Give: From the Ground Up
Author: Heather T. / Editor: Bella B. and Ariana W.
Kassidy B. is a sophomore in Alpha Phi with a passion for volunteering, a love of learning, and a desire to create larger change in the Florida State University (FSU) community. In Fall of 2022, Kassidy attended an information session with the national organization, Give, and knew she had found a home on campus.
A key aspect of Give is promoting sustainable travel and encouraging adventures to also become global citizens. Kassidy explained that she was very moved by the organization’s purpose and addressed the stigmas she hoped to break as an American traveler. She explained that often, “people travel and don’t always take note of the locals who are being impacted by American culture,” which can be harmful to communities over time. An important part of being a global citizen is to respect other cultures and learn responsible ways to continue volunteering in the future.
As a part of her Give experience, she traveled to Tanzania. There she experienced different cultural norms and was part of many amazing experiences. As part of the volunteering experience, her group was reminded to be mindful of the local culture which was 90% Muslim, and asked women to cover their knees and be mindful of religious differences. They also participated in many intercultural experiences like learning Swahili and making soap with the local people. Kassidy loved being immersed in the culture!
Kassidy’s volunteering was all sustainably and educationally based; as part of their work, the group built a school for a local village. The team worked together to hand mix the cement and were always, “working hard.” One man who was guiding the group while building the school was extremely appreciative of the group’s hard work and Kassidy remembers him saying to them, “I do not know why you came all this way, but you are making such a difference, thank you.”
This hard work was not only physical, but further involved mental effort as well. The group was responsible for lesson planning for the school as well as organizing and teaching a woman’s English class. Kassidy beamed with pride as she described how the women were, “so excited to learn,” and how, “over there, the classroom dynamic genuinely felt like people were there wanting to learn.” These are not just words.
She remembers how women with newborn babies who were still breastfeeding would bring their children to class and take notes with one hand, holding their babies in the other. Kassidy explained that education and the ability to speak English are so important because the majority of jobs in Tanzania rely on tourism and the ability to communicate with travelers. Therefore, these skills help local women raise their social standing and increase their marketable skills.
She remembers the pride she felt when the majority of the class passed with a 90% average, ensuring that they would be able to support themselves and their families in the future.
This experience inspired Kassidy, along with two other Panhellenic women who participated in a similar program, to start a chapter of Give on the FSU campus. After sharing how much they had all learned from their travels, the group solidified their goal of bringing together like-minded people who love travel, sustainability, and adventure.
A primary goal of Give is to, “really invest and see the long-term outcome,” when working with a specific organization, said Kassidy. The service club has four pillars: volunteering, sustainability, personal growth, and adventure. Their goal is to create a safe space since, as Kassidy B. points out, “It can be uncomfortable to be vulnerable and working on yourself while meeting new people.”
Kassidy’s friend and fellow sister, Kate K. remembers being, “shocked that Kassidy was traveling across the world to a continent that she had never been to all on her own.You could not meet a more grateful person and that attitude is completely infectious, both in the FSU and Alpha Phi community.” It can be daunting traveling internationally without knowing anyone, but Kassidy’s advice for future travelers is to, “put all of your negative self-talk and anxiety to the side and just do it.”
FSU Give plans on partnering with Tallahassee organizations to volunteer over time so they can see the long-lasting impact they can make on the community. Give has already hosted an outdoor yoga event, and in the future will be hosting a beach cleanup, reusable bag painting event, and volunteering at the Second Harvest food bank. Kassidy plans to continue collaborating with the Panhellenic women who founded Give as well as expanding their network to the entire Panhellenic community.
In her opinion, “you never know if you don’t take a chance.”