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Volunteering in Munich for Education in Africa

Sarah Häring has just come on board as a volunteer at Jambo Bukoba in Munich. She will be part of the marketing and communications team, focusing on our annual Tanzania group tours for supporters and volunteers. We spoke with Sarah to find out a little bit about her and why she was inspired to join the team at Jambo Bukoba.

“When I realized that gender equality is also a key focus of the work at Jambo Bukoba, I decided to apply as a volunteer.”

Sarah – welcome to Jambo Bukoba. Where are you from originally?

I come from the suburbs of Munich, Germany. That’s where I grew up and went to school. But at times I have lived in different places in and outside of Germany.

For example, I moved Würzburg for my bachelor studies in media communications. Würzburg is a really nice, little student city around 300 km north of Munich. I very much enjoyed studying there.

And before studying, I took a gap year and moved to Vancouver in Canada for six months to improve my English. Additionally, I did an Erasmus semester in Turku, Finland. If you like the cold (and saunas!), like I do, I highly recommend visiting Finland during the winter. The snowy landscape is just incredible, especially up north in Lapland.

Right now you are a student. What are you studying?

I am doing a masters at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. Currently I am in my first year of this 2-year program, which is called “Cognition and Communication”.

I’ve never heard of cognition and communication. What does it involve?

It combines different disciplines in humanities, for example psychology and philosophy, with various sciences like neuroscience or computer science and communication theories. We look into how cognitive processes affect face-to-face and online communication as well as media consumption.

Why did you apply to volunteer with Jambo Bukoba?

Initially, it was the concept of the organization that sounded really intriguing: the idea of using sports and combining that with health education to help children. That sounded really interesting and sustainable too.

Additionally, I believe that it is really important to keep on fighting for gender equality and to empower girls all over the world. When I realized that gender equality is also a key focus of the work at Jambo Bukoba, I decided to apply as a volunteer.

What are you responsible for as a volunteer?

I am part of the marketing and communications team and I will mostly focus on the area of “learning safaris”. We organize several different tours to Tanzan
ia every year for different groups of supporters and partners. One of these trips is called a “learning safari”.

What is a learning safari exactly?

The learning safari is a bit like a high potential employee program. It’s aimed at corporates. Companies can send their high potentials as well as selected junior or senior staff on one of these journeys for development purposes. By undertaking different challenges on the safari, employees use their skills, learn new ones, grow and become better leaders and team members.

What do employees do on the learning safari?

They dive into a school building project in Tanzania for about ten days. They get to work hands on, constructing classrooms or sanitary facilities or helping to install water tanks. They pitch in on the hard work and cooperate with locals.

Of course, there are also cultural aspects of the learning safari that are interesting and great fun. You get to find out more about the people of Tanzania, the food, the traditions and history through various activities and trips while there.

“Fieldtrips are for anyone who is interested in going to Tanzania to find out how Jambo Bukoba is helping to make children strong through sport and other activities.”

Will you do the travel organization to Tanzania then?

No, my role will be in the communications area. I will help to promote the learning safari for corporates and also market our social impact fieldtrips. The fieldtrips are for anyone who is interested in going to Tanzania to find out how Jambo Bukoba is helping to make children strong through sport and other activities.

Corona might make this all a bit more challenging, but I am positive that there are a lot of people out there, who would be really interested in an unforgettable trip like that.

Sounds great! Have you been to Tanzania yourself?

No, I haven’t been there yet, but I have travelled to Namibia and South Africa with my family.

A key aspect of Jambo Bukoba’s concept is “lifeskills through sport”. Do you play sport?

Yes – mainly winter sports like skiing or ice-skating. I was also part of the volleyball team back in high school. But the most exciting sport that I do is diving!

The connection with sport was a big factor in deciding to volunteer with Jambo Bukoba. Sport is a great unifier and it empowers. Empowering children, especially girls, is vital if they are to stay on in full-time education and have a better future.

Is there a unique aspect of Jambo Bukoba’s work that stood out when you were researching charities and NGOs?

Definitely! In my opinion, it is really inspiring and also very important that Jambo Bukoba cooperates closely with the local communities in Tanzania. Jambo Bukoba conducts itself as a partner at eye level with Tanzanian officials, schools and leaders.

Also, with all Jambo Bukoba school renovation projects, the communities in Tanzania contribute a percentage of the costs whether through the provision of labour or work materials or in some other form. In this way, they are co-owners of that project.

You are planning to stay with Jambo Bukoba for some time. What are you most looking forward to while you are here?

I am looking forward to using the knowledge and experience that I have in the area of marketing and communications for something good and worthwhile. I hope that I can help to improve the situation for children in Tanzania and I am also looking forward to working with such a great team!

Thank you, Sarah, for volunteering to help Jambo Bukoba. We really look forward to working with you too and we truly welcome your input.

If you would like to find out about volunteering with our organization in Munich or if you would like to come with us on one of our next journeys to Tanzania, please check out our website and get in touch.

Sarah Häring was interviewed by Muriel Burke

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