“What makes me happy is seeing the joy on the faces of our students” - Cristina G, Konexio Volunteer

Having a very socially minded mindset, Cristina has had many experiences working with NGOs, both in France and abroad. Thanks to her job as a telecommunications engineer, she has used her skills to help those with the most need, notably by creating telemedicine networks in isolated regions of France and Guatemala. For the last year and a half, Cristina has decided to use her skills to help Konexio and its students.

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What is your experience as a volunteer?
I’ve done a good bit of volunteering and humanitarian work in France and abroad, which have all been wonderful experiences. I’ve worked with Konexio for the last year and a half. I started as an assistant trainer and then a trainer, first for the beginning DigitAll courses, and then for the intermediate courses.

How did you find out about Konexio?
Online! I had just finished a yearlong overseas humanitarian project, and when I returned to France, I wanted to stay involved. I found that Konexio was an organization that matched well with my tech skills.

What does the act of volunteering add to your daily life?
Working with Konexio helps bring me an emotional balance. I don’t want to work just for money. I work because it’s necessary to live, but inside, I have a very socially aware character, and working with Konexio helps bring that balance to my life.

What aspect of being a volunteer at Konexio makes you the happiest?
What makes me the happiest is at the end of the course, when we’ve finished all the sessions. It makes me so happy to see the joy on the faces of all the students. It’s very satisfying because we get to see them truly make progress in a few weeks. A big part of volunteering is inspiring people to have hope that things will improve. For me that’s super important. So the most satisfying part is reaching the end of the course and seeing that the students actually learned, it’s really gratifying.

Why do you think people should participate in volunteering?
With the current health situation, we question everything, we discover what is important to us, we learn how to take space, to put things in perspective. The most important thing is not that you bought a new purse, but it’s being able to say that everyone has the same opportunities. What’s important is to use a little bit of our skills and time to help people who have basic needs, such as food, a roof over their head, or other important needs, like a need for integration. With Konexio, for example, we truly help people work towards professional and social inclusion so that they can control their lives and meet their goals.

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