Bola was an international volunteer with VSO who volunteered in Rwanda for 12 weeks. In Rwanda, nearly half of all children fail to complete basic education; Bola was supporting the Muhanga District Education Office in improving the performance of the 23 secondary and 106 primary schools in the area.
However, being black was one of the biggest challenges Bola faced as a volunteer in Rwanda. ‘The locals’ stereotype of a volunteer is white,’ she explains. ‘So they’d either assume I was Rwandan and talk at me very quickly, ignoring my pleas of ‘English! Anglais!’ or they’d address everything to the white volunteers. They just aren’t used to black people volunteering.’
That’s one of the reasons Bola is now involved with VSO’s Diaspora Volunteering Initiative. Through Bola’s contribution, VSO helps two UK based Diaspora communities in the UK to volunteer in their countries of heritage. As a result of her experiences in Rwanda, Bola is now volunteering to support - the African Child Trust and the Medical Association of Nigerian Specialists and GPs - to develop their own volunteering programmes. She urge on ‘Black volunteering’ by saying, ‘I want to see more black people volunteering.’
Bola’s commitment to the Diaspora organisations and her plans to undertake another placement with VSO demonstrate her great enthusiasm and vigour for volunteering. ‘I’d recommend it 100%!’ says Bola as according to her, ‘It widens horizons, broadens skills, gives you an appreciation of what you’ve got and what can be done if you put your mind to it. You might not be able to save the world but you can certainly make a small difference in a small way. And that’s the start of the ripple effect.’
