To read more abour the programm she will participate to, please click here

Ericka, soon you will be going to India for three years as a volunteer with Fedina. What will you be doing?

I am leaving on February 9, 2009 to work with Fedina on a project that has just started. It promotes fundamental rights and labour law among disadvantaged populations, dalits, women, rural workers, tribal populations.

My role will be to help Fedina in the administrative and budgetary follow up of the project itself, to be the link between Fedina and Frères des Hommes communication wise (blog, sending articles for Résonances) and finally to help Fedina with their internal communication.

How did you learn about Frères de Hommes ?

I learned about Frères des Hommes because I had met activists at the festival Bout du Monde in Crozon (in the West of France ). I joined Frères de Homes in October 2007 on an apprenticeship contract as part of my professional degree in Management and organization of social economy. During an entire year I managed exhibitions that Frères de Hommes rents to organize public events, I have organized several events myself (Frères des Hommes’ participation in the international solidarity week, or in the fête de l’Humanité ) and I was the link between the various teams of volunteers. This allowed me to get to know the local teams, the activists, the partners… and most of all to understand the values held by Frères des Hommes and to adhere to them!

Where did your desire to be involved in international solidarity come from?

When I was a child, my mother was a temporary employee at the Red Cross… I often went with her. So, I have always been surrounded by associative commitment.

After graduating from high school, I wanted to become a reporter and cameraman. But I quickly realized that to be accepted in journalism school you had to be a brain. I ended up in a BTS that I didn’t like, and in another one… I actually took several different paths without really becoming involved in an association. Finally I joined the Red Cross during my third BTS. I was on emergency duty during the summer, on a mobile homeless outreach team two or three times a week and did first aid trainings.

After that I went to England where I worked for 6 months as a waitress. It was great and I used the time to think about my future. I felt very attracted to international solidarity.

When I came back, I wanted to apply at Bioforce, but I had to have my drivers’ licence which I failed 4 times in a row! I therefore turned towards fair trade and worked in this field for 6 months before quitting to go and live with a handsome young man in Auxerre. It didn’t work out and I went back to Paris determined to be in charge of my life. That was in April 2007. That was when I decided to go back to school, that I started a professional bachelors’ degree and learned about Frères des Hommes!

In the end, are you happy with the result of your slightly unusual background?

I am very pleased with the way things turned out. I am 26 now and ready to leave on a mission that requires the managerial skills that I acquired during my BTS and the communication skills that I learned during my bachelor’s degree. Today I am happy, ready to live a humane experience, meet new people and live solidarity!

What about when you get back? Do you think about that?

I have a long term project: I have seven hectares of family property in Burgundy. I would like to partner up with local producers to create a pedagogical solidarity farm. It’s really a family project that I would like to set up with my brother and sister.

For the time being, I will learn from my experiences, keep my idea in mind and let my project mature. Within Frères des Hommes for instance, I have met a lot of people who are interested, mainly in peasant agriculture. But no matter what, in 10 years I’ll get started!