Volunteering with Orphan Children in Africa

I am currently in my 3rd year of education at the University of Alberta, I have tutored for the past year, taught piano, and done various volunteer work in schools around my city. What motivates me to volunteer abroad is to help the children in need, I want to expand my horizons, help children learn and read English, and make a truly meaningful impact on their lives. I have seen how much I can help my students in Red Deer and I want to be able to help children in other areas of the world. In starting this journey, I would like to include my students that I have impacted around Red Deer, I want to fundraise with them and gather supplies that I can bring to Africa with me. I want them to know the importance of helping not just the community around them but people across the world that they don’t even know! I think this would be an incredible experience for the students to be a part of, encourage them to be leaders, and show them that no dream is too big.

The program that I am looking at going into is helping orphans in Africa, when I was 14 years old I lost my mom due to cancer. I want use my experiences with losing my mom to support, love, and give these children what they need because I can connect with them in some specific level. My mom had such a big, generous, loving heart, and despite the hard times she was going through being in pain from cancer, she would always put others before herself. I want to continue her legacy by helping these children who are in dire need of support.

The last few years I have a lot of experience with children such as tutoring, teaching (piano), coaching (hockey, basketball, volleyball, and soccer), volunteering in schools, and doing practicums (in middles schools and elementary schools). These experiences have made me excel when working with children. I can supply various supports to the children in need and help them learn important concepts such as English words and learning to read. I feel it is so important for these children to have positive support teams and someone who can connect with them, I believe that I can be this person for them.

My goals for this trip are to make lifelong connections with mentors, other volunteers, and most importantly to make an impact on children’s lives that they will remember forever. My past experiences will help me make important connections with these children by getting to know them, showing how much I support and care for them, and sharing common interests.

I don’t have a lot of money to do this and going to Africa does make me nervous, but I feel the impact that I can make on these children is worth concurring my fears and trying my hardest to raise the money I need to get there.

Thank you for your time and your support in living my dream to help these children.