Blog

 

One skill, One project, One transformed life at a time!

In the Southern Region of Malawi, just outside Blantyre, sits a school that quietly demonstrates one of the most powerful truths in modern education: vocational training changes lives. At DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School, this truth is not an abstract idea or a policy slogan. It is visible every day in the workshops, the fields, the... READ MORE

A crucial skill for volunteering is the ability to work together as a team!

I, Nabila, had the wish from when I was 16 to do something for others who need help.  I had the idea of going to Africa and perhaps help people to return to their country after a war. I started to work with a youth organization in Colombia and decided to include development work as... READ MORE

Is Food Security possible in Malawi, or an Utopia?

Since I started in the Volunteer Abroad Team at Richmond Vale Academy, I started to study the issue of Food Security, a topic that is currently mentioned a lot, as millions of people face hunger daily. So, I chose to work with the project of DAPP Malawi called “Farmers Club”. I had the idea about... READ MORE

Yes, Africa makes you think differently!

Living in Malawi has shaped me in ways I don’t think I could have understood from a distance. It’s one thing to read about a place, to hear stories or see images, but it’s something entirely different to wake up in it, to move through it, to feel it.  Being here has shown me a... READ MORE

ONE VOLCANO, ONE VOICE: THE STORY OF LA SOUFRIÈRE

From the grounds of Richmond Vale Academy, the view of La Soufrière is impossible to ignore. Rising quietly above the northern landscape of St. Vincent, she seems calm most days, almost contemplative. For those who live and study here as part of the six-month Climate Compliance program, that view becomes part of daily life, a... READ MORE

One of the best things we can do is to share knowledge!

One of the best things we can do is to share knowledge, and hope that others share it too. Often, that is the simplest yet most powerful tool in development. The Home Garden Project, in my opinion, is one of the best initiatives the school has. It works on the principle that what the school... READ MORE

Malawi vs. Hunger: The Multiple Challenges to Guaranteeing Food Security

During the six months I lived in Malawi as an international humanitarian volunteer, food insecurity ceased to be an abstract concept discussed in classrooms and became part of my daily reality. Through field activities, weekly visits to local markets, and close engagement with refugee communities – especially in the Dzaleka camp, I witnessed how limited... READ MORE

My first impression landing in Malawi, Africa

Entering Malawi was as smooth as it possibly could have been, made easy by the immense support from HUMANA and DAPP Malawi. Traveling as a group made the journey even more meaningful, as those shared moments quickly became memories for a lifetime. With all the information provided by Richmond Vale Academy, obtaining our visas upon... READ MORE

Dare, take risks, and believe in yourself – you will be rewarded!

I had the opportunity to visit schools in the North Leeward area of St. Vincent to raise awareness among children and young people about Climate Change. We all know that Global Warming and Climate Change affect small island. Nations severely, so it is important that the also the next generation knows about this and about... READ MORE

Education – the road towards development…. how does it look in Malawi?

As we all know, education is foundational for all development – whether it is educating all people to read and write or to train carpenters, farmers and teachers.  Classrooms not only lack electricity, but many classrooms are without chairs and desks. During the cold months in Malawi, the temperature can drop drastically. Schools and classrooms... READ MORE

Into the Forest we go, to lose our minds and find our souls

So, the first month, filled with presentations, group tasks, and documentaries have given us a solid foundation — all neatly stacked like the lasagna beds Giorgia taught us about.  But out here, theory steps aside and the practical learning begins. The proof isn’t in the pudding after all… it’s in your blood, sweat and tears,... READ MORE