Getting ready for Botswana (Stepping Stones International)
Posted by Meg Stickl on December 10th, 2008
I am a third year student in the Social Sciences faculty studying Psychology at the University of Ottawa. I have worked with youth in the past as a swimming instructor, camp counselor and Sunday School teacher.
In 2006, I volunteered in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the region. I tore down and rebuilt houses and also interacted with the local communities. I am going to a developing country to do a placement because I love to learn about other cultures. I want to impact the lives of those I meet and I know through this experience they will impact and change me as well. I will be working with Stepping Stones International, an NGO that works with orphaned youth aged 12-18. I will be the program assistant and I will be helping to run after- school programs such as horse back riding, karate, and sports for the youth. Also I will be involved in running workshops about continuing in further education, self-esteem, anger management, etc. I hope to get to know the youth personally while I am there. I hope to help the youth and families in tangible ways. I would love to see more youth join the program and decide to continue through school and go to university. I am excited to arrive in the village where I will be working. I am looking forward to meeting my host family who I will be spending a lot of time with. I expect it will be hard to see a country that is taken over by HIV/AIDS and it will challenge me. I am looking forward to this amazing experience and I know that I will be changed forever.
Thanks, Meg
