Zambian High Commissioner visits Swansea University volunteers
His Excellency Professor Royson Mukwena, High Commissioner for the Republic of Zambia to the UK and Northern Ireland, will come to Swansea [Friday 24 June 2011] to meet with University volunteers about their impending visit to Zambia.
Eleven students from the Swansea University volunteer organisation, Discovery, were selected to take part in developing the Swansea - Siavonga Partnership this year. The students will travel to Zambia in July to work with the local community and experience life in Siavonga.
Professor Iwan Davies, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation at Swansea University, said: "It is an honour to welcome the High Commissioner, Professor Royson Mukwena, to Swansea University.
"The summer exchange visit planned will give all those involved a wonderful opportunity to impact positively on each others lives and, at the same, allow the student volunteers to gain valuable employability and inter-cultural skills that they will use to help enrich the lives of disadvantaged people in both Swansea and Siavonga."
Many people in Siavonga have no access to power, clean water, toilets or a healthy diet. Most of the affected population is comprised of women and children who live without access to education or many basic resources.
During their stay, the Swansea University students will address five key themes of life in Siavonga: Livelihoods, Environment, Health, Children and Social Harmony.
Added to these will be a variety of activities such as fence building, cookery demonstrations, teaching children in the local orphanage, teaching business skills and demonstrating how to use mosquito nets.
His Excellency, Professor Royson Mukwena, the High Commissioner for the Republic of Zambia said: "The Swansea-Siavonga Partnership is a really good example of how we can work together to share knowledge and skills. Creating community links such as this will increase understanding and build relationships that will support Zambia in its work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals."
Discovery is a volunteer-led Swansea University organisation which aims to enrich the lives of people, through volunteering, both in Swansea and further afield. It is the lead organisation in the UK for the Swansea-Siavonga Partnership - a not for profit partnership between two charitable organisations: Discovery Student volunteering in Swansea and the Siavonga Nutrition Group in Siavonga, Zambia.
Christine Watson, the Manager at Discovery concluded: "The development of the partnership has been an exciting piece of work over the past three years. Having had the opportunity to work in Siavonga and gain the skills, knowledge and passion that I have for this project, I am truly grateful to the university for their investment into the students’ experience. I know the students will gain real benefit for themselves and will embrace the true nature of the two-way partnership."
