Muraho, we are Team Huye, the third cohort to volunteer with LUTI (Let Us Transform Life Initiative).
This NGO, based in Tumba and Rango (where our host homes are), works with women and young people on sustainable development in the areas of education, health, socio-economic development and natural resource management.
Our team of 12 has six pairs of counterparts, a UK volunteer (UKV) with an in-country volunteer (ICV), and two team leaders.
We have seven groups of beneficiaries and over the next nine weeks we will be planning sessions for school clubs, sex workers, artistic co-operatives and community health groups.
But before we go into detail about our work, let’s introduce the team…
Rabeya, 23, from Burnley, and Omar, 25, from Kigali
This NGO, based in Tumba and Rango (where our host homes are), works with women and young people on sustainable development in the areas of education, health, socio-economic development and natural resource management.
Our team of 12 has six pairs of counterparts, a UK volunteer (UKV) with an in-country volunteer (ICV), and two team leaders.
We have seven groups of beneficiaries and over the next nine weeks we will be planning sessions for school clubs, sex workers, artistic co-operatives and community health groups.
But before we go into detail about our work, let’s introduce the team…
Rabeya, 23, from Burnley, and Omar, 25, from Kigali
Rabeya: Being born in the UK and having countless privileges, we often forget those who require our help. Thus I want to be able to make a difference in the world no matter how small, via aiding those who need our help the most. I am looking forward to understanding and adapting to a culture so unbelievably different from ours.
Omar: I wanted to give back to Rwanda because I have mostly conducted volunteer work outside the country. I found it quite easy to cope and understand my counterpart from the UK because I come from a very diverse cultural background. My fellow ICV’s are willing to learn from the whole volunteer experience and also to learn from our UKV counterparts.
As a pair, we would like to bake cakes together.
Lucy, 22, from Leicestershire, and Solange, 23, from Kigali
Omar: I wanted to give back to Rwanda because I have mostly conducted volunteer work outside the country. I found it quite easy to cope and understand my counterpart from the UK because I come from a very diverse cultural background. My fellow ICV’s are willing to learn from the whole volunteer experience and also to learn from our UKV counterparts.
As a pair, we would like to bake cakes together.
Lucy, 22, from Leicestershire, and Solange, 23, from Kigali
Lucy: I am looking forward to working with local co-operatives, helping to establish sustainable businesses that benefit the members and the rest of the community. I am so impressed by how tasty the food is here in Rwanda. My host family are so generous and give us Rwandan coffee as well as many different types of fruits to try for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Solange: I saw ICS as a good opportunity as I wanted to challenge myself, help the less fortunate, make an impact and, moreover, to make my country proud. I look forward to achieving our aims as ICS volunteers.
We like to watch TV and listen to music with each other.
Ruhama, 23, from London, and Winnie, 25, from Kigali
Solange: I saw ICS as a good opportunity as I wanted to challenge myself, help the less fortunate, make an impact and, moreover, to make my country proud. I look forward to achieving our aims as ICS volunteers.
We like to watch TV and listen to music with each other.
Ruhama, 23, from London, and Winnie, 25, from Kigali
Ruhama: I wanted to join ICS because of my deep desire and passion to give back and make an impact in developing countries. I am looking forward to growing in various ways, learning a new language, being emerged in the culture, being part of this country’s growth as well as getting involved in all the work ahead.
Winnie: I joined ICS because I love contributing to the community, want to gain skills working in a team as well as gaining more knowledge regarding ICS domains. I am looking forward to getting to know how I can make a change within the community and in my development.
We enjoy going to church together, talking about our shared faith and watching movies together.
Winnie: I joined ICS because I love contributing to the community, want to gain skills working in a team as well as gaining more knowledge regarding ICS domains. I am looking forward to getting to know how I can make a change within the community and in my development.
We enjoy going to church together, talking about our shared faith and watching movies together.
Daniel Greener, 22, from Oxford, and Tina, 24, from Kigali
Daniel: I wanted to contribute towards positive, long-term development in a community. I am looking forward to meeting our beneficiaries and getting to know them, my counterpart and host family better. My first impressions is that Rwanda is a beautiful country with kind, welcoming people.
Tina: I joined ICS to gain more skills and knowledge, which will shape me to be a better version of myself and impact lives by serving the community. My host family is amazing, they are so friendly, understanding and chatty. The food is perfect. It’s interesting how our cultures are so different but yet we have a great time together.
As a pair, we like doing our laundry together.
Yasemin, 24, from Brighton, and Josine, 24, from Kigali
Tina: I joined ICS to gain more skills and knowledge, which will shape me to be a better version of myself and impact lives by serving the community. My host family is amazing, they are so friendly, understanding and chatty. The food is perfect. It’s interesting how our cultures are so different but yet we have a great time together.
As a pair, we like doing our laundry together.
Yasemin, 24, from Brighton, and Josine, 24, from Kigali
Yasemin: I decided to volunteer with ICS to work on development projects abroad so I could have the opportunity to apply skills developed in university and previous experience in the charity sector. So far, I am really enjoying the food and learning more about Rwandan culture from my counterpart, the rest of the ICV’s and my host family.
Josine: I joined the ICS program to gain more experience by working with the community, to contribute in improving their daily lives and to adapt to different cultures. I am looking forward to meeting our beneficiaries and seeing how I can help them with the experience I have.
As a pair, we enjoy listening to music and watching movies.
Will, 22, from York, and Christophe, 18, from Kigali
Josine: I joined the ICS program to gain more experience by working with the community, to contribute in improving their daily lives and to adapt to different cultures. I am looking forward to meeting our beneficiaries and seeing how I can help them with the experience I have.
As a pair, we enjoy listening to music and watching movies.
Will, 22, from York, and Christophe, 18, from Kigali
Will: I joined ICS as I saw it as a great chance to make a difference in an area of poverty. I also believe the programme will provide the opportunity for self development. My host home is very nice and the family are friendly.
Christophe: I joined ICS because I am on my gap year and felt idle but I also felt eager to help and give a hand to those in need. I am looking forward to accomplishing our team goals and building long term relationships with the UKV’s.
We like to watch movies and TV series together, especially Black Mirror, listen to music and workout.
Team leaders Felicity, 23, from Kent, and Fred, 30, from Kigali
Christophe: I joined ICS because I am on my gap year and felt idle but I also felt eager to help and give a hand to those in need. I am looking forward to accomplishing our team goals and building long term relationships with the UKV’s.
We like to watch movies and TV series together, especially Black Mirror, listen to music and workout.
Team leaders Felicity, 23, from Kent, and Fred, 30, from Kigali
Felicity: I joined ICS because, since I come from a privileged background, I think it is important to go to another part of the world where people live differently to me and experience their culture and their way of life. So far I absolutely love Rwanda! The land of a thousand hills is so green and beautiful, the people here are so friendly and welcoming, and the food is delicious. We have a great team here in Huye and Fred and I are really excited to see what we can all achieve.
Fred: I am really looking forward to being part of an organisation that strives to change the wellbeing of local people and achieving ICS objectives as a team. I love working with young people because they are energetic and full of brilliant ideas. Most importantly, working with people of diverse origins and living away from home to host families is something interesting.
We would love to watch movies and dance competitions as a team.
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Photos by Rabeya Ullah
Fred: I am really looking forward to being part of an organisation that strives to change the wellbeing of local people and achieving ICS objectives as a team. I love working with young people because they are energetic and full of brilliant ideas. Most importantly, working with people of diverse origins and living away from home to host families is something interesting.
We would love to watch movies and dance competitions as a team.
Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu
Photos by Rabeya Ullah
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