1. Talloires Network International Volunteer Program
Midterm report for the volunteer.
II Edition. 2014
South Africa has come a long way since its liberation from apartheid, just over twenty
years ago. In Monterrey, where I’m from, there are just over 1 million inhabitants.
Johannesburg has an estimated population of 4.3 million, which are more remarkable if
you ever have the misfortune to get caught up in the crowd of traffic in case of load-
shedding.
Johannesburg is a big city and as I find a lot of things in common with México (e.g. you
can find friendly people willing to help you and trying to make you feel like home almost
everywhere), I find tons of differences too. South Africa is a story of change and a story
of a country that’s trying to deal with affirmative action, gender equity and just generally
issues of fighting poverty and creating a society that deals with its people with dignity.
The main work I’ve developed here has been rewarding and challenging at the same
time. From the elaboration of visual information for the workshops with the main
purpose of making the material easier to remember to the building of zozo huts for
NGO’s on Mandela Day. We got a closer view of the Community Engagement projects
in UNISA by visiting the townships they work in, such as the Diepsloot Combined
School in Diepsloot; where we celebrated World Health Day. The learners participated in
different health centered activities.
My volunteering journey has
thaught me to keep my mind
and heart open to what at
first appears different, to
challenge my prejudices, to
put myself in the shoes of
others and discover how
much we have in common.
Name and Surname: Andrea Luna
Sending University: ITESM – Institute of
Technology and Higher Education of Monterrey
Assignment Title: Participating in a South African Community Engagement
Project: Health and Life Skills Training
Hosting University: UNISA – University of South Africa

2. During our first visit to Cape Town, I had
the opportunity to go to the Pollsmoor
Correctional Services, were inmates are
getting skilled in sewing and clothing
construction as well as nutrition and
health care. In Mfuleni Township, we met
a group of health care workers that are
doing a Unisa short learning programme
in nutrition and health during adverse
conditions. They intern will share their
knowledge with families in their
communities, with the aim to improve
their quality of life.
With the guidance of Dr. Tertia and Prof. John, Health and Life Skills Training Project
managers, we improved and aimed the workshop into addressing the real issues and
at the same time, making it simple with clear information. Our goal was to generate
useful and usable knowledge. It was through the development and implementation of
this workshops where I realized that service to a just cause rewards you with more
real happiness and satisfaction than any other venture of life.
We also assisted in presenting an immunization workshop, presented to mothers
with babies from the Mfuleni Township. The babies’ ages ranged between three
weeks and seven months. It was amazing that all the mommies where breast
feeding their babies. It highlighted to us the importance and subsequently the value
that education and skills transfer play in empowering people, especially women.

3. Talloires Network International Volunteer Program
Midterm report for the volunteer.
II Edition. 2014
Among other activities we’ve done, is an attempt to develop solutions to water and
sanitation problems within Muldersdrift community. Professor John Dewar, together
with the Engineers without Borders participants from UNISA I joined forces to work on
a Bio digester Project. A bio digester produces both methane and slurry. The methane
allows for return of gas for cooking to the household whereas slurry can be used as
fertilizer. This has great potential for social change and a lasting impact on society.
This intervention aimed at the social innovation of a community. As an International
Community Engagement Volunteer I’ve become aware that it is difficult to explain the
steps on getting energy from biodegradable waste materials, without them actually
seeing the process. Most of them have never seen it happening hence they find it
difficult to accept the idea. This has led to the idea of implementing a few around local
plots so that they can use waste from their animals to produce energy as well as a
fertiliser for their crops.
I now understand more clearly that it is not easy to win people’s trust, especially when
you are bringing something new to them. I believe that the project will be sucessfull
when we come together and make the community appreciate and accept it.
I’ve also learned that from the very start community members must form part of a
project team. Only then will their trust be won and a responsibility role taken on. In
return, ownership of the intervention and ultimately, caring and maintenance of the
value added commodity.

4. After this experience, I’m looking forward to participate in more sustainable projects with
different communities that face the same issue, such as in Platfontein. In this San
community, we already started working on the design of the intervention plan, which will
also include water re-use. I want to be able to find ways of exhorting people to come up
with their own conclusions and use their own voices, skills and capacities.
I’m sparked with the energy of the work done in the communities. Beeing a volunteer in
another country just at the middle of my studies has thaught me that education should
be practiced as a dynamic engagement with the world, its problems, and its work. In the
everyday work I’m learning habits of cooperation, responsibility, and productive outlook.
One of the best parts of the activities I’ve been doing here is undoubtedly to have the
opportunity to work with Dr. Tertia Van Eeden and Dr. John Dewar, and to live and work
in team with Marta, Alberto and Noon, who are also volunteers on the same program.
The international exchange of experience in social development opened my eyes to see
that it doesn’t matter where you are from, we are driven by the passion of make a
positive change in our society. Now more than ever, I’m convinced that we are the
generation that is going to change the world. My first 3 months in Johannesburg have
been exciting, enriching, encouraging, full of dreams. I feel a spirit of freedom and
fulfillment and I am sure that will continue collecting moments and adventures.
Talloires Network International Volunteer Program
Midterm report for the volunteer.
II Edition. 2014
As an engineering student, I’m passionated about projects where I’m able to apply the
knowledge acquired in class aiming to solving social problems. Now I realize that it’s
possible to have a high impact in the society and contribute to make a positive change.
The philosopher Thomas Friedman was not wrong when he said that the sum of your
curiosity quotient and your passion quotient can take you farther than your IQ.