Cara and I spent three weeks in the fishing village in Sumatra. We got to know everyone involved in the project, these people made sure every day that we had a great time. This included trips to see more of Sumatra, live music every evening, and delicious food.

Every morning at 8:30, we rode a motorbike to the primary school to teach English to the village children. Each day we were warmly and enthusiastically welcomed. We taught the children a few more English words every day, while doing our best to learn some Bahasa from them as well. In the afternoon, we headed to the kids centre with the other volunteers. Here too, the children learned from us and we learned from them, but in a more playful way.

Every day, the children came whenever they felt like it. Their enthusiasm and gratitude warmed my heart every single day. We played games, danced together, went swimming together. We also helped paint a classroom that was being built to create a space where the children could learn and discover and develop their skills. This classroom is the first step towards hopefully building a full school.

We met so many pure-hearted children who deserve so many more opportunities. Hopefully, we were able to contribute in some way, and many more will continue this after us. What an experience.

Why should volunteers travel with Volunteer Worldwide?

It is an amazing experience that broadens your perspective on the world. You get to learn about a completely new culture and meet lots of people, while also helping to broaden the horizons of the locals. We were warmly welcomed, and everything was ready and in order when we arrived.

- Manou