Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Roberta Castelli!

Roberta, a Dentistry student, shared her knowledge of oral health with the community of Kanglaung. Through activities, conversations and everyday moments, she discovered a different way of looking at life and a second family.

Roberta Castelli a 25-year old dentistry student at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. Before travelling to Kanglaung, she had already taken part in volunteering experiences, including volunteering with Caritas in Terrassa, where she helped at a community dining service.

When she decided to join Cafe Lahu, she was looking for an experience where she could contribute something positive to the community while, at the same time, learning from it. In her motivation letter, she explained that she wanted to discover Lahu culture, learn to see the world through the eyes of the Lahu community and gain a different perspective on life and on what really matters.

During her stay in Kanglaung, Roberta developed a project focused on health education and the prevention of oral diseases. She also shared her time and knowledge through English activities with young people.

But perhaps one of the most meaningful aspects of her experience is seeing how closely what she hoped to discover before travelling matched what she actually experienced in Kanglaung.

Living alongside the Lahu community, sharing conversations and experiencing everyday life together also transformed her own way of seeing the world.

One particular conversation with Mei and Nikka about religion, the situation of women and family life made her reflect on the assumptions we sometimes have about people from other cultures, and on how much we can actually have in common despite living in very different places.

Looking back on her experience, Roberta put it this way: “I definitely could not contribute more than they gave me.”

And if she had to sum up her entire Cafe Lahu experience in just one sentence: “The discovery of a second family.”

Interview with Roberta Castelli

1. What motivated you to volunteer with Cafe Lahu?

What motivated me to volunteer with Cafe Lahu was definitely the project’s objectives: to support and accompany the Lahu people through real, everyday changes towards a more sustainable and prosperous future for them.

2. What did you do during your stay? What activities did you take part in?

During my stay, I carried out a new project focused on sharing knowledge about health education and the prevention of oral diseases.

3. Was there any moment, conversation or experience with the community that had a special impact on you? Why?

I remember that on my last day, after dinner, I stayed talking with Mei and Nikka in front of Nahae’s house. The three of us were sitting in a small hut, talking about topics such as religion, the situation of women and what families are like today. I was very surprised that, in every conversation we had, we ended up sharing the same ideas. I found this incredible because we come from two countries that are geographically very far apart, as well as from very different cultures and ways of life.

This made me reflect a lot on the prejudices we sometimes have towards people from other countries. We often think that we come from two different worlds, when in reality we have many more things in common than we can imagine. 

4. What do you think you were able to contribute to the community during your stay in Kanglaung?

I definitely could not contribute more than they gave me. Being able to experience Lahu culture was a real learning process for me. They allowed me to see life in a different light, to pay more attention to the beautiful details of everyday life and to appreciate living as a community, something that we, as a Western society, are not used to valuing enough.

What I offered them was my knowledge, my time and all my energy to share everything I had prepared for my project, both in relation to oral health and the English classes.

I hope the young people understood the importance of continuing their studies, of not falling behind but moving forward in pursuit of their dreams. I hope I was able to inspire in them a desire to discover the wider world and the confidence that, in life, they can become whoever they want to be, with effort and determination.

5. Was there any idea or expectation you had before arriving that changed once you experienced the reality of the community first-hand?

I did not really have any specific expectations about the community. It is a reality that is different from ours, but I did not find it difficult to adapt to.

What did have an impact on me was how far the village is from the city. During the journey from Chiang Rai to Kanglaung, with every kilometre you travel, you can see the city gradually disappearing behind you. At first, this made me feel a little disoriented.

6. What do you take away from your experience in Kanglaung? How has it changed the way you understand volunteering, international cooperation or your relationship with a culture and reality different from your own?

As I mentioned before, it was an incredible experience. What Lahu culture has given me personally is an inner change in the way I see life today.

Taking part in an international volunteering experience can undoubtedly change a person completely in a very short period of time. It allows you to discover realities different from your own and, ultimately, to realise that we are all people, each of us with our dreams, our goals, our abilities and our beliefs.

7. What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering with Cafe Lahu?

I would tell them to listen to their heart, not to be afraid of the unknown and, above all, that they will not regret it, because it is a wonderful experience where they will learn so much and meet incredible people who will remain in their heart forever.

8. If you had to sum up your experience with Cafe Lahu in one sentence, what would it be?

The discovery of a second family.

Are you interested in making a difference with Cafe Lahu? Reach out to us today at info@cafelahu.org.