What am I doing in Kenya ? What is the EUAV inititiave ?

What am I doing in Kenya ? What is the EUAV inititiave ? 

First of, a general overview of the EUAV initiative : 

“ The EU Aid Volunteers initiative, launched in 2015 by the European Commission of Humanitarian Office (ECHO), sends European citizens, from a wide range of backgrounds and with a diversity of skills and professional expertise, to get involved in humanitarian aid projects, support the provision of needs-based humanitarian aid in third countries and engage in volunteering opportunities, through deployment to the field.

The initiative focuses on strengthening the EU’s capacity to deliver needs-based humanitarian aid by providing professional support through the deployment of trained volunteers to people in need. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen the capacity and resilience of vulnerable communities in third countries, through the implementation of joint projects between experienced humanitarian operators and local organizations in third countries. ”

In short, we volunteers undergo a rigorous selection process and tough trainings, after which we know if we are selected for the position we applied to.
I personally applied only in my field of expertise, education and awareness raising. There were two open positions at the time, in Kenya and Palestine, and I was selected for Kenya.

EU Aid Volunteers are sent on the field in partnership with 2 NGOs, a sending organization (in Europe) and hosting organization (in the country of deployment).
My two NGOs are MONDO, an Estonian organization focusing on education and community based development; and WEFOCO, a Kenyan organization focusing on education, community based development and awareness raising.

Now, more specifically, what am I here for ?

My mission has a few different angles that I will try to summarize : 

As an education expert, I have the opportunity to work in 8 schools (primary and secondary), by training teachers on different teaching methods, organizing teachers workshops and teaching classes, and overall supporting the academic staff in their pedagogical development. 

I will also be working to raise the awareness on the importance of education, especially girls and disabled child education in the schools and communities by carrying out trainings in 8 locations on the aspects of awareness rising education, advocating for girl child education and child with disability to get education in Kenya.

Another aspect is monitoring and following up Wefoco’s school support program for sponsored children, checking on children and families who are part of the program, ensuring swift passing from one school year to the next and supporting the organization in the selection process.

Finally, I will be working on the School Link initiative project, and educative program in partnership with Estonian schools, by filming different children in their everyday environment, to contribute to a video database of “lives around the world”. 

Here in Shianda, I work in direct contact with Wefoco members, Esther (founder and director), Justus ( mentor), Abraham (local volunteer and support), as well as school link teachers, headmasters, community members… 

I am staying for 6 months, at the end of which the next volunteer will be joining me and trained on our ongoing activities, ensuring a fluid continuity of the project. 

Voila ! That is all, folks ! 

EUAV training, Schlaining, Austria, May 2018