Volunteer – Play Handball

PLAY HANDBALL uses handball as a tool for social development in Africa – together with partner organisations such as Go4Goals and supported by dedicated volunteers. One of them is Wolf Meyer-Hagen, 80 years old, head of the handball department for many years and now honorary president of the handball department of KSV AJAX Köpenick and […]

A Berlin handball legend as a volunteer coach in Tanzania

Tanzania, Trainings and Workshops, Volunteer,

PLAY HANDBALL uses handball as a tool for social development in Africa – together with partner organisations such as Go4Goals and supported by dedicated volunteers. One of them is Wolf Meyer-Hagen, 80 years old, head of the handball department for many years and now honorary president of the handball department of KSV AJAX Köpenick and a true veteran of Berlin handball.

In spring, he travelled to Tanzania to train children and coaches in handball. With his energy, humour and decades of experience, he quickly became an inspiration for many people there.

After his return, we at PLAY HANDBALL spoke to Wolf about his experiences, his motivation and his love of the sport. (more…)

Handball Player Robin Lorenz Experiences a Moving Year with PLAY HANDBALL and Shows How Sport Creates Community Around the WorldBy Robin Lorenz, weltwärts volunteer for PLAY HANDBALL in Kenya in partnership with Kultur-Life, Nairobi, April-2025 My name is Robin Lorenz, I’m 19 years old and from the Rheingau region. I played handball for 12 years […]

From the Rheingau to Nairobi – A Jersey Donation Brings Hope

Kenya, Volunteer, weltwärts,

Handball Player Robin Lorenz Experiences a Moving Year with PLAY HANDBALL and Shows How Sport Creates Community Around the World
By Robin Lorenz, weltwärts volunteer for PLAY HANDBALL in Kenya in partnership with Kultur-Life, Nairobi, April-2025

My name is Robin Lorenz, I’m 19 years old and from the Rheingau region. I played handball for 12 years with TGE Eltville. In the summer of 2024, I completed my Abitur (high school diploma) and then consciously chose to do a voluntary social year abroad. Through the German government’s development volunteer program “weltwärts,” I’ve been working with PLAY HANDBALL in Kenya since September 2024 – a non-profit organization that uses sport, especially handball, as a tool for social development. In Nairobi, I support PLAY HANDBALL Kenya as a volunteer handball coach, helping to build up handball programs for disadvantaged children and youth in Utawala and Mathare. (more…)

Last Saturday, 29 March, the first handball tournament took place in Buruburu. The plan was made in February during the interim seminar of our weltwärts volunteers, Ella and Cecilia organised a great tournament. Boys and girls teams from 5 schools from Buruburu, Korogsho and also a team from Machakos took part in the tournament. A […]

Buruburu’s First Handball Tournament: A Huge Success!

Kenya, Tournaments, Volunteer,

Last Saturday, 29 March, the first handball tournament took place in Buruburu. The plan was made in February during the interim seminar of our weltwärts volunteers, Ella and Cecilia organised a great tournament. Boys and girls teams from 5 schools from Buruburu, Korogsho and also a team from Machakos took part in the tournament. A total of 49 girls and 57 boys gave their all for their school team. The U15-players proved once again the power of sport.

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Handball Connects: Three Days of Training and Inspiration in Nairobi. A Report by Fabian Korell Eight years after my volunteer service with PLAY HANDBALL, my journey took me to Kenya to reconnect with old contacts and lead a coaching course for handball trainers. The course focused on developing skills for working with children and young […]

From Berlin to Nairobi: My Journey Back to PLAY HANDBALL

Kenya, Trainings and Workshops, Volunteer,

Handball Connects: Three Days of Training and Inspiration in Nairobi.
A Report by Fabian Korell

Eight years after my volunteer service with PLAY HANDBALL, my journey took me to Kenya to reconnect with old contacts and lead a coaching course for handball trainers. The course focused on developing skills for working with children and young people, enabling valuable exchanges and practical learning. In addition to the training, I visited inspiring handball projects in local communities. This experience once again showed me how sports connect people and how significant volunteer engagement is. (more…)

The year 2025 starts with reflection, community and planning for the next six months for our Weltwärts volunteers in South Africa! At the beginning of January, PLAY HANDBALL successfully organised and led the Weltwärts mid-term seminar, not only for our five PLAY HANDBALL and Kultur-Life volunteers, but also for another 14 volunteers from other sending […]

Learning, Reflecting, and Recharging: Highlights from the Weltwärts Mid-Term Seminar 2025

South Africa, Trainings and Workshops, Volunteer, weltwärts,

The year 2025 starts with reflection, community and planning for the next six months for our Weltwärts volunteers in South Africa! At the beginning of January, PLAY HANDBALL successfully organised and led the Weltwärts mid-term seminar, not only for our five PLAY HANDBALL and Kultur-Life volunteers, but also for another 14 volunteers from other sending organisations and projects from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique. From 13 to 17 January, 19 young women and men came together in Kleinmond to exchange experiences and learn from each other. The seminar was more than just a meeting – it was an opportunity to pause, reflect and grow together. Here is a little insight into the experience of our volunteer Laurids: (more…)

“When are we going to play a lekker game of handball?” For the past three months, this was the enthusiastic question from children every Tuesday and Thursday during our afternoon handball lessons. Their dream of participating in a real tournament finally came true on the 14th of November, thanks to the dedication of Salome and […]

‘Lekker game, coach!’ – An unforgettable day of handball in Goedverwacht

South Africa, Tournaments, Volunteer,

“When are we going to play a lekker game of handball?” For the past three months, this was the enthusiastic question from children every Tuesday and Thursday during our afternoon handball lessons. Their dream of participating in a real tournament finally came true on the 14th of November, thanks to the dedication of Salome and Liv, PLAY HANDBALL volunteers with the “Piketberg Sports Development Foundation” in South Africa’s Bergrivier municipality. Together, they organised a memorable event in Salome’s host village of Goedverwacht. Here Salome and Liv share how the day unfolded.

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The short-term voluntary service from PLAY HANDBALL is now available through COACH ABROAD. A report by Nicola on the significance and development of the voluntary service at PLAY HANDBALL. Having seen how volunteering can really change lives and make a positive impact in communities – plus the fact that PLAY HANDBALL started with the help […]

From the short-term voluntary service at PLAY HANDBALL to COACH ABROAD

Volunteer, worldwide,

The short-term voluntary service from PLAY HANDBALL is now available through COACH ABROAD. A report by Nicola on the significance and development of the voluntary service at PLAY HANDBALL.

Having seen how volunteering can really change lives and make a positive impact in communities – plus the fact that PLAY HANDBALL started with the help of amazing volunteers – I’m super excited to introduce our new website for social sports projects: COACH ABROAD – www.coachabroad.de! (more…)

New volunteers in South Africa! Once again this year, motivated volunteers have started out on the weltwärts programme in Cape Town and the surrounding area. PLAY HANDBALL South Africa will be supported by five new faces as part of their development volunteer service. There will also be new volunteers in Kenya, although they will not […]

Weltwärts with handball: New volunteers as coaches landed in South Africa.

South Africa, Volunteer, weltwärts,

New volunteers in South Africa! Once again this year, motivated volunteers have started out on the weltwärts programme in Cape Town and the surrounding area. PLAY HANDBALL South Africa will be supported by five new faces as part of their development volunteer service. There will also be new volunteers in Kenya, although they will not arrive until mid-September. The new team members in South Africa are Zoe, Salome, Liv, Mathis and Laurids. They have already been able to gather some impressions during their first week in South Africa and are now about to start their exciting task. However, as you can’t start a programme like this completely unprepared, there was intensive preparation with a seminar week in Plön with our partner Kultur-Life, some online meetings and also a preparatory training session with PLAY HANDBALL after their arrival. But now it’s the turn of our new volunteers to tell us about themselves and their first exciting impressions: (more…)

Handball season starts! New volunteers started in PlayHandball’s sports and youth development programmes at the beginning of September. As part of their voluntary social year (FSJ) abroad, eight young people will support us and our community and school partners in South Africa and Kenya this year.

Start of Handball and Volunteer Season

Event, Kenya, South Africa, Volunteer, weltwärts,

Handball season starts! New volunteers started in PlayHandball’s sports and youth development programmes at the beginning of September. As part of their voluntary social year (FSJ) abroad, eight young people will support us and our community and school partners in South Africa and Kenya this year. (more…)

For the close of the weltwärts year of our volunteers, Play Handball Kenya and Angaza organised a Handball Supercup in Thika.

Play Handball Supercup in Kenya

Kenya, Supercup, Tournaments, Volunteer,

For the close of the weltwärts year of our volunteers, Play Handball Kenya and Angaza organised a Handball Supercup in Thika. (more…)

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