How a volunteer became a changemaker

When Witness Makundi began her South-North voluntary service in Kellinghusen, northern Germany, she was a trained teacher with a bachelor's degree in education. Today, she is the founder and creative director of We4You, an NGO in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Her journey — from volunteering in a kindergarten, café, and as a project assistant in Schleswig-Holstein to founding her own organization — shows how a voluntary service can unlock new potential and empower communities.

Volunteering During the Pandemic – Staying Flexible and Seizing Opportunities

Witness completed her 18-month voluntary service with BiBeKu GmbH – Bildung Beruf Kultur. Due to the pandemic, she had to remain flexible: in addition to working in the project office of BiBeKu, she volunteered in a kindergarten, a community café, a school, and a social housing project for refugees. Despite the restrictions, she says in retrospect: “I learned something new every week – and above all, I learned how important it is in Germany to ask questions when you need help.” One key experience was working closely with her mentor Markus. Together, they developed the Karibu Ujerumani booklet, a welcome guide for future South-North volunteers arriving in Germany.

Returning to Tanzania – And Starting Anew

After returning home at the end of 2020, Witness took her time. “I didn’t want to just do anything – I wanted to find the right thing.” With €2,000 funding from a friend in Germany with a COVID-related initiative, she began leading workshops in schools in 2021. It soon became clear: her ideas needed structure. And so, in the same year, August 2021, We4You was born.

What Does We4YOU Do?

Today, the NGO works in three core program areas:

• Digital Education (ICT): Students and teachers at primary schools learn to use digital tools effectively in the classroom – from basic computer skills to digital school administration.

• School Gardening: In two schools, We4You grows vegetables with students to improve school meals with healthy, local produce.

• Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: In 2023 alone, over 80 women were trained in sustainable farming practices and connected to markets to ensure better prices for their produce to improve their livelihood
  
  

Building, Failing, Moving Forward

In 2022, We4You had almost no funding. Witness worked part-time at JEKMA, a partner project with connections to Germany organization Rafiki Foundation. In 2023, things began to change: funding from Bingo Lotto via a German NGO, a growing team, more proposals submitted – and a clear goal: sustainable growth. So far, the organization has reached 434 people to date. The next goal? To reach even more young people in underserved communities.

Networks as a Key to Success

For Witness, one thing is clear: this journey would have been much harder without her weltwärts contacts. “If alumni have an idea, they need a space to share and develop it. The community provides exactly that – along with advice, connections, and credibility,” she says.  “I remember thinking: if I had had access to such a community at the beginning, I could’ve shown impact sooner.”

Her Advice to Other South-North Alumni?
It’s crucial for volunteers to know what they want. With a clear goal, it’s easier to recognize and pursue opportunities – whether one chooses to return home and create change, or stay in the North and explore new paths. Openness and flexibility are key to finding your way.

Her Vision for the Future?

“My goal for We4You is sustainability – to create long-term projects with lasting impact. I want young people, especially those in underserved areas like rural Moshi, to learn, grow and understand that anything is possible. In the end, it’s about changing lives – even if it’s just two or three. If they find new opportunities and shape their own futures, we’ve achieved our mission.”