How you too can volunteer far away from home and develop yourself further
Gain new impressions, develop yourself and help other people - all in Uganda! Even before her studies, Leonie was concerned with social inequalities and set herself the goal of changing this. Four years ago, she became aware of the charitable Paderborn Odissa-Charles organisation and has been flying to Uganda for several weeks a year ever since to provide local support.
It's about getting opportunities, utilising opportunities and giving opportunities
Leonie became interested in different dimensions of social inequality early on and decided to study Education Studies and Sociology as a result. How does a person's social background affect their future opportunities in life? In order to find an answer to this question, Leonie focused in particular on socialisation processes, social coexistence, social origin effects, educational pathways and prevailing role relationships and role perceptions.
"I still remember my first day on campus," Leonie looks back today, "I was amazed by all the knowledge and opportunities that were available to me." The fact that this knowledge is taken for granted by most people, but should actually be perceived as an absolute luxury, is particularly close to Leonie's heart.
After completing her Master's degree, she initially worked on projects in the fields of personnel and organisational development, labour market integration, (educational) poverty and migration. She then decided to pursue a doctorate at Paderborn University due to her desire for personal development and to expand her expertise in the field of economics. It was important to her to take a closer look at economic perspectives and to combine them with her existing knowledge. In addition to her doctorate and her duties in the field of university development, Leonie has held the position of Equal Opportunities Officer at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics since February. In her spare time, she volunteers for development aid in Uganda.
Leonie's role in the Odissa-Charles Association
Due to her early understanding of social inequalities, Leonie set out a few years ago in search of suitable projects in which she could actively participate. "I had the desire to change something and make a difference," she summarises her intention today. "I'm lucky to have grown up in a society where the cost of education is relatively low and I've been given lots of opportunities. I wanted to use these to give something back, because in my opinion, life is about getting opportunities, making the most of them and passing them on." Leonie describes how she came across numerous projects and organisations, but often lacked the necessary identification with the respective projects to get involved in them - until she came across Paderborn Odissa-Charles e. V. four years ago.
The organisation was founded in 2013 by Anne Grothe from Paderborn, who had previously met a young boy in Uganda who inspired her to found the association. Anne Grothe was there as part of an internship semester and by chance came across a boy called Odissa-Charles, who gave his name to the association. He walked over hot coals and burnt his feet. The burn developed into a dangerous inflammation that became life-threatening. However, as the boy's mother and siblings were living on the breadline, the family was unable to pay for the necessary medical care for the child, so the Paderborn founder took over the costs and sponsored the family on an ongoing basis.
Back in Germany, Anne Grothe told her friends and acquaintances about her experiences in Uganda, one of the poorest countries in the world. She realised that the children and families there were in urgent need of support. This initial chance encounter developed into the organisation that today supports 53 children and their families.
Five years ago, Leonie also got to know the founder herself and her story and travelled to Uganda for several months to support the ongoing projects and people. Since then, Leonie has travelled to Uganda for several weeks every year. In Germany, however, she is not idle either, but helps by developing educational concepts, sending learning tasks for the children in times of corona, activating new donors, informing herself about the situation and well-being of the children and families on site or taking care of the social media work of the organisation, which is financed solely by donations.
Leonie describes the organisation's concept as "helping people to help themselves". The members of the organisation believe that everyone has the potential to build and shape their own lives with dignity, regardless of the conditions under which they grow up or live. It is about giving people this opportunity, because this is the only way to enable sustainable development. In our work, we pay particular attention to ensuring that our projects are implemented sustainably and with social responsibility, with the necessary respect for the culture and way of life of the people as well as respect for the wonderful nature of Uganda, which must be preserved and protected. In this way, we hope to leave a positive footprint by empowering young people and sensitising them to the value of the environment. Because this is the only way to create the basis for a stable and peaceful future for generations to come, says Leonie.
The members and supporters of the organisation are also in close contact with the families in Uganda from Germany and ensure that there is almost always someone on site in Uganda to support the families. "We also try to think holistically and consider not only the children, but also their entire environment," says Leonie, summarising the association's approach. The organisation's activities include promoting school education, supporting vocational training, providing business start-up grants, covering the costs of operations, visits to the doctor and medication, as well as providing support in emergencies.
Leonie's personal experiences
"I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to get involved. We can learn so much from each other. In particular, her incredible zest for life, her courage, her optimism and her lightness are infectious and showed me an enormous contrast to my otherwise rather stressful and fast-paced life in Germany. I realised again what really counts in order to be happy and I started to focus on the basic things in life again, Leonie looks back on one of her experiences.
Today she knows that it is a huge luxury to be able to help other people and to sharpen and change her own perception.
Even the smallest actions can have a big impact, Leonie looks back on her experiences so far. "Sharing is caring - is a phrase that has now become established in our kindergarten. Once, when I was watching the children playing in the sandpit, I observed how children who were used to fighting all their lives were arguing loudly over a shovel. Another of the children noticed the argument and went over to the two of them. It looked at them and shouted "Sharing is caring!" That moment was simply incredible!"
Leonie also remembers another story that had a happy ending with the help of the organisation. We came across one of the children in one of the poorest regions in Uganda and were not sure whether he would survive due to health problems, so we decided to include the boy in the programme.
We learnt that he was living with a young local woman who had taken him in, even though she, along with two other children, was living on the edge of the poverty line herself. Although the woman had completed a degree, she was denied the chance of a job.
The organisation became aware of the young woman's fate and decided to support the family so that the young woman could continue her education and now works as a local manager for the organisation. They can now live together in a flat and the children can attend school.
How you can help
"Everyone can get involved and make a difference! At every stage of life, you have different opportunities," Leonie appeals, looking at the many options for getting involved and volunteering.
These can be activities from Germany, such as baking biscuits and organising events to collect donations, but also active involvement on site.
You can find more information on Odissa-Charles e.V. - Welcome (odissa-charles-verein.de) or on Instagram at @odissacharlesverein.
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