Feminist, social, inclusive!

Anais Schicht, who grew up in Dresden, is studying Social Work at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Her passion for helping others and turning that passion into a career began during her time abroad in Peru: “I worked for a year in the Andes at a cultural center—that’s where the idea of studying Social Work really took root,” she explains in an interview. She also got to know many people in India and Sri Lanka, as well as during a voluntary social year, which brought her closer to her calling. “During my voluntary social year, I provided after-school and after-kindergarten care for children and teens aged three to 17 who came from vulnerable backgrounds. I helped them with their homework, assisted with preparing lunch, and supported them with sports and vacation programs.” In between, Anais even took charge of her own group and tutored them in math and English.

She came to Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences on the recommendation of a friend. Even during her studies, she continued her social engagement as part of her work placement semester. She explains: “I looked for opportunities to work specifically with people with a migration background. Due to the wave of refugees in 2015, I was already providing German tutoring back then, which also contributed to my decision to pursue Social Work. That’s why I focused on street work during my first internship. It just so happened that there were many young people there who had a background of migration or displacement. During my second internship, I worked in the Education and Integration department at the Cottbus city administration.”

But Anais also actively supports other projects alongside her studies: “I’m a member of feministisches*forum. It’s a feminist initiative in Görlitz that’s been around for almost five years now. Last year, we opened a FLINTA space—a coworking space for women, lesbians, and intersex and trans people. In addition, we also offer various events, such as ‘Grund Genug’—a series of events that has addressed democracy, civic engagement, and group-based hostility, to which we’ve also invited well-known guest speakers such as Andreas Kemper, Sookee, and the PENG Collective.” Anais has also been active for two years with Foodsharing—an initiative against food waste. In addition, she volunteered with the organization “Frauen gestalten Welten” in Görlitz, where she advocated for refugee women. She also lends a hand to the Refugee Network in Cottbus, which she got to know through her internship. But she also contributes at the university itself by supporting the examination board.

Currently, Anais is focusing on writing her Bachelor thesis. In this interview, she explains how the Germany Scholarship helps her continue her volunteer work and social engagement alongside her studies as usual.

Text: Louisa Marko