The program for the General Student Exchange (ASA).
More and more young people are interested in supporting development projects abroad and exploring foreign cultures. Many of them have completed their education and wish to gain new experiences, do something good, and learn before they start studying or pursuing vocational training. They aspire to immerse themselves in the local culture, understand the way of life, and broaden their horizons.
Given the growing demand for intercultural competence due to globalization, various institutions have developed programs in the context of development cooperation, offering interested volunteers the opportunity to look beyond their own perspectives. These diverse programs target school students, university students, as well as seniors who wish to support projects as experts in their respective fields.
The Friendship Circle Malawi aims to contribute to this cause. In collaboration with various institutions in Malawi and Germany, the Friendship Circle facilitates placements in Blantyre/Limbe, Malawi, for volunteers seeking to make a difference and engage in meaningful experiences.
The General Student Exchange Program (ASA-Kommunal) is funded by ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL gGmbH. The program can be applied for by both non-governmental organizations and municipalities. Depending on the criteria to be met, the Friendship Circle collaborates with various partners, such as the Cultural Office of the City of Hanover.
In 2015, for the first time, two female students were placed in Blantyre through the ASA-Kommunal program. The Cultural Office of the City and the City of Blantyre took the lead in this endeavor. In October, Silvia Hesse met with the two landscape architecture students, Lea Becker and Wiebke Witthuhn, in Blantyre for an exchange of experiences, as she had previously worked with the City of Hanover.