Kraen Falk

I heard about VIN from my school education guide. I am studying Emergency, Risk and Disaster Management. It is a profession bachelor degree and I had the possibility to take an internship abroad to operationalize some of all the theories we have learned through lessons of International Disaster Management. I read about VIN on their website and the possibility of having the experience of working under a Non Governmental Organisation was indeed very appealing to me.
 
VIN seemed as a very serious organisation that actually does make a big difference; – opposite many other small NGO’s. And so I choose VIN – fortunately.
 
The program they wanted me to work with suited my education perfectly; – so obviously I said yes.
 
My program was public awareness about earthquakes and landslides.
 
We started this program through education in primary and secondary schools. We have been out teaching the children about how they should react, during and after an earthquake and how they can prepare their homes, families etc. before an earthquake, in order to minimize the loss of life, buildings and prevent life-threatening injuries. Our hope is that the children will go home and share this knowledge with their family, friends, neighbours etc.
 
There have been some challenges throughout our work with those children; – the paramount challenge was the language barrier. A majority of the students do not know how to speak English. If they do not understand most of what is taught they lose interest – naturally!
 
Luckily enough, VIN helped us out with this by means of a translator who was assigned to us. This worked out perfectly.
 
From my time volunteering with VIN I have learned a lot; not only at a professional level, but also about myself as a person. As my aim is to work in a NGO when I have finished my education, I now feel much more ready to do so, and aware of what it takes: e.g. concerning cultural differences and how to overcome them, as well as other problems.
 
I would never hesitate advising other persons volunteering with VIN. For me it was a “once in a lifetime” experience, and I believe that it will be for most other people as well.