With two workshop leaders from Team Global, we were able to change our perspective and focus on the importance of interconnection of people in our society, especially for refugees.
First, with a long piece of ribbon we created a network between us which gave us the positive feelings of solidarity and belonging.
Afterwards we imagined our perfect world, which many described as peaceful, full of love, safe, equal and accessible resources for everyone. The needs of refugees were also discussed and how their countries of arrival should act for refugees to have a comfortable life.
We then thought about achieving this world in three categories. How to achieve it as a school, as a young adult and as an individual.
As a group we will keep working in all three categories with positive energy to achieve a world as close to perfect as it can be.
Viola, Josef and Annie
At two afternoons we planned a workshop for our fellow students in Emmaberg as well as at KHG to teach them about some of the things we’ve got to learn about refugees and migration during our program. We really enjoyed planning but also our free time activities were so much fun.
In the KHG a group of many students and teachers planned and practiced the wonderful musical “Fame” for over a year which they performed at four evenings. Lots of students from our Tansania-AG were part of it in many different ways and they performed very well, we loved it! Some of the students from Emmaberg came to watch it four times.
Nuru, Rosemary and Elisabeth
On Friday we planned the program of our partnership celebration in detail: We discussed who will bring which food, help when with the dishes etc. We also planned the different speeches about what our partnership means to us and what we’ve learned through it and as well what to tell our guests about the topic of our exchange. Also, the Emmaberg students practised their dances.
The partnership celebration on Sunday was good and wonderful, we enjoyed it very much. We did different fun things together, such as dancing together, sharing ideas, eating different kinds of delicious food from Tanzania and Germany. In the end we cleaned up all together and everyone was very happy.
Rachel, Teresia and Agribetha
After being able to experience the comfortable upcycling seats made by the Emmaberg students in their school when visiting last year, it was our wish to also take this creative project to the KHG. So, when we knew that our partners were visiting us this July we planned to adapt this project at KHG. Without the help of our former Hausmeister Franz Scherbl, who gave us the contact to get used tires from and even transported them to the school for us, this project would not have been possible.At the first day of KHG’s project days we met with other students to be taught by our partners from Emmaberg on how to build the chairs out of old tires and rope.
Even though we faced early challenges due to rain and missing some materials and tools, we were able to push on and after a small time had a good workflow going on: Some students were marking tires, the next ones were drilling holes for the rope, others weaved the rope into the tire and the rest painted the already finished seats. We managed to build 14 seats on Monday and Tuesday.
While working we already had other KHG students pass by and try out the seats which they found to be very comfortable and fun to sit on. So, we hope that this project in legacy of the sustainability work Emmaberg students started in their school will now also carry on to ours.
Benja and Andrea
On Monday afternoon, the Tanzanian teachers, Sturida and Moses, led a workshop on refugees in Tanzania. Tanzania currently hosts around 150,000 refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi. More than 100,000 of them live in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp.
During the workshop, we looked at several pictures of the camp and discussed our impressions, thoughts and questions. We learned that refugees in Tanzania face many of the same challenges as refugees in other parts of the world, including inadequate housing, limited access to employment, and an uncertain legal status. At the same time, at least based on the way the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presents its work, life in the camp appears to offer a certain degree of stability. For example, refugees have access to education and are able to grow their own vegetables, which can help them become more self-sufficient.
Smilla and Julian
My highlights about our exchange:
Hannes: Die Zeit mit der tansanischen Gruppe in der Jugendherberge in Garmisch zu Beginn war einfach super! Dank der tollen Mischung aus coolem Programm und Freizeit konnten wir uns in Ruhe und schöner Natur austauschen und auch richtig gut kennenlernen.
Moses (Emmaberg teacher): I felt positive about this year exchange long before arriving in Germany, not only because of the program, but also because I was eager to meet our friends again. Those feelings grew even stronger the moment we landed at Munich Airport and were welcomed so warmly. Throughout the 3 weeks, it genuinely felt like home. Our hosts were incredibly friendly, and their kindness made it easy for us to integrate and feel comfortable. In a world often filled with hatred and challenges, gaining new friends is something that brings me joy and gives me hope for the future. If there is one lesson, I am taking from this year’s partnership exchange, it is that love goes beyond culture and race. Love is found where you feel accepted, at peace, and connected from the heart. Let us cherish love and kindness when we choose them, the world becomes a better place to live, and this is the lesson I will carry with me from this year’s exchange program.
Faraja: 1. The way our host families live with us especially their love toward us. 2. The time we enjoyed building our friendship through games, laughter and dances. 3. All the workshops we did increased my knowledge and experience.
Gerlinde: Things I liked most:
- How our friends welcomed us in Germany the day we arrived at Munich airport.
- How our friends show us love and care.
- How our host families love us, are kind to us and care for us.
- How we cooperate in different sectors.
- The hiking and that we visited different places and areas.
- The food that was prepared for us.
- Playing different games.
- The different workshops and programs we did about refugees.
- How we got to know each other through playing different games e.g. “I’m sitting in the green” and also UNO.
Thanks a lot!
Upendo: The day I arrived in Germany I felt happy because our friends were welcoming us with kindness and happiness. Then we were going to the hostel. I especially liked the hiking we did together because it was the first time for me to do this. I won’t forget this day ever in my life. Also, I liked the workshops we did, the games we were playing like UNO and eating ice cream together. I liked to be here in Germany and all the program we did!
Agnes: Things that I liked most:
- Welcoming at the airport and driving to the hostel.
- Kindness: After reaching the hostel, the German students showed us their kindness and that make me feel good.
- Shelter: After the hostel we went the host families. The family members welcomed us so nicely and showed us love. That made me feel good and happy and I felt like I were at home.
- Hiking
- Traveling different places
- Ice cream (Strawberry)
- Cooperation between us students
- Games
- Food
Sturida (Emmaberg teacher):
- The welcoming was very exciting, coming together with students and their parents from KHG to pick us up at the airport. This was very wonderful for me.
- Good and well-arranged life in the hostel at Garmisch made me feel at home at the beginning of the stay in Germany. It helped me to copy with the new environment easier. Knowing each other through games, dancing, eating together, comforted us.
- The welcome in our host families was very nice and a very happy moment to me. I felt like I was at my home.
- The program was well arranged and organised so that we were able to cover our intended topic easier/smooth. Meeting with different experts on refugees made me to be exposed more on the issue of refugees not only in my country but also ab out other countries like Germany, Syria, Afghanistan, Congo, Palestine etc.
- The well-organized partnership celebration surprised me. The cooperation between teachers, students as well as parents was a great thing to me.
- The whole life here was amazing and nice. The KHG students, their teachers and their headmaster are very kind. Wherever we met them they showed us their kindness through smiles. We will miss your kindness!
Unsere Begegnungsreise wird gefördert durch ENSA, das entwicklungspolitische Schulaustauschprogramm von Engagement Global (im Auftrag des BMZ) und die Stiftung Jugendaustausch Bayern.
