Another Volunteer’s Story

With a family from Belo

Cristina joined us in our Women Empowerment project and made a wonderful difference to the ladies of Belo, Cameroon. Here is her story.

"Right after my undergraduate in 2017, I was eager to do impactful work in a community where I could help most and bring my skills to good use. Global Support Link (then called Afri-link) gave me the opportunity to volunteer in Cameroon to support the community in Belo, in the North West region. The NGO supported me throughout the process to make sure I had the right documentation and that everything was arranged upon my arrival to the country, such as picking me up from the airport and arranging accommodation with a local family. I worked in Beruda, a grassroot NGO which helped the community through various projects focused on vulnerable groups such as orphans and widows. I helped oversee those operations and started a project to support single mothers in the community by helping them open their own business to support themselves and their families. During my time there, I learnt about how activities were implemented and understood the importance of having a bottom-up approach by putting the needs of the community at the centre. I lived in a semi-detached house close to a family of 5. We shared meals together and I learnt about the family's customs and ways of living such as going to church on Sundays - I was lucky enough to attend a traditional wedding! Overall, my volunteering experience in Cameroon gave me an invaluable experience which gave me a new perspective on how to approach international development. To date, I am supportive of the activities carried out by Global Support Link and would encourage others to volunteer and support its initiatives." 

If you are interested in volunteering, please look at our Volunteer page