A graduate who started a charity in Sumatra says he’s using the lessons he learned at the University of Worcester to make a difference to people in Indonesia.
Sam Oakes, who graduated from the University’s School of Sport and Exercise Science in 2016, spent time working for charities around the world before he established Atova, a charity dedicated to health, education, and environmental conservation.
It provides volunteer opportunities which address critical issues like deforestation and limited access to education.
“The staff at the University of Worcester inspired me with their message of experiential education,” said Sam.
He continued: “It’s about learning through doing, as opposed to sitting in a classroom and copying from the board so that’s what I’ve taken from them and implemented it in every single classroom out here.”
Atova now teaches more than 1,000 students every week across ten villages, encouraging hands-on learning and community engagement.
The charity addresses two major challenges for the country, limited access to education and environmental degradation. By providing volunteer opportunities that include teaching English, patrolling with rangers and learning about conservation, Atova is making a real difference in the region.
Looking ahead, Sam aims to expand Atova’s reach to other places, starting with Tanzania. His goal is to reach 2,000 people each week across 20 villages, continuing to inspire change and foster global community connections.
Sam said: “Solving the problems here alone isn’t enough; we also have to change the hearts and minds of people back home, because the damage that’s being done back in Europe, the States and Australia is happening faster than the rate of repair we’re doing on the ground, so it has to be a combined effort of both.”
He added: “Atova’s mission is to inspire lifelong learning and action, encouraging volunteers to implement what they’ve learned here in their home communities.”
If you’d like to explore volunteering opportunities with Atova you can find out more details at www.atova.org/acs