My Volunteer Trip to Zimbabwe

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever     wasted”

My name is Tatum and I am participating in an EDGE trip to Zimbabwe this summer. EDGE is a program that strives to give the participants involved a life-changing experience that is based around travel, adventure, culture and service. This year our team is looking to immerse ourselves in local Zimbabwean culture through direct engagement with the community, orphanages and wildlife. We will be spending a little over three weeks traveling, living and working in Zimbabwe and will be taking on the following projects within our time there:

·      Building a classroom for children who are      currently being deprived a safe educational infrastructure

·     Participating in different activities with the children in the local orphanage
 
·      Working on the Lion Conservation Project in Antelope Park

Our main goal on this trip is to build a classroom for 277 school children from grades 3-7. These children are currently having to learn in a building with no roof to protect them from the African sun. This is a situation that no child should have to face, especially when they are trying to seek an education. We are striving to provide these children with a safe building that is equipped with a roof, window panes, a proper floor, blackboards and chairs. Many of which these children are currently being deprived of. During the construction of the classroom we are also seeking to facilitate a sports day, arts and crafts, games, storytelling, drama and singing with the children. Our goal here is to serve as a role model for disadvantage children by offering them much needed attention and support.

 We will also be going to orphanages and care homes to enrich the lives of the underprivileged children. We are going to be participating in the following different activities at the orphanage:
-assisting in the basic care of babies and younger children
-changing and feeding the children
-facilitating fun activities and games to engage and stimulate the children
-helping at a drop-in centre and feed street children on a daily basis
-provide vaccinations to help prevent life-threatening diseases
Our goal with this is to provide volunteer support to children so that they may thrive of spending time with people who show them that they care.

 Aside from helping out the children living in Zimbabwe, we are also looking to impact the wildlife. We will be going to Antelope Park and participating in the Lion Conservation Project. Through this project we will be working on protecting the future of Africa’s lions by giving them the opportunities to develop their natural instincts, caring for them to ensure they are kept in the best of health as well as participating in anti-poaching measures. Throughout our time in Antelope Park, our goal is to help protect the extremely precious wildlife sanctuary in Zimbabwe.

 This country is facing numerous problems based around poverty and their children’s education. I am looking to help change some of the lives of the people who are being forced to live in these situations who aren't given proper infrastructure to live and learn in as well as the lack of accessible food and clean water. Most of the children living in Zimbabwe are being stripped of their human rights and deserve to have them fully met. This is why I am becoming involved with this trip. I am looking to make a difference in this community. I am dreaming big and hope that you can help make this vision a reality.