Students working on projects during summer

June 26, 2024

As the summer break approaches, students of UWC Maastricht are ready for a new adventure, with many of them going back to their home countries. However, it’s not only rest and relaxation, it’s also an opportunity to have a meaningful impact on their local communities.

These UWC Maastricht students have a passion for positive change and are determined to utilize their knowledge, skills and unique perspective to address local challenges. Armed with a variety of projects, ranging from health initiatives to empowering youth and women, they return to their own communities, ready to make a difference. Funding for these initiatives is available thanks to the generosity of a donor, who supports projects that promote the UWC mission and values in different places around the world.

We have Ines, who will give first aid workshops in rural Spain for the community to help the elderly, while also making sure there is a defibrillator available in the area. There is Sara, who will work together with an NGO in Morocco to create a centre where they can support families of children who are undergoing cancer treatment. We have Ghaf, who will teach women in Iran business skills and the art of traditional artificial stone products. Gift will teach local youth in Uganda entrepreneurial skills through candle and soap making workshops, ensuring the youth have a good community building experience and become more independent. Farrah will construct 4 bikes, which can produce electricity, for local schools in Lebanon. This not only gives them electricity, but teaches the children about physics. We have Nomvuyo, who will empower women in Eswatini through lessons in practical skills, so they can start their own businesses. Lastly, there is Kyizom, who will bring the community together to reconstruct the girls washrooms in a local school in India, while also doing workshops on menstrual health learning.

As summer comes to an end, and our students return to campus, they will not only have memories of their own personal growth, but also a vast collection of experiences, stories, and successes from their projects. The students bring back valuable insights, new perspectives and determination to bring positive change in our immediate surroundings and beyond.