The best people to say what it's really like living and working as
a Skillshare International development worker and health trainer are
those who have gone before you. Hundreds of people have now served
as a development worker or health trainer and every one has different
experiences to tell of. To give an idea of the challenges that await
you, here are some personal views on what to expect.
"New job, new boss, new colleagues, different culture. Different ways of doing things. No close friends or family around. These are just a few of the objections people put up when I said I was going to work in Mozambique. To be honest I'd thought about them too.
My diary for the first couple of weeks in Mozambique reads as if I'd
been catapulted into oblivion. I felt unable to cope and completely
useless. And the fact that the job I'd taken on was apparently non-existent
didn't help! In spite of my training I was not prepared for the problems,
especially when my presence was called into question. But eventually,
through negotiation and compromise, my Director and I sorted things
out. My role became varied in its demands and I had to be flexible
and assertive. Ultimately there was great satisfaction.
No experience in my life has been tougher than those first few months
in Mozambique, but then no other experience has been more rewarding
in the long term. The pluses outweighed the minuses. And all the minuses
just seemed to be at the beginning. I would do it all again and wouldn't
change anything."
David Alfert, Mozambique
"I found a community struggling to achieve basic health care, and learnt that if I worked with an open mind I was able to apply my knowledge to different circumstances and offer the team skills it will be able to use long into the future."
Lisa Watson, India
"My time in Africa has made me appreciate that my job as a librarian has many aspects - and that some of the most enjoyable have, in a way, been lost at home in the UK. For students in Lesotho, reading for pleasure is a wonderful, mind-opening experience and cherished for that reason.
It was inspirational to work with students who had mostly only experienced
difficult set English Literature texts as part of their studies, and
to give them the chance to read at their own level and pace.
To be honest, at first, I found myself questioning the relevance of
libraries in terms of the priorities for the students' education -
I admired the emphasis on practical life skills such as agriculture,
home economics and technical craftwork.
But seeing the enthusiasm the students had for books made me realise
that my role was important in supporting their ambitions for life."
Fiona MacKenzie, Lesotho
"Trying to fit in with the local community and be accepted was, to me, as important and as great a challenge as was my job teaching maths.
I lived in a similar house to the other villagers, used public transport
like everyone else, and learnt as much as I could of the local Setswana
language and customs. And my students would often teach me as much
about their lives and about Botswana as I taught them about maths."
Neil Carr, Botswana
"We spent time looking at the importance of play as a way of encouraging communication skills.
It was amazing what the trainees came up with from things that they found lying around - wood, clay, bamboo. By using locally available resources, we aimed to encourage families to make their own toys to help their disabled children develop."
Ruth Duncan, India.
"When I left Scotland on retirement to work in Lesotho, the reaction of many colleagues was "I'd love to do what you're doing but ...". There was always a 'but', some excuse for not changing their way of life. It's a pity because they are missing out on a great experience, a new lease of life in fact.
To have the chance to put my skills and a lifetime of experience to
use working with students who are so desperately eager to learn has
been very rewarding.
Having worked in education in the UK for 27 years, I've found the
relationship in Lesotho between teacher and student far more traditional.
Age is treated with great respect. I'm referred to as 'ntate (father)
- and occasionally mosue (teacher), an honorary title that goes back
to the times when young boys were initiated into manhood. I take that
to mean I've been accepted to some extent into their cultural ways,
something I really value."
Jack Devlin, Lesotho
"For me, the major thing I learnt working in Africa was patience. You cannot expect instant results and you can never take things for granted. Supplies are not on your doorstep, electricity may not be available, and water may have to come from a river some distance away. You learn to improvise, to make the most of what resources you have, to adapt to local conditions."
Graham Duffill, Swaziland
"Frustrating, thrilling, infuriating, exhilarating."
Julie Turner, Lesotho
"Every time I walk into the classroom, I remember why I enjoy teaching. In my first semester, I taught English in the Faculty of Engineering and had in total about 100 students, only four of whom were women. My initial apprehension at being in such a male-dominated environment was unfounded. I had never been in a class of such hardworking, charming students.
Competition for places at the university is fierce and the workload
for students is gruelling. English is seen as essential but also as
a class where they can relax a little. The education system seems
very traditional - the teacher talks, the students listen. Despite
this, after a little trial and error, my classes have responded well
to different teaching methods which is very rewarding.
All development workers talk of the need to rid yourself of any preconceived
ideas. Before I came out, I questioned the need for development workers
at tertiary education level. Surely the only people who could have
got as far as university were from a wealthy, well-educated elite.
How naive! In reality, I am constantly humbled and impressed by the
effort many of the students have made to reach university. Some come
from families of subsistence farmers, others have parents with no
formal education and live in the most difficult circumstances in the
poorer districts of Maputo. It is, as I said, a humbling experience."
Bridget Sleap, Mozambique
"One of the unusual aspects of development work is that you are always hoping someone else will put you out of a job.
Nothing was more rewarding than finding local staff keen to take on our mantle.
And, as we took a step back to support them from the wings, we felt the project was taking a big step forward."
Pete Allen, Tanzania.
