weltwaerts is German word and could be translated as "world bound". It describes a person's positive disposition towards "the world out there" in the first place. But weltwaerts is also a volunteer programme and a stipend scheme of the German Government for young German adults who are interested in gathering cultural and project experience in the developing world.

By doing volunteer work, the adoscelent Germans increase their intercultural competence and obtain valuable skills and orientation for their further professional carrer. By means of "learning through active assistance", the volunteers add value to the partner organisation on a development-political level, by promoting self-help programmes. This in turn affects the educational work in the field of development policy and, back in Germany, creates a better understanding of the nations of the world. There are various sending agencies of which the DED is the largest (2009: deployment of 600 volunteers worldwide). The programme started in January 2008. Namibia was one of the first countries where DED deployed weltwaerts volunteers. The first generation of volunteers took up their assignement in July 2008. Being 18 to 23 years old, they were and will be deployed at civil organisations for a peroid of 12 months.

weltwaerts volunteer Marlies Nwosu, Windhoek 2009

Namibia was one of the first countries where DED deployed its weltwaerts volunteers. The first group of 29 volunteers arrived in July 2008 and stayed for a year. The second generation already counted 34 volunteres. Being 18 to 23 years old, they are placed in various civil organisations in Swakopmund, Windhoek and the northern most parts of Namibia. The nature of the projects range from environment, education, community work and culture to small & medium enterprise promotion as well as special needs. The volunteers work amongst others for institutions like the environment education centre NaDEET in the Namib desert, the business consultant SMEs Compete in Windhoek, the Association for Children with Language, Speech and Hearing Impairment (CLaSH) in Swakopmund, the bridging school & hostel project by the Steps for Children Foundation in Okakarara, the Gobabeb Desert Research and Education Institution in the Namib-Naukluft Park or the Arts Performance Center in Tsumeb. Over and above, volunteers comming to Namibia with DED have more than 20 partner organisations to choose from.

Contact