Team Kigali
From Left to Right
Theo, Sadie, Ed, Jon, Angie, Kat, Catherine and Tirion
Muraho!
It has been a busy and exciting week so far for all, arriving safely in Rwanda
from the UK. We have met our team leader Tirion and our two in-country volunteers
Theo and Catherine who will be joining us for the 10 weeks.
During
week one, our in-country Orientation week, we have been trying to learn ‘Kinyarwandan’
with help from Theo and Catherine with many laughs along the way as well as going
on team visits and training sessions has all helped everyone settle into our
new environment.
Leaving
our extended ICS family was sad but finally arriving at our new home for the
next 8 weeks here in Kabeza in Kigali is very exciting. We are staying in the
Havugimana Israel Guest Centre named after the first team leader who set up AEE
(African Evangelical Enterprise), our Tearfund partner here in Rwanda. Havugimana Israel, along with two other AEE
team members, was killed in the 1994 genocide.
Our first
weekly meeting was held today with Phanuel, co-ordinator for the AEE Kigali
field office. Together with the other staff
for AEE Kigali we started planning the projects that we hope to be involved with.
So
it is here at the Guest House and AEE H.Q. that we will be based for the coming
9 weeks.
Meet The Team
Theo
Introducing
one of our National Volunteers, Rwandan born Theo is 23 years old and has
recently graduated with a degree in accounting. He was keen to volunteer with
ICS Tearfund in order to work alongside British volunteers; both to help relieve
poverty in his home country, and to have a chance to improve his English skills.
Theo is also an aspiring musician – he is hoping to learn the guitar in the
next 10 weeks and to surprise his brother with it when the placement ends! His
pet peeves are lies and slander.
Sadie
Hailing
from the south coast of England, Sadie has just finished her A-levels and is
hoping to study International Relations at University in September – and what better
way of preparing than a 3 month tour of Rwanda! Currently funding her year out
by working in a pharmacy, her job left her wanting to explore different
cultures, get out of her comfort zone and help volunteer overseas. As such, she
applied for ICS with the aim learn more about development across the world; the
perfect practical preparation for her course in September. Her pet peeves include people being
unclean/messy.
Team win's resident guitarist, Ed was born in Surrey just outside from London, although he has made his home in Chester for
the last 15 years. After an unsuccessful application to various universities
last year, a year out seemed the obvious next step. Ed worked as a gardener and
in retail at Fat Face, before making the trek to Rwanda. Having secured a place
at Durham University second time around, ICS struck him as an excellent
placement, due to its ideal length and practical structure. Ed also knew
Tearfund’s reputation as a brilliant Christian charity, and one he knew the two
were linked, he was sold. Pet peeves include mosquito bites and people being
too uptight.
Jon
Jon made the wise move to take a year out of his University studies of Occupational Therapy, to ensure that his degree would lead him to the career he wanted to commit his energies to. As part of his year out, he worked in a care home to get a broader sense of what his work would entail, but also wanted to volunteer abroad to make a difference there as well. ICS seemed like the perfect solution; allowing him to be on placement for long enough to make a significant difference, whilst leaving enough of the year when he comes back to address the issue of returning to university or pursuing another career. His pet peeves are people who constantly complain.
Jon
Jon made the wise move to take a year out of his University studies of Occupational Therapy, to ensure that his degree would lead him to the career he wanted to commit his energies to. As part of his year out, he worked in a care home to get a broader sense of what his work would entail, but also wanted to volunteer abroad to make a difference there as well. ICS seemed like the perfect solution; allowing him to be on placement for long enough to make a significant difference, whilst leaving enough of the year when he comes back to address the issue of returning to university or pursuing another career. His pet peeves are people who constantly complain.
Angie
Graduating
from the proud University of Portsmouth, Angie represents all the best that the
south coast has to offer – wit, charm, charisma and finesse. After finishing
University, Angie sought a new challenge, and so started working as an
administrator for a local Nursery. However, after being seized by a desire that
could only be described as wanderlust, she became desperate to escape the
confines of Post-grad life. While looking around for an overseas experience,
ICS caught her eye as she was keen to volunteer abroad and immerse herself in a
completely different culture. 3 months later, and she loving every second of
Rwanda. Her pet peeves include people using her personal sponge. Seriously. Don’t.
Kat
Youth-worker
by day – Animal (retail assistant) by night; Kat Lewis forms the spiritual core
of Team Win. Kat is passionate about all things Theological and Biblical, and
if volunteering as a Youth Worker with South West Youth Work taught her
anything, it’s that God always sees the bigger picture. Wanting to have an
experience of something totally different and outside her comfort zone, ICS
struck her as the perfect opportunity to help people by using her existing
skills, whilst still developing new ones. Hoping to study Theology at KCL next
year, Kat has said her pet peeves involve rudeness and others being impolite.
Our second
National Volunteer, Catherine is originally from Uganda but moved to Rwanda when
she was 9. She is currently studying a degree in Public Health, involving the
role of the local environment and personal hygiene among other factors.
Catherine is hoping to help community development and improve child care in the
projects we visit with her knowledge from her University Studies. She is hoping
to become more confident from her interactions with the U.K. volunteers, coming
from a completely different culture and background. Another keen musician, Catherine
loves to sing as well. Her pet peeves are people against God.
Tirion
A
champion of all things educational, Tirion Awel is our Team Leader. Tirion was
a secondary school teacher in Swansea, teaching Drama, English and Welsh,
before coming out to Rwanda 3 months ago. Having already led a previous team of
ICS volunteers, Team Win feels in especially capable hands. She was attracted
to ICS by both the need for a career break and a desire to experience other
careers in a more Christian setting. Her pet peeves involve bad manners, and
people insisting that Welsh is a dead language.
Sadie
Sadie
No comments:
Post a Comment