Volunteering in Morocco

Back in 2014, I made a decision to do something that I won't ever forget. I decided to do some volunteer work in Morocco with my school. There were 16 students and 5 teachers who were amazing to have made this experience even possible as it was the first ever trip that had been done like it at my school.

We volunteered with an incredible group called 'Original Volunteers' who were so helpful from the second we arrived in Morocco to the moment we left. They picked us up from the airport and made sure we knew where each project was, making us feel both welcomed and comfortable. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with the types of things that you do when you volunteer in another country, it varies. Depending on where you go in the world, there are a lot of different activities that you take part in in order to benefit that community.

All of the projects that I was involved in when I was in Morocco really made me appreciate what I have in the UK and how lucky I am to be living where I do, with endless opportunities and facilities. Every single project in Morocco was eye opening and full of emotions, but I'm going to talk to you about just a few that made a huge impact on me. As much as I would love to talk about them all, I'd definitely be here all night. 

On one of the days, we took a trip by bus to one of the traditional villages in the suburbs. We went to a children's centre situated in the village itself where the children get taught, play games and interact with each other. The women who run the centre were incredibly welcoming and set up activities with equipment set out on the tables ready for us to decide what we wanted to do. There were so many different things we did such as colouring, singing, dancing, playing football and skipping outside. 

In Morocco, the children speak French and as I had studied French as a subject in school, I had basic knowledge of how to translate. I decided to do an activity with the children on my table where I taught them how to say words in English. I started off quite basic, with numbers and colours, then I moved on to days of the week. The children were so patient and eager when learning and it was an absolute pleasure to be able to teach them things where they felt proud when they'd achieved something. It really was a special moment that I shan't forget. 

My group and I also visited a baby orphanage in my time in Morocco. Out of all of the experiences I had whilst volunteering, this was the project that I felt had the biggest impact on me. To spend time with the toddlers in the orphanage, play with them and hold them was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done but also the saddest. I remember holding one of the children and I had a flood of different emotions running through me because these children didn't have parents, they were being looked after by the extraordinary women who worked there. We then went into a room where we went to see the babies, some of them were really poorly and some hadn't even been born a few weeks and they were there. A memory I shall never forget is looking at one of the newborns and imagining how innocent they were and how someone is missing a child and that child is missing a mother. It broke my heart, making me hope that the babies and toddlers will eventually be adopted to a loving home with parents. 

Lastly, I went to paint inside and outside of a school not far from where we were staying in the neighbourhood of Bab Doukkala. The previous paintings had faded significantly and we were asked to paint over it with our own designs, making it vibrant and striking for the children to look at. I personally am not the best painter however, I did make my contributions after the artists of the group told me what to do. We separated into little groups and painted our own piece to add to the classroom and the outside of the building. My group decided to paint the solar system on the wall and with the artistic skills of both Dan and Ella, the end result was super impressive. To see everyone's paintings and the meaning behind them was beautiful and so pleasing. We managed to make the classroom bright with our own original ideas.

There we have it. That's only three of the projects I was involved in when I visited Morocco for a week. The other projects included: Visiting another centre for children, a children's home, an older children's orphanage and a homeless shelter.

As we were there for a week, Original Volunteers made sure we had some time to look around the area we were staying and experience some of the Moroccan culture. We visited the famous markets in Marrakesh, had an Arabic lesson, ate out in the centre of Marrakesh and went on a day trip to the Ouzoud Waterfalls. 

All in all, if you ever get the chance to volunteer abroad, you should jump straight in. It'll not only open your eyes to how other people live, but it'll give you the chance to make the people you visit smile and benefit from you being there. It was one of the best decisions I made and I'm planning on doing it again very soon.

Go and check out the 'Original Volunteers' website to see some of the amazing work that they do. You yourself could also be a part of that work in different parts of the world.

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted" - Unknown