Ten young people have returned from their voluntary service in the North-South exchange. They served in Indonesia, India, Ghana, Japan and Jordan. At their returnees' seminar in Stuttgart, they shared their experiences and received their certificates of participation.

A year full of encounters and formative moments lies behind the 2025 volunteers of the Ecumenical Volunteers Programme of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS). From 22 to 29 August, the ten young people – together with four volunteers from other programmes – came together at the Stuttgart youth hostel for their returnees' seminar. During a week of reflection, they revisited their experiences abroad, explored how they had changed and grown, and rounded off the programme by receiving their certificates of participation.

The largest group had served in Indonesia: Aya and Cedric in Tobelo, Hannes in Singaraja and Jona in Blimbingsari. Barbara worked at a school in Madurai, India, Mirjam on the children's ward of a hospital in Agogo, Ghana, and Smilla at an agricultural centre in Japan.

What remains of a year abroad

A year like this can transform both worldview and self-perception. The returnees’ stories vividly illustrate that impact."What I take away is that our world is much smaller than I expected," says Cedric. “I found so much common ground between the people in Indonesia and myself – in the end, our goals in life are almost the same.”

Hannes recalls the moment he realised what his work meant: "One of my most formative experiences was when the children invited me to their homes during the holidays and I got to meet their families. That's when I realised how strong the bond between us had become." The year changed him, too: "I've become more grounded and more grateful for the privileges I have in Germany – and more relaxed, because I've learned to take things as they come." His verdict is unequivocal: “I had doubts and I was nervous. But it was the right decision – and quite simply the best time of my life.”

For Mirjam, one event from her time in Ghana stands out as truly unforgettable: "My most beautiful experience was a good friend's wedding, where we were allowed to sing as a choir. My Twi wasn't perfect yet, but that didn't matter – I could simply join in." Above all, she takes one thing away from the year: “I've had experiences that no one can ever take away from me. And I've found friends who have become a kind of family. Friends for life.”

An abrupt farewell to Jordan

Not everyone's year went according to plan. Jeremias, Margarete and Rania were in Jordan when the war in the Middle East at the end of February prompted the German Federal Foreign Office to issue a travel warning. To ensure the safety of its volunteers, the weltwärts programme – the volunteer programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – follows these travel warnings. For the three of them, their service therefore ended earlier than planned. "I was very sad to have to end my voluntary service so suddenly," Margarete writes in her blog. She had been working at a school for deaf and deafblind children. "And it was hard knowing that I could simply go back to Germany while the people there don't have that choice." At the same time, what prevails for her is gratitude – for the months on site and for the warm welcome she received.

Experiences that last

“These ten young people have experienced something no textbook can teach: what it means not just to visit another culture as a guest, but to become part of its everyday life,” says Kathrin Lehrbach, coordinator of the North-South exchange. “Some of it was wonderful, some of it was hard – but every one of them has brought back something that will stay with them.”

Apply now for next year

Would you like to do voluntary service abroad yourself? Apply by 31 October for next year's cohort – you will find all the information and the application form at ems-volunteers.org.

About the Ecumenical Volunteers Programme of the EMSThrough the Ecumenical Volunteers Programme, young adults between 18 and 28 spend nine to twelve months volunteering in social, development-related or church projects – abroad or in Germany. The programme is run by the EMS, an international network of churches and organisations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Alongside the North-South exchange, the programme also includes the South-North exchange, in which volunteers from partner countries carry out their service in Germany. The voluntary service is funded through weltwärts, the volunteer programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).