RGV: Volunteer in Zanzibar

It has always been a dream of mine to support a project and help children who are not lucky enough to grow up as well as we did.
I always thought that I would have to take some time off and quit my job to realize this dream. In addition to that, I always told myself: "This is only for students or pupils after school - you are too old for this! Both turned out to be a clear mistake.
At the beginning, an acquaintance made me aware that there are aid projects that can be covered even with 4 weeks of vacation. And so I rummaged on the Internet and came across RGV relatively quickly. Among many other providers, this organization immediately struck me very positively, because it appealed to all age groups and also seemed very professional. After I had read up on the homepage, had the information material sent to me by RGV and had also personally talked with the organization, it was clear to me - I have the possibility to realize my dream here.
Fortunately, my bosses immediately agreed to my request for an unpaid leave, so everything went smoothly. Thanks to the great organization of the RGV team, my desired destination and my wish to work with children were secured, my flights were booked and I was provided with the most important information.
In June I was already on my way! The first days in Zanzibar were really quiet and there was nothing to do due to Ramadan and the African mentality. Nevertheless, I was able to visit the kindergarten/school and make contact with the director. Then it was also quickly clear - there is a lot to do!
So we started the very next day: Making plans - what could possibly be changed, buying paint to make the rooms more child-friendly, organizing helpers to help us with remodeling the garden, starting an appeal for donations to organize money for doors and windows, plastering, painting etc. In the following 5 weeks we were able to move and change a lot and the time flew by.
From 7 -11 o’clock in the morning I was allowed to help organize the lessons together with the other volunteers.
In the kindergarten, which is kind of a preschool, we did not play as we usually do in our kindergartens in Europe, because there aren’t enough toys or space. Here, we rather sing and repeat after the teacher, but we also teach English and math.
If we couldn't help with the lessons, we helped with cooking the daily porridge, which often was the only warm meal for a day for many children. We also used our time to paint the rooms and made everything a bit nicer and more child-friendly. It was incredibly nice to see how content and happy the children already were without owning anything.
Summing up, the interaction with the children gave me a lot of joy.

Accommodation in the host family
During my stay I lived with a local family, which was arranged for me by RGV.
I simply wanted to get to know the African daily life.
However, I still had contact with the other volunteers in the Student House and was able to do a lot with them in my free time. In the evenings and on weekends, I also enjoyed talking to my family and being involved in their lives.
Of course, the living situation is not comparable to European standards, and you have to get used to this "simple life". However, one gets a new perspective on everything and is also rewarded with endless hospitality from the locals.
As a conclusion I can therefore only say that I recommend volunteer work to anyone who wants to take a time out and combine it with a meaningful project. These kind of a breaks bring a lot of experience and also an infinite satisfaction for one's heart. The different perspective that I got there makes it much easier for me now in everyday life, because I see many things more relaxed. And yes - one learns to appreciate again how well we are doing.