Make A Difference in Tanzania this Summer with Madventurer

What position do you hold at Madventurer and why do you like working there?

I'm currently the senior project manager and work in different countries over the world. The thing I like most about my job is that I get to travel to amazing places and not just to enjoy the scenery, but to live with and learn from the communities we work with.

As part of my job, I get to visit different communities from all over the world which always welcome me with open arms, one of the most heartwarming things I ever experienced. Madventurer is a small organisation which gives its project leaders a great deal of influence in where we go and the way the way wee do things, this constantly challenges me and makes me feel closely related to what I do.

How does your organization differ from other ones in the industry?

Madventurer is a small organisation with very few employees. John Lawler, the founder of Madventurer runs the office from his home in Corbridge, United Kingdom. This keeps the overhead costs as low as possible. With a lot less money going to office space etc. more money will go directly to the projects.

Next to a few international project leaders we work with local staff. This contributes to job opportunities for small communities which are usually very scarce in the areas we work in.

The fact that our organisation is so small also gives the volunteers more influence on how they wish to contribute. We work with small groups which gives the volunteers more responsibility and provides more room for personal initiative.

What is one thing you would tell any future volunteer?

I would like to tell all my volunteers that to me volunteering is not just bringing something to the community you will be working with. It is just as much about bringing something home with you.

By working in poverty-stricken villages, we can help them setting up building projects they wouldn't have the amenities or the money for themselves. But by working in these villages we also get the opportunity to learn from them and develop ourselves. This is something you can take home with you and share with your family and friends. This way we can try to not just make the third world, but the whole world a better place.

What is the level of cultural immersion your volunteers receive?

One of the most important aims of our organisation is to work very closely together with the community. Cultural immersion is very high on our agenda. We do this by living in and working with the communities where our projects are based.

Sometimes we work with home stays and sometimes the community provide us with a house just for the use of volunteers but in any case we try to get to know as many community members as possible. We do this by having dinner with them for example, or we invite members of the community to come and work alongside our volunteers on the projects.

In some cases, this has resulted in having over 50 community members helping out which not only creates an amazing atmosphere but also gives the community a great sense of accomplishment.

What qualities should volunteers have in order to be effective participants?

Our volunteers don't need any qualifications to work with us and they can be of all ages. The most important quality every volunteer should have is to be open minded and willing to adjust to the living circumstances of the communities we work with.

Cultures vary greatly from each other. By visiting and working with a group of people from a different culture it is important that you respect all aspects of it and are willing to learn from it as well. The customs of a community might not be as the ones you are used to at home, but this doesn't mean that they are inferior.