Thursday, August 9, 2007

Helen: Working there was rewarding

I only volunteered in Conviven for a couple of weeks, but it is a couple of weeks I will never forget. The first thing you are struck with, as a new volunteer, is the total madness of Conviven.

The centre is full of the energy of all the children who attend the classes and the building becomes alive as a result. The children are obviously impoverished and denied the everyday opportunities you and I take for granted. This is why volunteers are so important. Every new volunteer has a skill they can share, along with input from the outside world and different cultures.

The fact that Conviven’s structure only exists in a loose sense, means that there is a lot of scope for initiative. The classes are not limited to English classes, if a volunteer has a skill they feel comfortable teaching then Conviven can facilitate this.

It is hard work at times, but it is also incredibly rewarding. When you witness the fruits of your labour, you start to realise how worthwhile it is to donate your time and help raise funds for the centre. The staff there has an unfaltering dedication which you can’t help but be in awe of. The centre has so much more potential, and I have no doubt, that with the help of other volunteers and more inventive fundraising, it will achieve this in the not so distance future.

Helen from Ireland worked with us in June 2007.

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