My name is Emilia and I’m a sixteen year old student from Germany. I was volunteering with SCI Germany, where I participated in a workcamp focused on creating visibility at the concentration camp memorial Mittelbau-Dora in Thuringia. I decided to volunteer because I wanted to apply my knowledge in real-world settings and contribute to a project that promotes historical awareness. The idea of working with a diverse group of people and learning from different cultures really appealed to me.

During my time at the workcamp, I helped to reconstruct a barrack of the concentration camp in order to exhibit it for visitors at the memorial. I also researched about certain events that took place in Mittelbau-Dora and wrote an essay about them.

I felt incredibly fulfilled during the workcamp. The energy of the participants and the joy of working together for a common goal was exhilarating. Afterwards, I felt proud to have made a positive impact and to have formed new friendships. But, in addition to this, I was challenged by the workplace because of its astonishing background. I‘m glad to have participated in a program that enlightened horrific historical events.

I received profund information to get to know first of all, what exactly happened at Mittelbau-Dora and to be able to then correctly report about it. To actually contribute something to the memorial helped me cope with its past. In my opinion, it is important to ensure historical awareness and knowledge.

One of my favorite memories is when we organized a community event where locals and people from the memorial joined us for dinner on the last night. Seeing everyone come together and engage in meaningful conversations was truly heartwarming. I also enjoyed cooking, playing games or watching a movie together.

I’ve learned the importance of collaboration and the power of community engagement. It has also deepened my understanding of historical issues and how creating visibility at a memorial can drive change. This experience has made me more adaptable and open-minded. I feel more confident in my abilities and have developed a greater appreciation for cultural diversity. Furthermore, I feel very well informed about the concentration camp and its past.

I would encourage anyone considering volunteering to embrace the experience fully. Be open to learning, be patient with yourself, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. The rewards are incredibly worthwhile! The workcamp encouraged me to keep volunteering and I‘m thankful for the new friends I made and that I learned about their culture and country. Our time spent together was an absolutely amazing experience! Because of that, I was able to get to know myself a little better, too.

I would definitely participate again in a workcamp organized by SCI. The experiences I’ve gained and the connections I’ve made have been invaluable. I appreciate the organization’s commitment to organize a workcamp for creating visibility and to provide community development, and I look forward to contributing to more meaningful projects in the future. I‘m amazed by the SCI‘s variety of workcamps, their different kinds of work, places and countries. Each workcamp offers an unique opportunity to learn and grow, and I would love to be part of that again!