📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Mauja Sahrawi is a non-profit organization created to support and show solidarity to the Saharawi people who are originally from Western Sahara and territory of North Africa. Part of the population fled the war and was forced into exile in Algeria.The main objectives of the organization is to raise awareness on the reality of the Saharawi people. This goal is pursued through charity drives, informative and cultural events. Every August we host a group of ten children coming from the Saharawi refugee camps. This is part of the Italian national project Young Peace Ambassadors. Main objectives of the program are: to give to the kids an opportunity to enjoy summer, be exposed to new cultures, to see the world outside the refugee camps. The children can also get accurate health check-ups.
💼 What the programme involves
The volunteers will spend the whole day with the children and their educator, a man who speaks Hassanyia language, Spanish and Italian. In the group there will always be an English-speaking referring person, together with the other volunteers from the local organization. The volunteers will be engaged in recreational activities and they will spend some leisure time with the children. The group will take care of different issues (privates and organization) that support the project. Planned activities include: one or two visits to the swimming pool, excursions to local parks and to a farm. Shared goal for everybody: give the chance to the childern to spend some good vacation time. Volunteers will clean and cook in turns.
🏠 Accommodation on site
There will be a shared bedroom for Saharawi boys and for volunteers (gender-mixed) and a smaller bedroom for Saharawi girls and for one or two volunteers (females only). Mattresses and bed sheets will be provided. Showers are located in the building next to the bedrooms. There is a big kitchen and a dining hall. Volunteers will often be hosted by privates and organizations that will offer meals. At the camp volunteers sometimes will have to help with preparation of the meals. In turns they will be cleaning the kitchen / dishwashing / cleaning of the restrooms. WiFi will be provided.
📍 About the location
Oratorio di NEMBRO (Nembro's parish center), province of BERGAMO (Northern Italy, close to Milan).
⚠️ Requirements
Volunteers are encouraged to get involved in the camp with a strong spirit of cooperation and a sharing mood. Previous experiences in animation activities with kids, or, more in general, in community volunteering would be preferred. Artistic and/or musical abilities that could be shared with the children would be very much appreciated and encouraged.