Volunteering in Paya

Lindas Experiences

A highlight of our trip to our project in Colombia was meeting Linda in person, who had applied for the volunteer project near Paya through our Workaway profile. Linda spent a full three months on site and left a lasting impression.

Thanks to her voluntary social year in a kindergarten in Colombia, numerous volunteer activities, and her educational studies, Linda brought valuable experience in working with children and teaching. Her open and warm nature, as well as her quick perception, helped her to integrate quickly into the schools.

On site, Linda initially lived with Rosa and her family in Milagros, where she felt very welcome. Rosa lives with six of her eight children in humble conditions, surrounded by mountains, tropical animals, and beautiful nature. Linda enjoyed her time with Rosa’s family and quickly grew fond of them.

During the last weeks, Linda supported another school in La Union, another town in Paya. There, she stayed with an elderly woman who lives on a mountain in the middle of nature. Although the way to school was long, Linda enjoyed the daily walks through the rainforest and the conversations with the woman.

“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world”

Malala Yousafzai, Kinderrechtsaktivistin und Friedensnobelpreisträgerin

Tasks and Achievements

At the schools, Linda was able to take on a variety of different tasks and assume responsibility. Her duties included organizing and leading creative activities such as painting, crafting, and playing, as well as teaching subjects like English, Spanish, Biology, and Mathematics. What we particularly liked was that, in addition to traditional subjects, Linda also taught the children essential life skills such as self-love, communication, mindfulness, and empathy. Thanks to her empathy and professional expertise, she was also able to support children with special challenges and boost their self-confidence. Additionally, Linda worked alongside Lorena, a speech therapist funded by Mission Positivity, to help children with speech exercises and activities. After school, Linda often assisted the children of her host family with their homework, engaged in activities, and allowed the children to show her their favorite places, such as a nearby waterfall where they loved to swim after school.

Challenges in Paya

Alongside all the positive aspects, life in Paya also comes with some challenges. Unemployment leads many men to alcohol addiction and increased domestic violence, which can be very distressing for children and women. For Linda, the thought of the families’ suffering was also difficult. During her work at the schools, she noticed that many children came to school withdrawn and traumatized due to family incidents. With her loving and empathetic nature, she quickly gained the children’s trust and became an important point of contact for them. Her work was invaluable to the children and the schools in every way.

Despite the challenges, Linda looks back on her time in Paya very positively. She particularly enjoyed the moments with the children and appreciated the warm welcome from the communities and families. Linda left a lasting impression on the hearts of everyone who was fortunate enough to work with her. The teachers and children loved working with Linda and are saddened by her departure. Her stay has sparked further ideas, leading to plans for future volunteers to support teachers in additional locations and initiate workshops for women.

Linda also hopes for further support from new volunteers soon:

“It is a great opportunity and a joy to be here. I hope there will soon be a new volunteer, as the children are very eager to learn more about new people, places, and customs.”

Join Our Volunteer Team

Would you like to support the children and schools in Paya and participate in our volunteer program? Feel free to contact us at info@missionpositivity.org or visit our Workaway profile for more information. We look forward to meeting you!