By Edson Eduardo, Brazil, Development Volunteer team April 2024
Going to Africa, making a difference, helping people, communities and schools, volunteering, learning new cultures and sharing knowledge is undoubtedly the desire of many students who arrive at CICD for the 10 and 12 month programmes.
Sometimes the fear of the new is mixed with the desire to go to the African continent straight away and embark on this adventure, a real mix of emotions and feelings. But you have to remember that it takes one step at a time, everything has its own time.
Studies and learning is needed as preparation
And here at CICD, before each student has their experience as a DI (Development Instructor) in an African country, they have to go through the classroom, sit, listen, study, discuss and share knowledge with each other…learn. Here we believe that no one is so wise that they can't learn, nor so immature that they can't teach, learning from each other is a big part of the preparation process.
And here we can ask ourselves, which stage is more important, the time spent studying at CICD or the experience as a DI in Africa? Think of a bird, which wing is more important, the right or the left? Which can we remove without it losing its ability to fly?
That's right, neither!
Both are important and if one is missing, the bird will certainly suffer, not open its wings, not be able to fly.
Now think with me: theory and practice, preparation and action, where the theory/technique is developed at CICD and the practice/experience in Africa, two stages that only make sense when they are combined. Imagine coming to CICD to study for months, preparing yourself, developing new skills, acquiring new knowledge and then receiving a certificate and returning home. Would that make sense to you? I don't think so. Now imagine yourself going directly to Africa, without going through CICD, how many doubts you would have. Well, I want to help, but what would I do there? Where would I start? How could I help that community? What do they need? What about the language? What about the culture? Oh, everything is different and unknown, the unknown generates fear and fear, if not overcome, paralyses and prevents progress.
The preparation is followed by action
In Portuguese there is the word PREPARACAO - PREPARATION, which is the combination of two words preparar (to prepare) and acao (action), in other words, to prepare for action.
Finally, I don't think that preparation removes challenges, not at all, they will be there, waiting for us and as we overcome one after the other, but more and more will come.
But preparation will help us to deal with each one of them. With new skills, new knowledge, new experiences, dealing with challenging situations will be easier. The community life in CICD will certainly help us to be open-minded and broad-minded about the resources we have available, to be creative, to listen to others, to co-operate proactively. And, without a doubt, these experiences will carry us through life, they will be new baggage that we will take back to our countries, with the aim of continuing to make a difference. Remember that this journey of knowledge begins at CICD, passes through Africa, but does not end with the Bring it to the public period, it continues in our lives as human beings, at the service of a better world.