Today I have an announcement to make: I, Kim, am leaving the awarenet program and continue my voluntary services at the Cape Mental Health Society in Observatory (“Obs”), Cape Town. The way to this decision was long and there were a lot of people and discussions involved. This is the outcome.
I started working for the awarenet program in the beginning of September. It was quiet intense for me and probably a very unique experience in the whole SAGE Net voluntary program. I am sure that no other organisation gives its volunteers so much space to operate on their own and take over so much responsibilities, a fact that I really enjoyed during my whole stay here. I learned just so much by managing the food project with my SDA learners, by building up the cooperation with the Home of Joy or by creating this new website. The team here in Grahamstown is great and it really feels like a small family. But still, I have the feeling that this is not the place I want to spend my whole year. Yes, the kind of work we do is cool, and yes, I really enjoy taking over so many responsibilities, but I am really convinced that my work can have a better impact in another project and that my learning experiences in a bigger city will make my voluntary year more valuable. This is why I decided to leave.
I am thankful for the experiences I made in Grahamstown and at the awarenet program and I am sure that spending time in two very different parts of South Africa will provide me some very special views and memories. It will help to understand the big diversity of this country.
Thank you to all the people that were part of the little and big adventures I had here in the Frontier Country! I will never forget this time and I am sure, that I learned so much in the first three months here as I will in Cape Town: About me, South Africa, development and leadership.
So this is it. The bus to Cape Town departures tomorrow night, but I will leave some “Kim-things” behind: Monster Energy drinks, a new website and some Nesquick.
I wish all the best to the future of this organisation.
Cherioos!
Kim