So I thought I should use my first post to introduce
myself...
My name is Isabel Ashdown. I’m 22 years old and have just
graduated from Bath University with a Bachelor of Science in International
Management and Modern Languages (German). However instead of starting a career immediately,
I have decided to work for 8 months in an orphanage in Blaauwbosch, a township
3 hours away from Johannesburg. Where did it all start?
So where did this all start.... Since the age of 14 I
have been doing voluntary work mainly in my local community. For 2 years I was a
member of the Saint Vincent de Paul group, which meets up once a week and
visits elderly parishioners in their homes. For the past 8 years, I have also
been a member of the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service (BCYS, bcys.net) and I
have gone on 5 of their summer pilgrimage to Lourdes (three times as a young
person and twice as a small group leader).
However three years ago, my family and I spent Christmas
in Gambia, Western Africa. On one of the
days, we decided to go and mingle with the locals. We visited a school and a
family compound. It was then that I fell in love with the country and its
people. Since that day, I made a promise to myself that I will return to the
continent as a volunteer.
The Orphanage
So here I am today, sitting in Dubai airport waiting for
my connecting plane to Johannesburg! The orphanage in which I will be working
for 8 months is called Saint Anthony’s Home (http://stanthonyshome.org/). They care
for a large number of children whose parents are either not able to look after them or have been physically or mentally abused by their parents.
Additionally, the Home runs a reunification program in which children are
paired with foster families who look after them during the school holidays. The
ages of the children range between 0 to 18 years old.
What am I hoping to achieve?
Although I will have a more concrete idea of what I will
and won’t be able to achieve during my time at the Home, I do have a few ideas
in my head of what I would like to do. This includes:
·
Set up/continue the ICT lessons: one of the
previous volunteers started up an ICT club for some of the older children as
the Home has a room with about 10 computers. Therefore I am hoping to continue
the work which was started earlier on this year.
·
Set up a dance club: dancing has been part of my
life since the age of 4. However dancing in Europe is very different to dance
in South Africa. Therefore with a dance club I am hoping to encourage the
children to have some fun whilst keeping fit but also to exchange and mix some
dance genre.
·
Raise awareness of HIV and Aids: the problem of
HIV and Aids in Africa is not a secret however I have the feeling it is
something which is often brushed onto the carpet. I am hoping to change this
attitude within the Home and create awareness of the illness but also how it
can be prevented and treated. I also want to find a way in which each child who
stays at the orphanage is able to find their status and receive treatment if
tested positive. I am aware that this is a lot to achieve in a small space of
time but at least I can get the ball rolling.
·
Improve the Home’s website: although the Home
has a good website, I would like to make it more eye catching, accessible and
more functional. In other words, give it a bit of a face lift.
That’s it from me for today J I hope this has given you a
better idea of what I am doing and why I am doing so. If you have any feedback
or maybe would like some more information about something please do not
hesitate to contact me. At the end of the day, I have created this blog not
only so that family and friends can see what I have been up to but also to
encourage others to do the same as what I am doing. It is often easier to embark
on something like this knowing that someone similar to yourself has gone alone
to the same/similar place, had an amazing time and come back all in one piece.
I know I haven’t quite arrived yet but I have no doubt the experience will be
amazing
Isabel x
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