Eight Zambian teachers have travelled to the city for a trip funded by the British Council to gain experience of different teaching methods, pupil participation, school councils and how schools in Swansea take a lead role in other interventions where necessary to ensure the welfare of the child. 

Christine Watson MBE, Managing Director of Discovery said: “It was such a delight to be able to show the teachers how Swansea prepares its’ young people for the future. Knowing how resource-poor the schools are in Siavonga it is a challenge for them to offer such opportunities to their children but they say they have gained much support and many ideas from being here"

Swansea student Charlie Trotman (pictured far left) will be helping to settle two student volunteers from the Swansea-Siavonga Partnership  who will spend a fortnight working with the student volunteers at the Discovery project. Charlie, who is studying for a Masters degree in Communications, Media Practice and PR at the College of Arts and Humanities, recently returned from Siavonga, and now plans to volunteer with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) as part of International Citizen Service (ICS) which brings young people together to fight poverty and make a difference where it is needed most.

Visit Charlie’s JustGiving page

View Charlie’s pictures

Read Charlie’s blog

Charlie said: “I am looking to raise donations to help to fund my ICS volunteering because of what I learned in Siavonga.  While I was seeking a new experience abroad, the people of Siavonga are seeking to simply get by and this was made clear to me when I went to the rural villages and met women who regularly walk miles for water and crushed stones to earn a living. My Siavonga experience has proven to me that it’s not always about where you go, but who you are with.  Meeting a community so happy with their daily lives despite the hardship has humbled me and made me appreciate what we have in Britain.”

Pictures courtesy of Charlie Trotman