Sehr Shahid, first year Economics student, is a Project Leader for the Royal Holloway Thailand Volunteering team. We recently caught up with Sehr to ask what her role involves and how herself and her Volunteering team are fundraising for the Thailand project.
1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, and what you study at Royal Holloway?
I am a first year BSc Economics student here at Royal Holloway. An interesting fact about me is that I am fluent in 3 languages and am learning 2 more currently!
2. You are the Project Leader for this year’s Royal Holloway Volunteer Abroad project in Thailand, can you tell us what this role involves?
My role as Project Leader for the Royal Holloway Thailand volunteering team involves a versatile array of responsibilities. From building team spirit and motivating my team members, to communicating with representatives from a multiplicity of global branches related to our volunteering project and truly developing my leadership skills in ways I had not yet explored. This role not only allows for such remarkable personal growth but also improves your ability to persevere and build a strong mind under pressure and in new circumstances, allowing you to see the world through a perspective which a student does not often find themselves getting to experience.
3. What will yourself and the Royal Holloway Volunteer Abroad team be doing in Thailand?
Animal Welfare, Education and Environmental Conservation are at the heart of our project. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, I, and my team will be teaching children in the rural Hill Tribe villages during the first week of volunteering. We will be planning and delivering educational workshops in a multiplicity of areas, from interpersonal and analytical skills to teaching about environmental sustainability and helping each child plant a tree in their village (you can contribute to allowing a child to learn about this key topic and plant a tree by simply donating £1: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SehrShahid). In week two we will be taking care of rescued elephants at the Elephant Nature Park. This sanctuary has rescued 80 elephants from poaching, riding, the circus, street begging, and other threats; to be taking care and helping these wrongly abused animals is something we will really cherish and grow from. The Elephant Nature park never turns away an animal, it is home to many animals, from cattle to cats and dogs! We want to have the most positively impactful experience and help every being we encounter to have a better life.
4. How are you and the team fundraising for the project?
The fundraising element of our project is so crucial and allows the NGO Future Sense Foundation to truly make a difference globally and deliver on the United Nation's Goals for Sustainable Development through long-term programmes, delivered by volunteers like the Royal Holloway team, focusing on education, health, and livelihood support. The team are working hard to reach each of their targets through bringing together their creativity to host events like quiz nights, do sponsored challenges, join in the Future Sense Foundation’s fundraising events like the 6for6 challenge which you are all welcome to be part of: https://fb.watch/46QXCYNRS3/. Many of the team members have used their creative flare to start baking, create handmade jewellery and try new ideas to do their best to fundraise and adapt to these conditions in which fundraising is even more challenging than ever before. That is why we are relying on the wonderful Royal Holloway community’s support even more this year!
5. What inspired you to get involved with Volunteer Abroad?
What inspired me to get involved with volunteering abroad has roots in my childhood. Growing up, I was always encouraged to have a helping hand, no matter what situation you are in, you can always do good in others’ lives. Starting university in these unique circumstances the world is going through I knew I did not want to lose sight of what truly matters. Our generation gets so easily caught up in these worldly ups and downs that we forget to look at the bigger picture. At 19, I knew I wanted to always instil in myself to do good, but I wanted to take greater action to do so and volunteering abroad had a place in my heart from a young age.
6. How do you like to spend your time outside of your studies?
Outside of my studies I love to travel and explore the world, developing a global perspective and learning more about different ways of life-before the pandemic, my last trip abroad was to Turkey! I love learning languages and find it so amazing how you can connect so personally with someone from a completely different walk of life with just your voice.
You can donate to Sehr's Volunteer Abroad project here.