Don’t Be Like This Guy: Reflections on the Ethics and Economics of International Volunteering

March 22, 2012 | 4 comments

I have wanted to write a reflection about the ‘Gap Yah’ video ever since I first saw it on Youtube a few months ago. The video depicts a posh young British male gloating to his friends about his recent experiences traipsing multiple continents on a ‘Gap Yah,’ observing a “woman with malaria” in Africa and having a “spiritual cultural political experience” in Burma. The character’s descriptions of other people are patronizing in every way, and his self-righteous retellings of his own ‘going native’ are ironically juxtaposed against stories of his partying and being offensive. A ‘sequel’ shows the same character campaigning on his campus to ‘save the children’ by having a fundraising party, and his motivations and means for ‘helping them’ appear equally dubious and distasteful.These...

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Community Support at it's Finest!

March 20, 2012 | 1 comment

Abriendo Mentes, Costa Rica
Rachael Sine

 One of the ongoing goals of Abriendo Mentes is to raise local awareness of our presence in Potrero. This past week we had many wonderful opportunities to share with the community about the organization. The Mardis Gras parade and the Fiestas del Toros were both in town, and our students and volunteers were present at both events spreading the word about AM.In the midst of our busyness, it became apparent of how much the community already supports AM and the ways in which we are trying to empower its members. Just last week, a group of mothers whose children come to AM classes approached Meradith. They wanted to create an “Abriendo Mentes Moms Group” to give help in any way they can. Numerous hotels and local businesses...

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My Welcome to VE

March 20, 2012

VE Global, Chile
Katie Simonett

 My journey began with the late realization that my flight had been changed and I would therefore arrive late to my orientation.  This added to the anxiety I already felt because of the uncertainty that comes with traveling alone to a new city.  I was fortunate enough to meet a wonderful couple (expats) on the plane that happened to be returning to Chile.  After conversing throughout the several hour flight across the Americas, and upon our landing, they offered to bring me to the city center where I needed to go for my orientation.  This was such a  positive and unexpected way to begin my time in Santiago- receiving a ride from a generous US couple! Everyone in VE warmly welcomed me into the group the second I walked in...

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Got the grant!

March 17, 2012

Put Them First, Peru
Joyce Kim

Wow! Just found out last week that I recieved a volunteer grant to work with Put Them First this summer. As a college student on a tight budget, money was definitely my main concern about my trip, so receiving the news that I got the grant was amazing! Such a big weight lifted off of my shoulders.As for now, I'm just preparing myself to leave everything behind in the States for 8 months and go meet some amazing people in Arequipa, Peru-- a little nerve- racking because I haven't ever been abroad alone, but so incredibly exciting! I've been brainstorming some ideas and researching grassroots projects around Arequipa and in Chile that I want to go visit to spread the word about Omprakash, and I have a few in mind...

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Communications Testimonial from the wonderful city of Buenos Aires

March 15, 2012

Voluntario Global, Argentina
Andrew Furness

 I've worked in the Communications, Marketing and Admin team of Voluntario Global for about 5 months and have thoroughly enjoyed every bit. The comforting fact that I'm helping out a growing NGO organisation with their recruitment and promotion is happily reinforced when I realise that I'm living in one of the most busy, cultural, exciting and inspiring cities I've ever seen: Buenos Aires.With regards to VG, probably the most enjoyable part of my work has been getting to know not only the numerous volunteers from all over the world that have come through, but the large range of projects we are involved with that truly give the 'global' label a good meaning. In my time I have visited, written articles and met the co-ordinators behind the Travesuras Kindergarten, Organic Garden,...

En Marcha al Congreso Nacional

Una Cena en el sol

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Impacting on Communities through CRIDOC Resource Centre (Library)!

March 14, 2012

Child Rights Information & Documentation Centre , Malawi
George Kayange

Under the Documentation & Information Management Programme, CRIDOC  has put in place a resource centre/library that provides such information to various stakeholders, including pupils from surrounding schools, researchers, NGO representative and the general public.The Centre was established in order to achieve some of the organisation's core goals, which is to document and create access to information on issues pertaining to children/youth and related issues.CRIDOC has received donations of books and other materials from the Bishop Mackenzie International High School; the UK-based Child Rights Information Network (CRIN), the National AIDS Commission (NAC), among many others.As an institutional member of the National Library Service (NLS), it has also received a considerable amount of educational resources specifically for children.In particular, the resource centre is also being accessed by pupils/students from various schools within Lilongwe...

The CRIDOC Resource Centre (Library)

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HIV and SRH Services in Schools

March 14, 2012

Child Rights Information & Documentation Centre , Malawi
George Kayange

 Under the School Outreach Programme, implemented by Child Rights Information and Documentation Centre (CRIDOC), we have been providing information and service on integrated health information, education and counseling on Sexual Reproductive Health as well as HIV and AIDS.Through libraries and clubs that we establish and manage in schools, we also distribute contraceptives, lubricants, condoms, and IEC materials such as posters, leaflets and other reading materials.We use these structures to mobilize not only club members but even out-of-school youths in surrounding schools to participate in some of the activities (e.g. dialogues) with a view of increasing demand for HIV and SRH services within and outside the school settings.Through our programme, we also seek to positively influence change of harmful social, cultural and gender norms, which are a barrier to SRH...

Interaction with School Club members

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Awareness Campaigns on Child Rights In Dedza, Malawi

March 14, 2012

Child Rights Information & Documentation Centre , Malawi
George Kayange

INTRODUCTIONChild Rights Information and Documentation Centre (CRIDOC) in collaboration with the Youth and Child Rights Shield (YOCRIS) carried out District Awareness Campaigns in Dedza on the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act (2010) under the umbrella of the NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGOCCR).The NGO Coalition on Child Rights (NGOCCR) is a legally registered coalition of existing and willing registered coalitions that work on child rights and related aspects, which was established and formalized on 6th May 2010 at a conference of over 60 child rights focused and governance centered NGOs and networks to attain the vision of creating the NGO Coalition on Child Rights.The NGOCCR embarked on a campaign to popularize a new law - which the Malawi Parliament passed in 2010 - with the aim of enhancing...

Awareness Campaigns on Child Rights Law

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Vermont Nurses Heading to Hospital Escuela in Leon!

March 13, 2012

Hospital Escuela, Nicaragua
Kyle Dempsey

 http://www.reformer.com/ci_20126163/bmh-nurses-prepare-service-project?IADID=Search-www.reformer.com-www.reformer.comThree nurses from Vermont found out about the Hospital Escuela in Leon through Omprakash will be departing this week to teach courses about lactation and newborn care and delivery methods.They've done some wonderful fundraising work and have been working hard to put the trip together!Will post futher updates!

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Mental Preparations

March 11, 2012

Honduras Child Alliance, Honduras
Katherine Olden

I am not your average volunteer. For starters, I am 32 years old. I have a master’s degree in International Education and am almost done with a master’s in Teaching Early Childhood.  I have a full time, year-round job teaching bilingual preschool with a public charter school in DC. And, this isn’t my first time volunteering in Honduras. This isn’t part of a life transition time for me (although my first volunteering experience was!) Instead, sharing my expertise in education on a volunteer basis has become a regular feature in my life. It has taken me to Honduras, Bolivia, and Cuba over the past four years, and I’m excited to be getting back to Honduras and really doing what I’ve come to love. Thanks to the generosity of Omprakash, I’m going...

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