Rwanda Exchange and Single Women in Motherhood Placement

The following presentation reflects on the two different community-engaged-learning experiences, offered through Western University, that I had the privilege of completing during my final year. The first experience was working for Centre Marembo, an NGO in Kigali, Rwanda, that specializes in the rehabilitation and education of abused girls. The second was assisting in writing a compilation of biographical stories for Single Women in Motherhood, a local London organization that aims to help single mothers succeed. Throughout the presentation, there is a strong focus on the concept of service-learning, experienced both abroad and here in Canada, and the different expectations for such a concept at various placements. In addition, it will overview adjusting one’s expectations for volunteering and how I came to have a strong appreciation for both the lessons learned working abroad and at home