Volunteer – Old

Hi, my name is Dorothea Strabner, I am 19 years old. I am originally from Germany. Last year, I matriculated and I am now spending a year in South Africa to volunteer in and learn from different charitable organisations in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. I have been volunteering at TREE since October 2015 in the ECD Enabling Environment Department (EEE).

My experience at TREE has been amazing as I had an opportunity to be in a formal working environment and also because the staff was so welcoming. The main focus of my work was to assist the Community Library Programme. TREE gets involved in the livelihood of young children in communities through their Toy Libraries. These are facilities which TREE has placed in marginalised rural communities where practitioners and young children have access to ECD toys.

Among other tasks, I was tasked with designing flyers and putting together new themed teaching materials. The staff at TREE have always been helpful and I could count on their assistance during my service period. I was trusted to work independently and all the while I was able to assist other departments especially during the Christmas period when TREE received a lot of donations from generous donors.

TREE is always busy and the people there are filled with the spirit to serve the children of South Africa. All their work is done in a well-coordinated way. My personal highlight was a field trip to a Toy Library in Centocow where I saw all the resources at use. For example, the toys and training resources for the facilitators from the TREE Head Office in Durban, are actually used to educate young children between the ages of 0-4 years.

I’m grateful that I was able to assist TREE and I certainly hope that the organisation continues to make a difference in South Africa for many years to come.

Dorothea, also known as “Doro” putting together a puzzle with children at one of TREE’s Toy Libraries in Centocow.

Hi, my name is Dorothea Strabner, I am 19 years old. I am originally from Germany. Last year, I matriculated and I am now spending a year in South Africa to volunteer in and learn from different charitable organisations in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. I have been volunteering at TREE since October 2015 in the ECD Enabling Environment Department (EEE).

My experience at TREE has been amazing as I had an opportunity to be in a formal working environment and also because the staff was so welcoming. The main focus of my work was to assist the Community Library Programme. TREE gets involved in the livelihood of young children in communities through their Toy Libraries. These are facilities which TREE has placed in marginalised rural communities where practitioners and young children have access to ECD toys.

Among other tasks, I was tasked with designing flyers and putting together new themed teaching materials. The staff at TREE have always been helpful and I could count on their assistance during my service period. I was trusted to work independently and all the while I was able to assist other departments especially during the Christmas period when TREE received a lot of donations from generous donors.

TREE is always busy and the people there are filled with the spirit to serve the children of South Africa. All their work is done in a well-coordinated way. My personal highlight was a field trip to a Toy Library in Centocow where I saw all the resources at use. For example, the toys and training resources for the facilitators from the TREE Head Office in Durban, are actually used to educate young children between the ages of 0-4 years.

I’m grateful that I was able to assist TREE and I certainly hope that the organisation continues to make a difference in South Africa for many years to come.

Dorothea, also known as “Doro” putting together a puzzle with children at one of TREE’s Toy Libraries in Centocow.

Hi, my name is Dorothea Strabner, I am 19 years old. I am originally from Germany. Last year, I matriculated and I am now spending a year in South Africa to volunteer in and learn from different charitable organisations in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. I have been volunteering at TREE since October 2015 in the ECD Enabling Environment Department (EEE).

My experience at TREE has been amazing as I had an opportunity to be in a formal working environment and also because the staff was so welcoming. The main focus of my work was to assist the Community Library Programme. TREE gets involved in the livelihood of young children in communities through their Toy Libraries. These are facilities which TREE has placed in marginalised rural communities where practitioners and young children have access to ECD toys.

Among other tasks, I was tasked with designing flyers and putting together new themed teaching materials. The staff at TREE have always been helpful and I could count on their assistance during my service period. I was trusted to work independently and all the while I was able to assist other departments especially during the Christmas period when TREE received a lot of donations from generous donors.

TREE is always busy and the people there are filled with the spirit to serve the children of South Africa. All their work is done in a well-coordinated way. My personal highlight was a field trip to a Toy Library in Centocow where I saw all the resources at use. For example, the toys and training resources for the facilitators from the TREE Head Office in Durban, are actually used to educate young children between the ages of 0-4 years.

I’m grateful that I was able to assist TREE and I certainly hope that the organisation continues to make a difference in South Africa for many years to come.

Dorothea, also known as “Doro” putting together a puzzle with children at one of TREE’s Toy Libraries in Centocow.