INTERNATIONAL WORK CAMPS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 74, 7 January 1949, Page 6

INTERNATIONAL WORK CAMPS

REBUILDING OF WAR-TORN COUNTRIES During the summer of 1948 more than 50 international voluntary work camps were set up in Europe, sponsored by the Quakers and the branches of the Service Civil Internationale, to house more than 1000 young men and women of more than 20 different nationalities who had given up their summer vacations to work without pay to help rebuild war-ravished communities.

An American, David Ritchie, told listeners to the BBC’s “Radio New’sreel” that he had been sharing in these work camps in the last two years. “In Finland and Italy we have been building homes for war invalids and refugees; in France and Belgium we have built playgrounds; in Germany we were rebuilding war-damaged hospitals as well as improving the facilities for colonies of refugee children and orphans,” he said. Ritchie also told how he had spent the most of his time last summer in Poland, where in four camps there were Danes, Swedes, Americans, British, Hungarians, Finns, Czechs, and Poles all working together. At one place where the whole village had been destroyed, the men campers built a barrack school for the children, who had had no schooling whatever for seven years. At the same time, the girl campers held an out-of-doors school which was attended by 150 eager youngsters. -In addition to the work done through these camps, another important thing had been the sense of fellowship which had sprung up. among campers, and the understanding of economic, political, and religious backgrounds in many cases so different from their own. Ritchie ended his talk thus: “We know that our work camps are as yet infinitesimal in number, but I am convinced that they are like candles of light in a dai’k world proving that it is possible and right to live lives devoted to the welfare and happiness of those in need, regardless of nationality and belief.”