Case studies : Volunteer teacher in Malawi: Chloe Hunt

Chloe Hunt spent 6 months volunteering in rural Malawi with Lattitude Global Volunteering. Her numerous roles within village life enabled her to really integrate herself into the community and really understand theneeds of those she lived and worked with.

My time in Malawi was an impulse decision when I realised I didn't want to go straight from University into a job. I undertook a teaching placement, but what I enjoyed most was the freedom that Lattitude Global Volunteering gave me to find the needs of the community and get involved in local projects and groups where I felt most valued. I spent two days a week teaching Biology and English Literature in a secondary school, and although I didn't originally feel that teaching would be my forte, I found myself really enjoying it. The highlight for me of my secondary school teaching was the day of my form 2 JCE literature exam (GCSEequivalent) when the students came out of their exam in very high spirits and told me that the text we had spent the most time on had been the main exam question. I felt so happy that I'd been able to prepare them for it to the best of my ability.

Three days a week I spend teaching nursery school children, aged 2-6 in a tiny building in the village, and also assisting with a feeding programme at the primary school. Both these projects had been set up by women's groups and the nursery in particular was just developing. Every day at the nursery was so rewarding as I got to see children as young as 2 years old learning numbers and letters, and basic English, which most children wouldn't start to learn until the second or third year of primary school. Because speaking and understanding English is so key to success in Malawi, being able to give them this head start which could potentially affect their future was such a rewarding feeling.  Aside from the rewards of teaching, just being with the children was so much fun; every time I arrived at nursery or walked by their houses in the village they would run out to me chanting my name.

My experience in Malawi made me realise that even if you don't feel completely confident in what you are trying to do, whether it is teaching or something different, the people you meet will be so happy that you are there in their community that even your presence makes a difference to their lives.