Miss Maria’s Summer Volunteering with Charity ASU

Miss Maria, one of our Reception Class Assistants, had a busy summer volunteering with the charity ASU.

Over the summer holidays, Miss Maria travelled to Burundi with sixteen other volunteers to volunteer for 3 weeks with the charitable organisation ASU. During this time she ventured to three different cities, with most of her time spent between two locations. The first location was a university in Ngozi where she and her fellow volunteers taught a professional skills course to adults aged 18 and above. In the afternoons they organised a summer camp for local children with activities like football, dancing, face painting and bracelet making.

The second location was Kirundo where they lived in one of the Mother Theresa of Calcutta’s homes helping with the unique work carried out by the sisters. These homes were opened all around the world by her congregation, the order of the Misionares of Charity, and they are dedicated to the poor – this includes orphaned children, those with disabilities or mental health issues, the sick and the elderly.

We sent Miss Maria with 40kg worth of our unused exercise books (with our old logo or from remote learning) which were gratefully received by a local school.

Miss Maria said “It was the best trip of my life. I hope that I can return, as it has given me so much perspective about my life here in London and the lives of our children here at Finton. I firmly believe that this is an experience that everyone should have within their lifetime.”

To see the photos on Instagram, click here.