World Unite! Teilnehmerin Christa aus Wien (Österreich) hat im Januar ihren Freiwilligeneinsatz bei den Village Community Banks in Moshi/Kilimanjaro, Tansania absolviert. Village Community Banks (VICOBAs) sind ein wichtiges Instrument der Entwicklungsarbeit, denn sie ermöglichen Menschen, die keinen Zugang zu konventionellen Bankkonten und Geldmitteln haben eine Finanzierung ihrer Vorhaben.
Hi! I’m Christa, 46 years old, living in Vienna, Austria and working with a bank.
After a long professional experience and having gained a certificate in social banking, I wanted to learn how the idea of micro finances works in real life.
Through World Unite! I found KIVINET, an organization that supports microfinance groups (so-called “VICOBAs“ – Village Community Banks). Perfect!
In each and every step of preparation as well as on site in Moshi, Tanzania I was more than happy with World Unite!’s support provided by Katharina (in Europe) as well as by Miriam and Adelina (in Moshi). They guided me perfectly to feel comfortable and to get familiar with what is needed whilst not holding my hand and this way allowing me to be independent. Still we met for a coffee every now and then and this way I never felt alone. Couldn’t have been better!
Working with KIVINET was an extraordinary experience – and it was an extraordinary good one! I started my first day with the clear mindset to be open for whatever comes and this paid off. It turned out that my contribution was far less than what I was able to learn: about how friendly and warm people in Tanzania are, that human relations can be much more important than efficiency and that it doesn’t need a lot of things to do something (no big office, no fancy equipment, etc.). I’m thankful that KIVINET staff allowed me to join them when they visited VICOBA groups offsite so that I could really get in touch with “real life“. All in total a great time, surely too short, but who knows – maybe I may come again.
During my stay in Moshi I was living with a host family. I’m happy I did so, as this way the insights in a different culture were much more intense and various. And thankfully I may say that “my“ Mama Virginia not only took care of me and taught me so much, but is now a good friend that I will stay in contact with!
After my time in Moshi I joined a shared safari (that I booked with Budget Safari) – simply great! Another week in Zanzibar (individually organized) made my stay in East Africa perfect and allowed me some time to reflect and recreate.
Whenever you think there is more out in this world and you’d like to see, feel, hear it: volunteer for a project that fits to you. With World Unite!, this worked great for me!
Regards,
Christa
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