WINDHOEK
“To get to know a new culture”, “grow beyond me”, “get socially involved” are some of the reasons young Germans opt for volunteer service abroad every year.
Through ‘Weltwärts’, a programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, close to 3 500 young people are sent to emerging and developing countries each year for a period of 12 months to support social projects. Since 2013, the ASC Göttingen von 1846 e.V., a sports club in Germany, has been arranging volunteer positions in Namibia. The network is so large that currently 15 volunteers are in the country in Windhoek, Rehoboth, Eenhana, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
The next group of volunteers arrives next month. At the moment, the eagerly awaited “newcomers” are still being prepped at home, ready to take over the projects of their predecessors, assumingly with lots of sport in their luggage, many dreams and the vision of a world that is growing ever closer.
The work of these volunteers revolves mainly around sports. In the morning, they support schools in the townships during physical education classes and in the afternoon they initiate their own sports or assist in community projects. They appreciate the warm and welcoming people, the wonderful landscape and the unique Namibian lifestyle. This means a year normally goes by faster than expected.