#FacesOfToM – Freia & Anne

25 July 2021

Today we continue with our interview series with the members of Taste of Malawi. Over the past weeks and months, you have gotten to know our newcomers who have been with us since 2020 or this year. Freia, Team Social Media and Anne, Team HR have been part of our project for a long time and would like to share their perspectives, motivations and much more with you here.

Willkommen Freia und Anne!

Freia leads the Social Media team, which takes care of cooperation partnerships, the various social networks, the newsletter, and also this blog, for example. Anne, on the other hand, is actively involved in the HR team of Taste of Malawi. Everything related to internal communication, recruiting and what revolves around the members, us, falls under the responsibility of HR.

Which path led you to ToM?

Anne had met Jana, the founder of ToM, during her first week at university and became friends with her. Through this, she witnessed part of the initial phase of the project and experienced Taste of Malawi in its infancy, while Freia became aware of the project through friends. Freia has officially been part of ToM since the summer of 2019, but unofficially she has been involved with the project for years before that, as some of her degree programs and friend group are also involved with ToM. In the background, she has been involved, advising, and contributing her ideas. About two years ago, she decided to devote herself entirely to the project.

Welche Veränderungen sind für euch besonders prägend bei ToM?

A: “I remember how Jana activated our group of friends in Freiburg. We sold the pieces from Malawi at Christmas markets or flea markets in Germany. There were also various festivals, such as the Africa Festival, in the Freiburg area. In the past, the project remained in this circle of friends in particular. At some point, I became part of the core team and started supporting HR. Freia was then the first one I accompanied in the process of onboarding. In the beginning, I especially enjoyed supervising the volunteers on site.”

Anne has critically examined the topic of volunteering as part of her studies. “If you go to a country and do your FSJ or something similar there, it doesn’t immediately change the world.” The sustainability of our project is particularly important to Anne. Through her stay, her experiences on-site, and her study background, she also has the claim for herself to always learn more about Malawi, she is in consultation with the onsite team.

F: “In the past, volunteers were everywhere, and we were absolutely spread out. We spent study periods in other countries, did internships abroad, moved, and were just always on the move. From the beginning, what I’ve appreciated about the project is that it stays, and I can contribute from anywhere. Taste of Malawi is always with me.”

Over the past few years, Freia has come to appreciate how special it is to work together to make a difference. She likes to come up with new ideas for the various campaigns that arise throughout the year, and she is passionate about coming up with new concepts together as a team.

Was möchtet ihr beide weitergeben an diejenigen, die sich diesen Beitrag durchlesen?

“Come join and become part of ToM. We have different ways to get involved. You learn with us, and the atmosphere of our collaboration is very special!”

We are so excited to have another #FacesOfToM interview soon.  Are you curious about who’s next? We sure are! If you have any questions for the off-site team, we are always happy to include them in the interviews. Just drop us a line on our social media. See you soon!