The Ubuntu 2009 Awards

Download now the UBUNTU Guide to International Voluntary Youth Service in Africa and Europe. The Guide includes interesting and useful information for those youth people who would like to involved in international volunteer projects.

Watch and enjoy online the final versions of UBUNTU videos!

Download the UBUNTU 2009 Award map now!

Based on the work of the jurors, partners, and other stakeholders in the Ubuntu International Youth Voluntary Service Award 2009, we are pleased to announce the publication of the 8 Steps of Quality in International Youth Voluntary Service.

This document contains the eight step cycle of the international voluntary service project, and notes on each of the eight steps.

Minutes of the conference held in Johannesburg are available to download.

These contain very useful information on voluntary service in Africa, and lively comment on voluntary service from the African perspective.

An article about the Hungarian UBUNTU award winner is now available. The article is in the Mozaik newspaper dated 3rd December 2009

Pictures from the opening ceremony.

An article in Mail & Guardian Online, titled “volunteers help to plug ‘development gap’” raises the profile of international voluntary service, and at the same time raises the important issues about the role of international voluntary service for development.

To read the article, click here

Ágnes Csordás was interviewed on Hungarian TV about Ubuntu and the Taita project in Kenya. Please note this video currently does not display when browsing using Internet Explorer 8.

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Transcription of the Interview:

Presenter: “Ubuntu, Ngubuntu, Ngabuntu”. Don’t be scared dear audience we are not having a language class. This sentence from South Africa means: I am, because you are. You are, because we are. This statement is the motto of UBUNTU award and conference, which was organised for the first time in Johannesburg couple of weeks ago. The reason that we deal with this far-away event is because one of Taita Foundation volunteer’s Agnes Csordas also participated on this ceremony. I warmly welcome Agnes here in the studio and if I know right you and your foundation have won a price as well?

Agnes: Good afternoon audience! Indeed, we have won the special prize for Sustainability, which is a big acknowledgement for us since this international project is supported by the European Union Youth in Action programme. We won this prize because with the help of our volunteers we created enduring values in Kenya. The foundation established and runs a nursery at the moment in Africa. With the help of continuous projects such as improving nutrition conditions for kids and environmental protection actions we try to develop the local circumstances. We have also built a reservoir there now as well.

Presenter: Who established the foundation? Who are the members?

Agnes: Taita works together with only volunteers. Nowadays the foundation has ten active volunteers without having any paid employee. In this way we can spend all the money we raise for the project which is organised by 20-30 volunteers. In Saint Joseph orphanage we work together with Sister Willhelmina, who responsible for coordinating institutional daily life.

Presenter: How can a young Hungarian girl become a volunteer in Africa?

Agnes: This needs comprehensive preparation in advance which organized by the foundation. Currently I am active as a volunteer coordinator so if somebody would like to become a volunteer he or she gets first contact with me. Pre-departure training can take between half and a full year, and includes technical training, mental work, and financial training as well. The volunteers have to pay for their own flight tickets and vaccinations.

Presenter: Have you ever been thinking about the fact that there are people in Hungary or in the Carpathian-basin whom need help as well? Don’t you have homesickness?

Agnes: Yes, I do. I have just returned on Sunday from Nagyszalonta where I am volunteering monthly for Father Bojte Csaba who runs a rest home there. My opinion is that if somebody starts to do volunteer activities he or she will do it not just for one organisation. Taita’s volunteers together with other Hungarian organisations as well on issues as environment protection. However I know that in Africa 30 kids are waiting for the Hungarian volunteers. We can give them a lot of love.

Presenter: Taita has been successfully operating for 3 years now. What are your future aims? What would you like to achieve in terms of the orphanage and its environment?

Agnes: Changes and development are visible for everybody even if you are first time in Africa or several times. Our aim is to provide further ethical and financial support. In Hungary in order to promote African culture we organize presentations and exhibitions.

Presenter: Perhaps you could organise language courses as well?

Agnes: Yes, we are planning to start Swahili language classes.

Presenter: It is pretty jawbreaking, isn’t it?

Agnes: Yes, yes, yes. The official language in Kenya is English so they can understand Hungarians easily, but a little exercise always pays off!

Presenter: Thank you very much for being here. We wish you success and strength regarding your activities and many youngsters who would like to join. By the way can they still join?

Agnes: Yes, yes, yes absolutely.

Presenter: Thank you very much.

Agnes: Thank you very much as well.