and why she would like to come back to Nicaragua soonagain!
Even though my stay unfortunately ended much earlier than I had planned due to the current circumstances caused by the corona virus, the three months that I spent in Nicaragua were a great time. Of course, when I arrived I was very nervous both in the host family and in the project, but I was warmly welcomed everywhere and felt very involved after just a few weeks.
Lina volunteered in the “Minibiblioteca”. This project is committed to making children and adults want to read, and offers pre-school tuition and afternoon and free time programs for children whose parents work full time.
One of my tasks was to help out at the Montessori preschool in the mornings, which is attended by 3 to 5 year old children. The children and I got on very well and I learned at least as much as they did in the 3 months I was there.
I will never forget this great experience and will try to come back to Nicaragua soon.
Best regards,
Lina from Germany
Here you can find all information about Lina’s volunteer project.
Lina enjoyed her volunteer placement in Nicarauga a lot. Here you can see a few images of her stay!
World Unite! participant Carina from Germany made a conscious decision to stay in Myanmar even during the corona pandemic.
World Unite! participant Carina from Germany made a conscious decision to stay in Myanmar during the Corona pandemic and to continue her volunteer work. In our blog she tells about her everyday life in Myanmar during the pandemic and why she decided to stay in Myanmar.
I got to know Myanmar in April 2019 as an open and friendly country for tourists, and was quickly fascinated by the Burmese culture. At the time, I never thought I would come back as a volunteer a year later. However, I would never thought that there would be a global pandemic like the Corona virus either.
In a nutshell: I quit my job at the end of 2019, sold my car and sublet my apartment because I needed this hard cut to start my new adventure freely and without any responsibilities back home. This was one of the reasons why I chose to stay in Myanmar during the Corona crisis.
Carina volunteers in Yangon, Myanmar with the organization “Thant Myanmar” in the area of environmental protection and plastic recycling. You can read more about their job site here.
I arrived in Yangon on March 4th, 2020. The country was still corona-free, so to speak, and I slowly started to navigate my way around in the city and at work.
A month later I found myself preparing loads of copies of my passport and my visa! Many things had changed because of the corona pandemic and as a foreigner I had to register with the local immigration office as soon as possible. Many things related to the pandemic happened within a very short time here, and decisions and formalities had to be made and dealt with very quickly.
The beginning of Corona and the flood of information
At the beginning I only heard rumors that the country would close its borders in late March. When you are new to the city and do not speak the local language, it can sometimes be quite difficult to get information. All I knew at the time was that there were no confirmed corona infections in Myanmar yet, and that an official government conference on Coronavirus had been announced to take place in the following days.
A colleague and her boyfriend were the first ones I knew to leave the country in a bit of a rush. They were in contact with the Danish embassy, which recommended that all Danish citizens leave the country immediately. I then registered with the German embassy, just to be up to date and so – should any measures be taken – the embassy would know that I was here at all.
The following things then all happened within a week: The German Embassy sent emails almost daily asking German travelers in Myanmar to end their stay early. In my apartment, which I had just moved into, I was now alone because my roommates had already traveled back home.
I was particularly unsettled by the fact that the advice from my surroundings changed almost every day: from the well-intentioned advice that you should leave the country as quickly as possible to the information that you could actually stay, I basically heard everything. One can imagine that this back and forth and the flood of information can be very unsettling.
The temple city of Bagan is usually a popular tourist destination in Myanmar. However, there are currently hardly any travelers in the country.
A decision is pending: leave or stay?
Knowing that there are only a few flights back home and you don’t know when you can go back was a big factor of uncertainty for me.
In any case, one thing was certain: I had to find out for myself whether I wanted to stay in Myanmar and continue my volunteer work or cancel my stay, and best of all before the borders closed and the German Embassy carried out the return flights.
I then spoke a lot to my family and friends, informed myself about the current situation in Germany, considered my options and spoke to many people in Yangon. In the end, I decided to stay in Myanmar, no matter what.
Some of you might think that my decision was brave, I don’t see it that way. I simply feel very safe in my apartment on the 8th floor, I can walk to work, keep a good distance from other people and if I feel uncomfortable, I can stay at home and work remotely.
In Germany where I no longer have a job, I would have to move back in with my parents at the age of 28 – during the quarantine period, when you are forced to stay at home and avoid direct contact with people outside the household.
The backing from home as a motivator to stay in Myanmar
What finally consolidated my decision was the support of my family and friends. No matter how I decided, they would always be by my side – a very important factor for me. During my time in Myanmar so far, I have often heard that the reason why many expats to finally return to their home country is because of pressure from friends, colleagues, families, companies, organizations, embassies, authorities, etc.
If my volunteering organisation had asked me to go home, what would have kept me in Myanmar? If my family lived in fear for me every day, would I still have stayed? If the most important group of friends is gradually leaving and you suddenly feel alone, should you still stay? I think that many expats and volunteers were confronted with similar experiences, even if they originally intended to stay in Myanmar. I know from stories that some of them later regretted their decision to leave because of Corona.
Sometimes I also wonder whether it was the right decision to stay in Myanmar, for example when locals are suddenly afraid of me, since in the beginning the media mostly spoke of infected foreigners or returnees. Or if you are mobbed on the street because you do not wear a face mask (even when you did not have to wear a mask).
Road traffic in Yangon – before Corona: It is usually very busy downtown
What helps me to master the situation – my contacts
At this point I have to mention that I have done everything so well so far because I have an incredible amount of help from some very nice people here: my housekeeper Aunty, who always takes care of me and is always concerned about my wellbeing; my neighbor, who accompanied me on every visit to the immigration authorities and sometimes even helped out with translating and managing the bureaucratic jungle for hours, only to repair my air conditioning system the next day; and my colleagues from Thant Myanmar, who will always inform me of any new government regulations, give me tips on visa extensions and document applications and who will always help me translate if the Burmese language should give me a hard time. Fortunately, there are great people all over the world.
Covid-19 in Myanmar vs. Covid-19 in Germany
In the past few weeks, I have become particularly aware that there is not much of a difference between a Covid 19 infection in Germany and an infection in Myanmar. In Myanmar, medical care and the health system are clearly not at the same level as in Germany, and of course I hope that I will not have the coronavirus and will not have to go to a hospital.
But you will catch the virus the same way in Myanmar as in Germany, through contact with infected people. The most important rules here are the same as everywhere else in the world: avoid crowds, stay at home if possible, wash hands and wear masks outside the home to prevent others from being infected.
So I’ve been working from home in my apartment since Thingyan (Burmese New Year) and only go out to shop groceries every now and then. Sometimes the quarantine does of course drive me crazy. Especially when a pick-up drives through the streets every day and announces new curfews and government regulations in Burmese through the megaphone and of course I don’t understand anything. Or when a cleaning team moves through the streets and sprays a mixture of bleach and disinfectant, which you better keep away from.
But even on those days I remember that I am not alone. That friends, family and colleagues are in a similar situation and also have to wait in quarantine until the situation improves again. That when I’m sitting on my balcony I’m not the only one sitting out there at the same time looking at the empty street. And that I can still move around freely here as a foreigner and call my friends and family via video call whenever I want.
We all have to get through Corona, regardless of whether we are in Germany, Myanmar or elsewhere. That is why I decided to stay here in Yangon and continue my adventure!
Carina volunteers with “Thant Myanmar”, an organisation dedicated to the reduction of plastic waste. Her tasks include the support of social media channels such as Facebook and YouTube. This includes creating weekly posts, analyzing social media reach and the website. In addition, Carina, on behalf of Thant Myanmar, is involved in World Bank Surveys, which records and evaluates pollution in various parts of Yangon and also helps with office structuring.
Diana volunteered at the Pearly Beach Horse Ranch in South Africa in 2020. As you can see, her experience volunteering was vivid and fun!
Diana from Germany volunteered at a horse ranch in South Africa for 3 weeks at the beginning of 2020. In today’s blog, she shares her experience volunteering in South Africa, and about living and working on a ranch.
I volunteered for three weeks at a Horse Farm in South Africa earlier this year. The farm is owned by Sarah and Kos. 11 horses, 5 ponies, 5 dogs and 2 cats live a good life at the farm and make the farm life vivid and fun.
I shared a pretty and well-equipped cottage with another volunteer, with whom I got on very well and we became friends. We were equipped with ingredients for meals and had the opportunity to go into town almost every day to do some shopping as well.
Despite my modest experience with horses and my basic riding skills, I was given the opportunity to volunteer, work on the farm and participate on the trails.
Sarah is a very patient, humorous and loving person who responds to the well-being and prior experience of every volunteer and guest. She really lives her passion for horses and animals! The well-trained horses have individual personalities and fit different riders. I came to the farm with very little previous experience and would say that I have greatly improved my riding skills and learned a lot from dealing with the horses (also that you should avoid horse feet, which otherwise can get painful).
The trails along the breathtaking beaches and riding through the yellow and golden dunes was just fantastic! I also learned a lot from Sarah’s extensive knowledge of the landscape, which she loves to share with volunteers and guests. Thanks to Kos, all these memories have been captured photographically!
Sarah and Kos also organized fantastic trips for us! Amazing experiences were the visits to the penguin and lion sanctuary and a shark diving tour.
I thank Sarah and Kos for the wonderful and unforgettable time I had! This made my dream come true and my love for the wonderful animals grew even stronger. I recommend everyone to volunteer and to experience this!
Before I started this unforgettable journey, I searched the internet for these kind of projects at a very short notice. I came across the site of World Unite! and found a volunteering placement that seemed tailor-made for me. After sending a short email request, I received a very informative reply from Claudia from World Unite!. No matter what question I asked, the World Unite! team always answered quickly and in detail. There was also a Skype preparation meeting with Katharina from World Unite!, where she informed us about important issues and we were able to discuss cultural differences with her and to clarify open questions.
Only a few days later I started my journey. Even when I arrived at the airport in Cape Town (South Africa), Claudia immediately inquired about my well-being. Everything went really smooth. I was warmly welcomed by Sarah and Kos, the owners of the horse farm, who took me to the farm.
I would like to thank the World Unite! team for the absolutely fantastic organization. The staff is extremely friendly, dedicated and always answer questions in detail and very quick. I felt to be in good hands and can only recommend them! Thank you very much for everything!
Kind regards,
Diana, from Germany
Read more about the Horse Ranch in South Africa and how to apply!
Volunteering in South Africa is definitely a unique experience. The image gallery shows Diana’s diverse impressions during her time volunteering in South Africa.
Are you also dreaming of seeing your friends again or catching up on a trip that you had to cancel because of Corona, but all of it seems far away from being possible at the moment? Check out our advice on keeping positive during the lockdown.
Without a doubt, being in lockdown is difficult: Whether we lack the personal contact with our friends and families, feel controlled by exit restrictions, or reading the news makes us feel sad or overwhelmed. Although it’s becoming less easy for many of us every day, it is important now not to lose heart! Here are a few tips on how not to lose optimism in lockdown.
Acknowledge your feelings
If we are at home for a long time, negative feelings like fear, anxiety, concerns or even depression can quickly arise. It is all the more important that you and your family members or roommates keep a positive attitude so that everyone can get through this difficult time. The first step in the right direction is to acknowledge your negative feelings rather than trying to ignore or suppress them. It is helpful for some people to write down or draw their feelings. That way, you’re helping your mind to structure your thoughts and develop an awareness of what is bothering you.
Practice a healthy lifestyle
The opportunities for spending the huge amount of free time many of us have during the Covid-19 measures are, to be honest, limited. To still make the most out of it and to help your body and mind to stay healthy during the lockdown, maintain a healthy lifestyle. Try out new healthy recipes that you didn’t have time to cook before. It is also recommended to maintain a structured daily schedule with enough sleep. When you sleep, your brain and body regenerate and you give yourself the opportunity to process negative news and events of the day. Considering the amount of negative information we all have to digest at the moment, right now sleeping is essential for our well-being!
Excercise regularly
Exercise and sport can help you reduce stress and anxiety and also help you sleep better. All of this ultimately leads to an increased physical well-being even in times of crisis. No matter if you go for a walk outside, for a run, or do a home workout – keep moving! Many sports studios currently offer online courses. You can also find lots of sporty videos on platforms like YouTube.
Practise mindfulnessand relaxation
Take 10 minutes everyday day to meditate or exercise mindfulness on your body and mind. To do this, sit in a comfortable position or lie down flat. Close your eyes and just concentrate on your inhalation and exhalation. When outside noise distracts you or your thoughts start to wander, this is quite normal. Just calmly direct your thoughts back to your breathing. This exercise can help you to relax and to reduce stress and anxiety.
Avoid information overload
In times of Corona we are bombarded with news 24/7, most of which are not good and increase our fears and worries. Whether on news platforms, on the radio or on social media – for many of us, the virus currently dominates our daily news reception. Digital detoxing – turning off your phone for a while and not keeping up with the latest virus numbers for a few hours – can help you calm down and focus on your life still being more than just the virus.
Practice physical distancing instead of social distancing
Right now we need social contacts more than ever, even if we can’t meet in person with our friends and families. The term “social distancing” is currently on everyone’s lips and refers to the fact that we have to avoid unnecessary contact with other people. Correctly, however, we should practise “physical distancing” and not “social distancing”: We can and should still talk to each other! Use options such as WhatsApp, Skype or Zoom to have video calls with your loved ones, or take time for a physically-distant chat with your lonely neighbor from balcony to balcony.
Don’t lose heart!
Covid-19 won’t last forever. Try to think future-oriented: what will you do first when the lockdown is over? A crisis is always a good opportunity to set your own priorities, such as seeing your friends and family more often. What about the trip you always wanted to take but always put off? Perhaps “right after Corona” will be just the right time! Try to think how your future You will look back on the lockdown in a while, and how you might even link some positive thoughts with it, e.g. that you have called your family on the phone more often, had more time for yourself, or lived a more relaxed and slow-paced life.
If you are looking for travel inspiration for “the time after”, visit us on our website or our social media channels. Our dedicated team will keep you up to date on current travel regulations and travel security in times of Coronaright from their home offices! 🙂
Our team is still there for you working from home during the lockdown! Browse our website https://world-unite.de/en or contact us on Social Media.
Burkhard volunteered at a school and an afternoon care center for children and youth and taught the children maths. Here you can see a street festival arranged by the Casa de la Amistad, one of Burkhard’s placements.
For three months, World Unite! participant Burkhard from Germany volunteered to support children and youth in the city of Cochabamba in learning mathematics. In his internship testimonial he tells about his tasks and his time volunteering in Bolivia.
In September and October 2019 I volunteered at the Casa de Amistad. This is an afternoon care center for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, where I offered homework tutoring in maths for students mainly at secondary level, i.e. at the age of about 14 – 16 years.
With the beginning of the riots after the presidential election on October 20, 2019, the Casa de Amistad was unfortunately only able to open sporadically, so that I completely transferred my volunteer work to the Nuevo Conocer school and stayed there after the riots.
Many of the children who go to this school are often left to their own devices because both parents have the have to work all day. A regular working day in Bolivia often goes beyond 8-10 hours, otherwise the income is not enough to sustain the family.
I was very happy when the children had adapted to me as the new teacher after a few days and showed interest in my lessons.
I taught math at Nuevo Conocer as a volunteer for classes 1-6, always from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The classes are often divided into groups of 10 students, depending on their level of knowledge and ability, or even in individual lessons. For example, the school offers individual tutoring in mathematics until 04:00 pm in the afternoons.
Of course, the lessons do not take place continuously and there are also breaks. Basically, however, I can say that the required level in mathematics in Bolivia is much higher than in Germany, e.g. fractional calculations are already carried out in the 2nd class. Only a few students can do it though.
In one-to-one lessons, I often taught children from disadvantaged social backgrounds or with family problems that I had to take special care of. My impression is that the children benefit enormously from the individual lessons. I highly credit the school for making this possible!
In September I will be back in Cochabamba and teach math there for at least 11 weeks. On the whole, my volunteering was a great success, so I really look forward to coming back to Bolivia!
Regards,
Burkhard from Germany
Here you can find all information about Burkhard’s placements.
A theatre play of students at the Nuevo Conocer School during Burkhard’s time volunteering in Cochabamba.
How travelleres can avoid infecting themselves and others with the Coronavirus
The Coronavirus has spread a lot of fear among travelers: With the increasing number of Corona infections worldwide, many international travelers have returned to their home countries as quickly as possible. But some of you have made a conscious decision to stay in their host country – whether you have a job abroad that you can’t quit easily, or simply feel that your volunteering organisation does now need you more than ever. You can stay healthy during travel by taking the right steps to protect yourself and others from becoming infected with Covid-19 (Coronavirus).
You can reduce the risk of infection by:
Hand hygiene: We’re sure you’ve heard it a million times but feel that we can’t repeat the seemingly obvious often enough: Washing your hands frequently with soap and water, or the use of alcohol based hand rub is essential to reduce the transmission of viral infections. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly and for a time period sufficient to inactivate the virus (minimum 20 seconds, but ideally 40 to 60 seconds). 20 seconds correspond to singing „Happy Birthday“ two times. If you use hand rub, make sure it contains at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands first with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Respiratory and cough hygiene: “Catch it, bin it, kill it”: When you cough, sneeze or blow your nose, use disposable, single-use tissues. Used tissues should be disposed in the nearest waste bin immediately after use. Don’t forget to clean your hands (using soap and water or alcohol based hand rub) after coughing, sneezing, or blowing the nose.
If you feel sick, wear a face mask to protect others! If you feel sick, we recommend you to stay at home and to avoid contact with others in order not to infect them. If you can’t avoid contact with others, wear a face mask to protect them! When you talk, cough, or sneeze you may release tiny drops into the air that can infect others. Medical masks are currently scarce and we would like to advise against buying medical supplies which are at the moment urgently needed in hospitals to combat the corona pandemic. You can simply use a cloth or scarf that you pull tightly over your mouth and nose when you’re in contact with others. For everyone with more creative skills among us, there are numerous tutorials on how to make your own mask.
Don’t touch your face: Did you know that according to studies, we touch our face around 16 times per hour? Keep hands away from the eyes, mouth and nose! Your mouth and eyes are areas where a virus can easily enter the body. By keeping your hands away from your face you can significantly reduce the risk of a viral infection.
Keep at least 1,5 meters of distance from other people to avoid droplet infection. Avoid handshaking. Greet people with a wave, a nod, or a bow instead.
“Namaste” is a safe option to greet others in times of a pandemic.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid crowded places and public transportation. Walk or use a bicycle instead. When using public transport or being in crowded places, use alcohol based hand sanitizer immediately after getting off.
Carry hygiene wipes with you all the time: Whether to clean your hands after getting off the bus, to wipe the handle of your shopping cart before using it, or to open door handles you actually don’t want to touch: Hygienic wet wipes are a practical all-rounder that should be in your pocket at all times during a pandemic!
Cleanliness and disinfection: Eugh gross! Studies revealed that laptop and computer keyboards are 20,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. Hang on: Your phone isn’t much better either: It harbours 9,000 times the amount of germs found on a toilet seat! This means that also a virus can get on your keyboard or cell phone through smear infection. To avoid infection, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Pay cashless: Paper bills can contain bacteria and viruses that can lead to the spread of disease. If possbile, pay cashless! We know that many of our host countries are cash-based societies. If you can’t avoid contact with cash, wash your hands carefully after handling money.
Volunteers at the Mother Nature Camp Kilimanjaro preparing tree seedlings to be planted on deforestated land in the Kilimanjaro region.
World Unite! participant Giovanni volunteered at the Mother Nature Camp Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Read about his volunteering activities in the camp and what made him feel at home in Tanzania!
This was the first time I travelled to Africa and I enjoyed the experience from the first day. The staff of World Unite! was supportive in any aspect and made me feel welcome even before my arrival. Once there, I met a lot of lovely people in Mweka/Moshi both among the locals and the other volunteers, and I really felt part of the community.
Surprisingly, during the Tanzanian winter season the climate can be quite cold and very wet, but dwelling right at the border of the Kilimanjaro National Park is an unmatchable experience. As for the camp, it has been newly settled and it is pretty comfortable, apt to host many guests.
The activities are of different types: taking care of the tree nursery, collecting seeds, planting seedlings, cleaning the streets, helping local farmers and more. Mr Sikievu, the local coordinator who leads the project in coordination with the World Unite! staff, is a great source of inspiration and will teach you a lot about the project itself and about the culture of the region.
Other local people work at the camp cooking, keeping watch and doing works of diverse kind; all of them really made us volunteers feel at home, and the connection we established was precious and sincere. Miriam and Adelina (my World Unite! coordinators) were of invaluable help and support, at any time committing to make you get the most out of your stay in Tanzania. I am so grateful of everything and definitely recommend this experience!
Warm regards,
Giovanni
Giovanni and fellow volunteers during his time volunteering at the Mother Nature Forest Camp Kilimanjaro, together with local Mamas from the village community.
Apply now for volunteering at the Mother Nature Conservation Camp Kilimanjaro in Tanzania!
Rebecca from Germany volunteered at Sarah’s and Kos’ Horse Ranch in South Africa for 3 weeks. Looking back, what does she say about her adventure in the Western Cape? Read more here!
Daily horseback excursions to the beach are part of a volunteer’s daily routine at the Hors Ranch!
Sarah and Kos are amazing! They are lovely and funny people. They showed my around the area and included me in family activities all the time! The horses are amazing and Sarah’s riding skills are insanely good, she loves to teach and makes you improve your own skills! Sarah takes care of everyone individually so the trails are always different and fun so you don’t have to worry that the experience is gonna be the typical tourist experience.
I had a lovely time there and I definitely want to go back!
Kind regards,
Sarah from Germany
Rebecca enjoyed her time volunteering in South Africa to the fullest. Check out the picture gallery above to see more!
Providing Inspiration Abroad 