Volunteer Profiles

RUFARO

I am Rufaro Russell Gamariel, a UWC Atlantic Class of 2021 alum. I am currently studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester in New York. I come from the City of Kings and Queens (Kontuthu Ziyathunqa) which is the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.

I applied to the UWC movement through my National Committee in Zimbabwe because I wanted an education that would explore and support my different capabilities. I thought that the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program was a very rigorous curriculum which, combined with the holistic experience that UWC offers, would shape me into a much more all-round individual. I am very proud to say that I graduated from the college after being challenged in ways that had me grow me into a responsible, aware and confident individual.

My time at UWC Atlantic College was a very transformative experience. I liked how diverse the community was - the stories other students shared were enriching and the different foods we had there were delicious. My time as the Wellbeing Council co-chair challenged my leadership and organisational skills like never before. I worked with a range of people - from the students to staff members - and I got to learn about the different aspects of wellbeing. I come from a place where mental health does not exist and disabilities are often seen as inabilities, but the community at the college changed that for me. I managed to create safe spaces where we could talk about anything, without feeling judged, or try different things with my friends. This was a truly enriching experience for me, and I got to have serious conversations about race, sustainability and gender. Being around the Afro-Caribbean community at UWC Atlantic was a particular highlight during my time there - we danced, we questioned many things, we listened to music, and we cooked together. All in all, I got to make some really meaningful connections with friends from all over the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pestalozzi International Foundation and the UWC Atlantic supporters who have worked to make my time, and that of the other students at UWC, an amazing one. I would also like to encourage other people who can donate to do so and help make education, as the UWC mission says, “a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.”

Right: Rufaro Gamariel and Dechen Chokey, Pestalozzi International Foundation supported students “I managed to create safe spaces where we could talk about anything, without feeling judged, or try different things with my friends. This was a truly enriching experience for me, and I got to have serious conversations about race, sustainability and gender.”

SEAFRONT

- our achievements in 2020/21 and current programmes

Over the past year we have continued to put the seafront at the heart of the student experience at UWC Atlantic, increasing the number of activities and advancing our seafront development programme.

It was this year that our experiential Ways of Life programme was launched, with the Lifesaving, Paddlesports and National Coastwatch Institution programmes starting and the Kurt Hahn Core being absorbed into the ‘Ways of Life’. To be included in these programmes, students had to demonstrate their commitment to the seafront through a number of trial sessions. In keeping with UWC Atlantic tradition, the programmes were designed for students to learn about themselves and their peers experientially.

There have been significant capital improvements at the seafront too, aided by the appointment of a new seafront co-ordinator Richard Carpenter. One of the biggest improvements was the refurbishment of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools. These refurbishments will allow the college to vastly expand the activities it offers for students, course participants and local community members in years to come. Another exciting development has been the establishment of a National Coastwatch Institution Station on campus (NCI St Donat’s) which is based at the old BP lab at the seafront. The NCI is a voluntary organisation that exists to assist in the protection and preservation of life at sea and along the United Kingdom coastline. NCI watchkeepers provide the eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility. The station is manned by members of the local community, and supported by students who can now choose to be trained and participate in watches.

We are now in the second phase of our fundraising efforts for the seafront development programme, having reached two-thirds of our target. We would like to thank our incredible supporters (including the names below) whose generosity has allowed us to implement our plans. We are not able to list everybody in the UWC Atlantic community who has supported us, but we thank you for your contribution.

The Waterloo Foundation Priscilla Rattazzi Willem de Vogel Anonymous Donor form UWCA ‘93 UWC Atlantic Class of 1970