My name is Domna Fournaraki, and I’ve had the good fortune of experiencing the entire cycle of how African Child Trust (ACT) works and operates in the UK and in Africa, first as a placement student and then as an international volunteer in Africa.
The journey started In September 2022 when I arrived in London from Thessalonica, Greece to study for my MA in Human Rights Policy and Practice at the Roehampton University, London. Part of the programme required that I spent time on placement with an organisation where I could learn and gain more experience in my chosen field of work. African Child Trust (ACT) is on the list of the organisations that Roehampton University provided and has had a long history of receiving placement students from the university. After doing some research and checking their website, I decided to contact them, and I never looked back. ACT truly fulfilled my expectations.
In the 25 years since it was formed, ACT has brought about change and made a positive impact to the lives thousands of disadvantaged people, particularly children and women, in many communities in 8 countries of Africa. They provide access to education for fatherless children and orphans and empower women and widows, through training in business skills and income generation, to sustain their households. ACT also carries out development projects in education, sanitation, and health to enrich the communities where they work. I particularly admire their mission of sustained educational support for disadvantaged children from primary school to university, enabling these children to reach their potential in life. Being part of an organisation that is committed to support, safeguard and promote the welfare of people in need is inspiring.
Placement and Internship
My role during the placement and leading to the internship started with the task of updating the ACT operational handbook to improve such areas as safeguarding of the beneficiaries in Africa to ensure that they are fully protected, and their needs are prioritised. This gave me the opportunity to learn how ACT operates through its partnerships in Africa.
My next task was to review the ACT International Volunteering Experience (ACTIVE) project which had become dormant following the COVID pandemic. ACTIVE is designed to facilitate international volunteering, whereby ACT sends out volunteers with expertise and knowledge to support its projects in Africa. Opportunities are offered for short- or medium-term postings. I had the task of reviewing and updating the process in order to resume sending out volunteers to projects in Africa. I worked on sections such as recruitment of volunteers, pre-travel training and fundraising. I also updated the types of work that volunteers may be required for in Africa.
The ACT staff members in the UK Croydon were welcoming and supportive. I was impressed with their professional approach and genuine interest in the work they do individually and its impact on the beneficiaries in Africa.
Overseas Volunteering in Tanzania
Domna interviewing some of the women in Biharamulo District, Tanzania.
My exposure to the work I was doing as an intern in the UK office increased my interest in how this directly impacted the lives of the beneficiaries in Africa. I was eager to go and see.
Having updated the ACTIVE programme process, I had a desire to put it into practice and test it out. I requested the opportunity to conduct my fieldwork research on child pregnancy as an international volunteer in Tanzania, one of the 8 countries where ACT is working in Africa. In Tanzania, ACT is working across the norther regions from Tanga in the East, Kilimanjaro in the centre and Kagera and Geita regions in the West. It was felt that Kagera and Geita regions, being very rural, were best-placed as the region to conduct my field work. I was introduced to ACT’s partners who are based in Chato, in Geita region, who welcomed my trip. I began working through the very international volunteering process (ACTIVE) that I had helped to update. The help and the information provided – including with my visa, the many different vaccinations required, flight arrangements (Kagera is much out of the way) and accommodation arrangements – was precious and necessary seeing that it was my first time traveling alone to Africa.
Domna with a small group of women in Kibehe Village, Chato, Tanzania.
My one month in Chato, Tanzania was a delightful experience. I was working with well qualified staff members. I embraced many different roles depending on the needs of the community, allowing me to see things from a global point of view. The staff members travelled with me on field visits to the different villages and schools across the region that they had prearranged, with appointments scheduled. I conducted individual interviews and formed focus groups with women, teachers, and volunteers, helping me to become intimately familiar with the vulnerabilities and needs of the people concerned. The language barriers were not an obstacle thanks to the support of staff members from ACT’s partner organisation interpretating for me.
I am fortunate to have witnessed the impact of ACT’s comprehensively managed projects while living among the beneficiaries in one of the most rural parts of Africa where people are often isolated and forgotten. The experience has helped me to evolve as a professional in my field of work. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. It has been a most valuable experience that I will treasure forever.
Volunteering is at the core of how ACT operates. As a relatively smaller charity, ACT aims to minimise costs in order to maximise the potential benefit that they can provide to disadvantaged widows and children in Africa. Nevertheless, a placement at ACT can be invaluable in developing your skills and experience as well as being a rewarding and exciting place to work. To find out more about volunteering with ACT, do not hesitate to contact us here.