Charlotte Shaw, Rwanda
27 May 2010
Dissatisfaction with working life in Melbourne led fundraiser Charlotte Shaw to take her skills to Africa as an international volunteer. Here, she shares with us the professional and personal challenges, and the major life changes the experience has brought about.
Heeding The Call For Change
It was September last year when I needed a change, and decided I wanted to work overseas. I knew that Australian Volunteers International (AVI) had established a global partnership with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), an international volunteering agency that provides a range of opportunities for fundraisers to work with communities throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.
So I applied for a position, hoping to get a placement in Africa as I'd never been there before.
Arriving In Rwanda
In just four months I landed in Kigali, Rwanda, to start work as a fundraiser with the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA). I have to admit that before arriving here I did not know where Rwanda was on the map. All I could call to mind were the negative images from the genocide 15 years ago. It is hard now to imagine these tragic events occurred here.
After two weeks of orientation and language lessons in the capital, I was shipped off to my new home, Gitarama. With a population of 85,000 it is essentially a one street town. Coming straight from Fitzroy, an inner city Melbourne suburb, I underwent a major adjustment period.
I live with two other volunteers in a nice little African style house with walls painted fluorescent green. We have electricity and running water (although sporadic), but we don't have gas so we cook on a small charcoal stove outside. Home is only a 10-minute walk to the office at the YWCA where I work.
About YWCA
YWCA is a not-for-profit membership organisation that supports vulnerable women and children in Rwanda. It was established in February 1995, following the genocide and in response to the rising concern for many widows and children left in its wake.
It has 1,200 members (women and girls) and more than 14,299 beneficiaries - orphans and vulnerable children, people living with HIV/AIDS and youth. The organisation's mission is to improve the education, health and socio-economic situation of women in Rwanda.
Learning And Applying New Skills
My role here is really varied and far exceeds the standard grant proposal writing.
When I first arrived, I was taken on field trips into the surrounding villages to meet our beneficiaries and gain an understanding of the various projects that YWCA undertakes.
I soon discovered that they wanted my input into their project design so that future grants could support a new improved model. Project design is not a task usually included in a fundraiser's job description and I jumped at the chance to gain the experience.
With the help of a translator, I interviewed beneficiaries to ascertain their needs and learn from their experiences of being an end service user. Many of the changes I presented to the management team were approved and the subsequent grant proposals have incorporated the new project design.
Much of my work is focused on the Giving Hope program, which empowers orphans and vulnerable children by providing access to shelter and education. The results are really tangible and I have met some of the families before and after and seen that we really are changing lives. I've attended home blessing ceremonies where beneficiaries receive a whole house for their family, and also participated in HIV awareness training.
Monitoring and evaluation of project outcomes is also part of my role. I've compiled statistics that are demonstrating more people have tried condoms since attending our trainings.
I have also managed a film crew visit. They came to make a documentary of the program and I got to travel all around the country.
It has made me really proud to see the positive impact of this project and my work here.
International vs Australian Fundraising
I have found fundraising in an international development context very different to that in Australia.Dealing with donors from around the globe presents a range of challenges. Communicating with long distance donors has seen me take on a more creative approach. Materials, proposals and reports are now submitted with photo essays to inform donors about the impact of their contribution and commitment to our work.
Back home my job was comfortable and unchanging; here my job is exciting and different from week to week. It has been the perfect opportunity to develop new skills, learn about a new culture and challenge myself.
Read more about the VSO/AVI partnership here or email vso@australianvolunteers.com