Seven girls and one boy are confident they had made the right choice: they spent 40 days at Madagascar as volunteers and helped the Slovenian missionaries as a part of the Pota project of the Youth Information Centre Ljubljana.

"We have learned a lot. It was an unforgettable experience I recommend to others as well. I hope we gave to the young inhabitants of Madagascar at least a part of what they gave to us, and that we made their lives a little bit better," Lara Kos, one of the participants, said after returning to the Brnik Airport from the distant African island.

"The life there is completely different, it is much more simple. The people there are satisfied with little; they don’t need much to be happy. It gave me and the other people from our group additional energy, and encouraged us to work for them with even greater pleasure," Katja Ravnikar elaborated.

They brought financial aid as well

The members of the group who went to Madagascar had started collecting aid much earlier, especially financial aid for the deprived people of Madagascar. They had participated at a number of competitions, and encouraged raising funds at the parishes in Slovenia. Once again the Slovenians showed their willingness to help people in distress, and upon their arrival to Madagascar the young people were able to donate to the missionaries from Slovenia EUR 14,000. At that distant island they did their best to improve the lives of the young people of Madagascar. The young there are forced to face difficult life and shortage at an early age.

They worked with Pedro Opeka
In cooperation with the renown missionary Pedro Opeka and other missionaries they organized all kinds of workshops, animations, and even a theatre show for children at four different locations on the island. The children, but also the older population, received them with enthusiasm, and were happy to participate at the activities prepared by the young Slovenians. More than 500 children participated, and the young Slovenians were rewarded by smiles and sparkle in children’s eyes. 40 days passed too quickly.

At their return the young volunteers were met by their families and a really great number of friends; band from Domžale made the occasion even more festive.

The life at Madagascar is not easy. Missionaries led by Pedro Opeka have already been helping people living in dire poverty. The young volunteers who saw that the aid was being spent for intended purposes. Since a lot of inhabitants of Madagascar are in dire need of help, they will keep collecting donations for those who need it. A special current account has been opened for voluntary contributions at Delavska hranilnica bank (bank BIC: HDELSI22).

Miro Štebe, TV Slovenija
Translated by G. K.