Curious to see what an exchange experience is actually about? What adventures expect you when you decide to step outside of your comfort zone? If yes, check out the story of Muhammad Hummayum Yousaf, and find out more about his volunteering experience with AIESEC in Egypt!

Can one volunteer light up an entire city? Well, let me tell you how it can indeed be possible. My name is Muhammad Hummayun Yousaf, and I want to share with you a small part of my leadership story, the importance of being a volunteer and how it can help you become a new you.

I had applied to be a Global Volunteer in a project that fit well with my desire to do more. Thus, I ended up being an intern at ESolar Renewable Energy, a company in Cairo, Egypt, from August to September 2017.

While there, I was part of the team that planned to double the energy production capacity of the country over the next decade, a significant part of which is expected to come from renewable energies.

My project was entitled “Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability”

During my stay I worked on three projects, all of which had to do with installing solar stations for submersible water pumps in different Egyptian cities: Sohag and Qena.

Reading about it can sound easy but it was all work full of efforts and greatness  – it was teamwork, and something that still makes me feel proud of myself.

The experience I had in Egypt was life-changing and thought-provoking for me. I did my exchange project, a technical internship and was a tourist all together in six weeks… it was, no doubt, an unforgettable time.

If I compare myself to who I was six weeks ago, I see a person whose way of seeing the world has changed completely. I met people from more than 30 different nations and exchanged ideas with them. I met people that as I, had an interest in making the world a better place for everyone.

I had the opportunity to see Egypt, with its ancient history and beauty that never allows you to spend an idle day. Each one was a day of learning new things, of having new experiences and exploring. I already miss my global family and the place I worked at.

Thank you, AIESEC, for the best experience of my life so far. I can only hope for everyone that ends up being faced with the opportunity to participate in such a volunteering project to take a bold step, to go for it. It might end up changing everything.