Joslyn’s Two Weeks Volunteering in Zanzibar: A Two-Way Exchange of the Heart
Two weeks into her volunteering experience in Zanzibar, Joslyn’s time with R.O.S.A. has become about much more than teaching.
While delivering our ReCoding Africa program at Kwetu School in Nungwi, she has shared digital skills with students while discovering something equally meaningful in return: connection can happen even when people do not share the same language or culture. For Joslyn, these two weeks have been a reminder that the best volunteer experiences are a two-way exchange of the heart.
Learning Beyond Digital Skills
Through ReCoding Africa, students at Kwetu School have continued developing their digital literacy skills, including learning how to use tools such as PowerPoint. Joslyn has been impressed by how quickly they have embraced the lessons and grown beyond the technology itself.
“In the recent PowerPoint lessons the children have really quickly grasped the digital skills, but it has been amazing to see their English and creative skills flourish too!”
These moments reflect what ReCoding Africa is about: using digital education not only to build technical knowledge, but also to encourage creativity, confidence, and new opportunities for young people.
When Kindness Needs No Translation
One of the most memorable parts of Joslyn’s experience has been connecting with students despite language differences.
“I have had the opportunity to connect with many of the students at Kwetu School. One thing that really stands out is how much we can communicate even when we don’t share a language!”
Teaching may have brought Joslyn to the classroom, but her time in Nungwi has shown her that learning happens in both directions.
Reflecting on her first two weeks, she shared:
“These past two weeks of volunteering have been truly memorable. A lesson no classroom could ever teach me is how easy it is to make someone laugh—you don’t need to share a language or culture to bring real joy to someone’s heart!”
Her words capture something at the heart of volunteering abroad: the relationships, lessons, and perspectives they take home with them.
Joslyn arrived in Zanzibar ready to share her skills and support students through digital education. Her journey reminds us that education can open doors in many ways. Sometimes it happens through a new digital skill. Sometimes it happens through creativity and language. And sometimes, it begins with something as simple as making someone laugh.
Thank you, Joslyn, for bringing your enthusiasm, kindness, and warm smile to our community and for being such a wonderful student of life along the way.