Baskets, Bottletops and Banana leaves- life as a volunteer in Rwanda
Mary Watkins
- Region:
- Wales
- Notice Period:
- Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
- Type:
- Hobby and Charity
- Fee:
- Free
- Category:
- Charity
- Updated:
- 20th July 2019
I spent a year in Rwanda as a VSO volunteer working at a teacher training college. The students were very keen to deliver interesting lessons at the local primary schools as part of their training but it is difficult when you have a class of 60 children and they are sat on the floor or at oversized desks. Often the only resource the students had to use was a piece of chalk. They wanted teaching aids but they have no money to buy anything so we set about making exciting resources out of rubbish and natural materials. During the year I made many new friends and continue to visit Rwanda to help with follow on projects supporting nursery schools and women's cooperatives.
Views: 1272 | Enquiries: 10About Mary Watkins
I am a former primary school teacher and Education Officer for Welsh Water. I started doing lots of talks during my time as an education officer about the water and I was also a volunteer speaker for WaterAid having visited their projects in Africa. In 2014 and 2018 I spent two years volunteering for VSO in Rwanda training student teachers at a college (2014) and as a teacher trainer in schools (2018) and my talks are about this time and the work that I am now doing as a result of those placements. I was involved with establishing rugby in a remote area of Rwanda and am now a trustee of the charity Friends of Rwandan Rugby. I have set up a nursery in Rwanda and am supporting several others that are run by my former students from the teacher training college. I had an amazing time and totally fell in love with the country and its people and have been back many times to visit the friends I have made and to continue with the personal projects I have started. My talks are tailored to the interests of the group I am speaking to. I can focus on my time as a volunteer, the women's cooperatives I now support, the nursery schools I am developing or the rugby charity. Or I can do a potted version covering as many topics as required. I have done a lot of talks since returning from Rwanda but as I am now semi retired and have more time on my hands I am looking for new clubs and groups to speak to.
Other Talks on SpeakerNet by Mary Watkins
Send a message to the speaker
If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form: