Mickal Tewolde,
My time at the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students was short yet valuable. It was uplifting and a lifelong experience mentally as well as physically. Initially, my intention of visiting Eritrea was simply for a vacation and for a family visit; however, I always considered to work or be a volunteer in the motherland.
I was offered with the opportunity to visit Eritrea while I was in the United Kingdom. The Eritrean Embassy in London was able to organise for me, after I approached them with the intention of making use of my degree in Information and Communications in Eritrea. Being an Eritrean, therefore, I felt that it was my duty to somehow contribute what I can manage to do.
After arriving in Asmara, the NUEYS team welcomed me warmly; and I was assigned to the Department of Foreign Affairs at NUEYS Head Office. I knew that I could do more than just a work I was assigned to; I had the opportunity to learn a lot. My time was divided into two; in the morning I participated in classes about Eritrea’s History and on Politics in general which was given to a number of youngsters at NUEYS Zoba Maekel; in the afternoon, I worked at the PR Unit of NUEYS.
I attended the classes on Eritrean history and politics which was given by young cadres for two weeks; indeed, it was a rewarding experience. Learning with such clever 10th graders, it allowed me to learn lot about history and politics and I realized that the younger generation in Eritrea are knowledgeable and up-to-date. They motivated me to complete the course with great interest.
On the other hand, at work, it was more of a professional duty where I was able to offer some assistance. My role as a volunteer was to produce a brochure targeting the Diaspora community to participate in something they could produce and get experience while they come to Eritrea. Therefore, using the brochure of the organization as a template and being part of the Diaspora community, I was able to tell the different work opportunities NUEYS offered. Furthermore, I was able to get an insight on how NUEYS operates by participating in different activities of the various departments, attending foreign meetings, organising the Union’s library resources, etc.
From this opportunity, I was able to increase my awareness about the Eritrean youth and what they are doing to develop themselves through the different activities provided by NUEYS.
During my stay in Eritrea, I improved my Tigrinya considerably. Furthermore, as a fresh graduate from university, I learned how to shape my future profession.