A life-changing secondment in Botswana
Mark Renwick, an IT Consultant with the Tribal Group (one of our corporate partners), spent two weeks on a short term secondment in Botswana. Mark was placed as a Web Developer for the Kagisano Women’s Shelter Project (KWSP) in Gaborone to attract funding for the project and raise awareness about domestic violence.
Why did you want to work in a developing country and did it meet your expectations?
I have always been fascinated by other cultures and the other ways that people live their lives. I have travelled in developing countries and worked in developed countries but I have never worked in a developing country. Working on a project like this gave me a wonderful insight into the lives of my colleagues and their country.
Was your placement a success?
Yes! The KWSP are delighted with their website and the statistics prove that it has been worthwhile. In less than a month the site has seen about 150 visits and received over 750 page views. Also visitors are spending a lot of time in the site reading the content, which is great. This is very reassuring for me and I am very proud of the impact it appears to be making.
What impact has the placement had on you?
KWSP provides support for survivors of domestic violence - some of the issues they deal with are absolutely shocking. Coming face to face with issues like these really makes you stop and think. Apart from feeling lucky, my placement made me feel extremely proud to have worked with people who are having such a positive effect on the lives of the people they touch.
What have you personally gained from the experience?
Some very happy memories, meeting friendly, generous people and delivering a product that I believe will contribute to their effort. Overall, it was a fabulous rounded experience, packed into a little under two weeks. One I will always treasure.
Please visit the KWSP website at https://www.shelterproject.org.bw/