Workcamps are considered one of the most important types of international volunteering programs. They were first introduced in 1920 as a way of bringin people together for increased international understanding. Work Camp is a form of international volunteering where groups of volunteers from different coutries come together to work and live as a team for a short-term period. Globally, Work camps are organised by several organisations which includes: Service Civil International, Coordinating Committee For International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), SAWC and its members, Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organization and many others.
Objective
• To create an awareness on work camp to MUBAS students to open a new chapter on volunteerism in Malawi.
Activity Output
• 25 prospective volunteers participated to the activity.
• Volunteers were impacted with knowledge on Work Camps and refreshments and snacks were distributed at MUBAS.
• Prospective volunteers hard an opportunity to interact with staff from organisation and get more information about work camps and appreciate them.
• Establishment of Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) work camp association.
Expected Outcomes of the Activity
• Establish a work camp association at MUBAS which will be working hand in hand with our organization
• Join hands with our organization in developing a five-year strategic plan on developing work camps in Malawi
• Start sending interested students to regional work camp within SAWC .
• Develop the road maps for our work amps such as school painting, hospital renovation using the knowledge we are acquiring at MUBAS.
• Developing concept together which we will market to companies to support us with resources such as paint, cement, cleaning detergent which would enable us hold work camps throughout Malawi and regionally.
Detailed Description of the Activity
Establishment of Malawi Work Camp Association in University Malawi Universities wasfirst done on the 13th April, 2024 at Malawi University of Business and Applied Science Campus.
We went to MUBAS Campus to conduct an awareness on work camp. This was the first day and we managed to impact the volunteers with knowledge on work camp. Refreshments and snacks were distributed to the volunteers who were present on that day. We managed to share the knowledge we have and the volunteers were able to ask questions. This marks our first activity, and it is our wish to storm all Public Universities and Private Universities in Malawi as a process of revamping volunteer work in Malawi.
Target Groups
• Undergraduate Students
• Post Graduate Students
• Professionals
Key Successes of the Activity
• Successfully imparted the workcamp presentation
• 85% of students were present.
• Students appreciated what are work camps and they have keen interest to establish a chapter at their institution.
• There is more interest to scale up the Volunteer movement, hence need to develop partnership with Universities in various countries within SAWC, and all aot
Key Challenges
• Limited Resources (Funds)
• Underbudget
• Lack of Knowledge (Facilitators didn’t have firsthand information on the workcamps)
• Some of the volunteers left the room before it was time
• Time management
Recommendations
• We need to impact the educators with more knowledge on work camps so that when the will be educating the volunteers they should show that they really know the thing.
• When planning the next meeting, we need to have adequate resources, the resources we had were not enough that some of the volunteers did not receive the snacks, so the budget should be properly drafted.
• Time management: the students should atleast be punctual and the materials should be arranged before the starting time.
• Need to scale partnership with other Countries Work Camps Associations, and various Universities with Africa, Europe, Asia , America, Australia to enhance partnerships.
• Request more partners globally to invite our members in various work camps to enable continued partnerships.
• Need to lobby for projects which will link our members to global volunteering opportunities which would increase the knowledge base within our country.
Sustainable Rural community Development Organisation
P.O. Box 126 Chikwawa, Email surcod_development@yahoo.co.uk,
Website https://surcodmalawi.wixsite.com/website