Davina (India)

After finishing University, I was not sure on the direction I wanted to take. I was interested in Development, but had no experience of developing countries. I was not sure if it would be right for me and so I contacted MondoChallenge, an organisation that supports education and livelihood programmes in Nepal, India and Tanzania. Following an interview I was selected to teach English in a small primary school in the beautiful Kalimpong area of west Bengal, India.

My stay in Kalimpong was not easy. There was no electricity, no running water and no one in the village spoke particularly good English. It really felt like another world. During those 3 months I definitely had ups and downs. At times I felt lonely and was not sure why I was there, and at other times the warmth of the students and the thrill of learning about a culture so different from my own was just amazing. After those 3 months, I was sure I did not want to be a teacher, but I was also sure that I did want a future in development or humanitarian work. My placement gave me the confidence to know that I can cope in difficult environments, and although I may miss my family and friends, I also had the opportunity to experience things which few others do.

Luckily I was able after my placement to work for the MondoChallenge Foundation to further my experience and gain an MSc in Development Studies. Since then I have worked for Relief International, ACTED and most recently Oxfam GB as Regional Advisor in Africa. I was part of the team responding to floods in Pakistan, drought in East Africa and most recently the refugee crisis in DRC. The Mondo experience definitely set me on the way. I am very happy it did as I cannot imagine doing anything so rewarding and interesting! It may not be for you, but it is definitely worth finding out.