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The Week in Germany: Current Affairs February 1, 2008 "Young volunteers help create a juster world"
The first participants - around 50 - in the new Young Development Volunteers Service 'weltwärts' ('world-wards') were seen off on Jan. 17 in Berlin by German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. "With your decision to work for 'weltwärts' you contribute to making the world a somewhat juster place. The positive experience you will gather when working together with the people will always stay in your mind," she told the young volunteers. "I am particularly happy to see that more than half of the volunteers will work in projects in Africa, the focal area of the Program's activities," she added. The 'weltwärts' program addresses young people between the ages of 18 and 28 who want to work in projects in developing countries for six to 24 months after having completed their school education or vocational training. This volunteer program is working around the globe: in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. And it has already proved very popular. More than 100 organisations have applied for acceptance as 'weltwärts' sending organisation. These organizations receive 580 euros per month and person from the German Development Ministry. This grant is used to finance board and lodging, travel costs, technical/pedagogical support at their place of work, insurance and a small personal allowance. The program involves no costs for the volunteers so that young people coming from low-income families can also take part. The Development Ministry expects that there will be up to 3,000 places
of assignment available for volunteers by the end of the year. In the
medium term, this number may even rise to 10,000. (Federal Ministry for
Economic Cooperation and Development) Links: Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Weltwärts (official site, in German) Peace Corps, German Counterpart to Cooperate (TWIG, May 12, 2006) |
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