Report on my volunteer work in the After School Club in Namibia

My name is Michael, and I have been working as a religion teacher in New Middle Schools in Austria for several years. In addition, I take part-time training. One day I noticed a notice about the versatile RGV projects at the University of Education in Vienna. Above all, Africa was completely new territory for me, I had never set foot on this continent and also thought that a longer stay there would be very costly.

After thorough research about the offers and also about the target countries themselves, I decided to volunteer teaching in Namibia. Since I am currently writing my thesis in mathematics, I asked my supervisors at the university if I could incorporate results and experiences.

After a comprehensive medical check-up, which wasn't actually mandatory, I set out for Windhoek in mid-July. I had packed a lot of creative material for the math class in my luggage, since this area is the subject of my thesis. I was well looked after in advance by the RGV Team Munich and also by Steffi in Windhoek. I had always wanted to find out more about every detail of the stay and was always patiently advised.

My everyday life in volunteer work in Namibia

We were accommodated in the Student House in Windhoek West, where I immediately made contact with the multicultural group there, although most of the residents were a lot younger than me. But that was never a problem. The student house was absolutely safe, as it is well fenced in all around and is manned by an additional security post at night. RGV provides a basic supply of food. 

Matthew accompanied us for the four weeks as a reliable driver and also gave us insights into the life of the locals. Surprisingly, the circumstances of the appointment made it necessary to change my job, which Steffi was able to organize very quickly. 

The After School Club - learning together and having fun

I looked after the children and young people aged 14 to 18 in an After School Club. Here they receive a meal and can effectively work through the school's subject matter in groups. It turned out that I was able to help the children prepare for the annual exams. Of course, the focus was on mathematics and also on German, which is a very important foreign language in Namibia. What struck me was the great thirst for knowledge and the diligence of the young people there. I came across some well-founded specialist knowledge. The Namibian curriculum is quite similar to ours, although the sequences differ slightly.

The students in Namibia are practically only used to frontal teaching. So my creative methods, in which you should, for example, develop area formulas yourself and estimate the volume, met with great interest. For her, education is one of the most important things in her life. 

In After School Club, the community is at the top. At the end there was an hour of sport every day, where I was able to contribute in football, cycling and also in chess as a brain teaser. Some years ago I was active as a player in the Vienna league.

On Friday, social learning was on the program, where the children thought about life issues or were invited to the university. Projects were also started and a dance competition was organized.

On safari in Namibia: experience wildlife up close

At the weekend we organized excursions, for example to Swakopmund, where we enjoyed the sea air and admired the impressive jetty.

I undertook several photo safaris on the Düsternbrook, Naankuse and Auas ​​lodges, where I came very close to the animals that I otherwise only knew from the zoo. But then there was a fence between me and the predators;)

My conclusion from my time as a teacher in Windhoek

All in all, this stay in Namibia was a successful project that I can only recommend to everyone. As a representative of the middle-aged generation, I think it makes sense to be able to contribute my own professional experience and, conversely, to learn lessons from volunteer work. Personally, I would also like to incorporate them into further studies.

I assume that I will be active again as a volunteer in the next few years!

Skilled Volunteer at the After School Club in Namibia, field report by Michael R., 24.08.2017