Current & Past Volunteer Stories

Want to know what it might be like to volunteer abroad? 

Omprakash volunteers have been posting stories, photos and even videos from their time abroad since 2007. We now have an extensive collection of personal stories from volunteers who've worked with our partners abroad. You can browse through the most recent stories below or use the category selection tool to narrow your search. Alternatively click on the Stories tab for each organization we work with to see specific accounts from a particular organization. Be careful - you might lose a couple hours of your day in here! Happy reading. 

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Some points about my time at CENIT:

April 25, 2012

CENIT - Centro de la Niña Trabajadora, Ecuador
Brian Bins

While CENIT has plenty of opportunities for people that want to work within the system, one of my favorite features of volunteering at CENIT is that this is a good environment for self-motivated persons with unique ideas for projects. That being said, I would be sure to clear any ideas with management before I made the move here, as some projects are received better/more feasible than others. You might have a really good idea, but you need to consider the demand, the culture and whether or not your idea can succeed here. Make sure that your idea can be implemented independently as well, as you certainly should not count on others to be there for you, as everyone here is quite busy with their own projects and duties. That being...

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Cenit:: Centre for the young workers of Quito

April 24, 2012

CENIT - Centro de la Niña Trabajadora, Ecuador
Margaret Hook

I have been working with Cenit understanding their projects as I want to help them in raising the income and aspirations of the families that they work with. Cenit operates in the fruit and vegetable markets in the South of Quito. They help low income families with food supplies and when available dental and medical clinics. Many parents cannot afford the prescriptions and if Cenit can help, they do. One of the projects that really impressed me was the help for the boys and girls of the markets. The young children of ages 3 to 6 would probably just sleep under their parent's stall if the volunteers with Cenit did not round them up and take them to a safe area in the market. There the children learn to wash...

washing hands
Brushing teeth

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Volunteering with CENIT

April 24, 2012

CENIT - Centro de la Niña Trabajadora, Ecuador
Emily Abrash

CENIT (El Centro de la Nina Trabajadora, or Center for the Working Girl) is an Ecuadorian NGO located in the Zona Sur Region of Quito. While primarily focused on education, particularly for girls and women, CENIT is a fairly broad-spectrum social services organization that attempts to provide comprehensive services - including education, psychological services, and healthcare - to the families it serves. CENIT's programs include a compensatory elementary school (for children significantly behind in their basic education), a clinic, outreach programs in neighboring markets, and workshops for parents on topics including health, parenting, and education. I worked at CENIT for half a year as a Volunteer Coordinator in 2008-2009. It was a challenging, but also a very valuable, experience to interact with CENIT families and children and to gain insight into...

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Bring positive social change through volunteerism.

April 21, 2012

TANZANIA YOUTH CULTURAL EXCHANGE NETWORK(TYCEN), Tanzania
Winifrida Elias

I never thought volunteer project can real bring positive social-cultural change before I joined in one of the project held in Zanzibar-Tanzania and was organized by TYCEN-TANZANIA,it is a youth development organization in Tanzania which among other programs it organizes volunteer projects in which people from all over the World are welcome to take part in.While working in the project which was a construction project,it was a community nursery school block where the children could attend school.we helped in digging up the trench and laid down the foundation. It was a time when My pride and self-esteem in doing something for this planet has stayed in my mind whenever I see the pictures with everyone together and the TYCEN Certificate. I real enjoyed working with local peoplein a community...

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Recommendation

April 17, 2012

TANZANIA YOUTH CULTURAL EXCHANGE NETWORK(TYCEN), Tanzania
Edwin I- Mushumbusi

Before starting with Tycen I would first of all tell who Chris is. I have known him personally for almost 6 years now. From him i Have learned not only to be a leader but to also be independent and accept Challenges. A very friendly person I have ever worked with. I first came into contact with him 2007 as a volunteer in Kilimanjaro region Mwanga Tanzania, whereby he was a camp leader on this Work camp which was conducted by Uvikiuta but coordinated with Chris. During this time, he was an effective communicator, often serving as my liaison to scattered members of the work camp (Volunteers). He also coordinated projects involving numerous people, and his ability to work collaboratively while guiding the project quickly and effectively was outstanding. For example if we suddenly...

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WE WANT TO DO MORE FOR OUR ANIMALS

April 16, 2012

Ecoguate, Guatemala
Ana Sofia

Quetzaltenango April 16th 2012. To: Omprakash.org From: Ana Sofia Gonzalez. Address: Phone #: (502) 51634725 e-mail: sophy_g2@hotmail.com On regard: Application of partnership from Ecoguate. For the last 3? years I have been an advocate for animal rights, serving as a volunteer in different organizations . Among them: AMA amigos de los animales, Asoduca, Huellas and Ecoguate. Now, I am the vice president of Asoduca, an association of 8 people who care about street dogs and overcrowding of dogs and cats. Since 2 years ago, I have been working with Ecoguate as a volunteer trying to be a stronger group with Asoduca. The reason is that these 2 organizations are working together on stray dogs and cats, spaying and neutering...

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Voluntariado Con ECOGUATE

April 16, 2012

Ecoguate, Guatemala
Jorge Rodriguez

Quetzaltenango 16 de abril del 2012. Sres. Omprakash. EE.UU. Estimados Ser. Por este medio quiero informarles que he tenido la oportunidad de conocer al Dr. Nery Herrera, desde la época de nuestra formación profesional en la Universidad De San Carlos De Guatemala, como profesionales de la Medicina Veterinaria, en los años 1982 a 1987, luego ya como profesionales de dicha disciplina hemos tenido la oportunidad de trabajar proyectos conjuntos, como los...

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Prayasam, I Am

April 17, 2012

Salt Lake City Prayasam, India
Rita Allen

If you haven't heard about Kolkata's child empowerment organization Prayasam, you will soon. Prayasam is located in the Salt Lake region of this Indian city, and it comes barreling into the rest of the globe with a renewed vision on how to enact community change. I work as an intern through my study abroad program along with two other students, but my personal role is certainly not that of your usual internship. Amlan Ganguly, Prayasam's founder, requested one of us to be brave enough to take on the daunting task of painting murals the board room, and I gleefully accepted the challenge. Amlan is the visionary behind Prayasam, and it is a very typical Amlan thing to want to create a space of inspiration and color to stir the imagination...

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An Unexpected Beauty

April 17, 2012

Salt Lake City Prayasam, India
Rebecca Lais

I had no idea what to expect when coming to Prayasam, much less coming to India. Working with an NGO was an integral reason as to why I came to study abroad in India. When I stepped through the doors of Praysam from the chaotic streets of Kolkata, I felt a wave of serenity and joy wash over me. I quickly realized that this was no typical NGO. The youth here at Prayasam are the greatest change-makers I have ever encountered. Coming from villages and slums, they are determined to improve the lives that they are surrounded by. The youth that I have met here are radical and beautiful, and they have taught me priceless lessons as to how humans must take care of each other while here on this...

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Unbelievably Amazing Volunteer Experience!

April 15, 2012

Ashraya Initiative for Children, India
Tresta DeLater

Where do you begin to describe the indescribable...volunteering at AIC was truly a life changing experience! I have been involved with this organization for nearly four years and am so proud to be part of something that has changed so many lives. Initially, I committed to four months and ended up staying for over two years. I would have loved to stay longer and dream of returning one day. The first thing that is great about AIC is that it is not a hierarchical organization. The leaders are available, approachable and have a very hands-on approach. And as a volunteer, you are very quickly entrusted to fulfill duties that directly affect everyday life in the AIC programs. Whether it is teaching, being a mentor, interfacing with the local community, or...

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with organizations and volunteers throughout our network.

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