First-time volunteer Sandi Tsai was so inspired by her experience in service that she decided to organize an event to fundraise for Global Volunteers’ program in Ecuador once she was back home. In Quito, Global Volunteers partners with FUNDAC, an organization of women that runs two early childhood development centers for disadvantaged children on the […]
In this guest post, Peru volunteer Mark Bierbaum takes us on his journey of discovery while volunteering at a children’s home in Ancón in northern Lima. Mark volunteered with his wife, Maggie, and their 17-year-old son, Michael, at Sagrada Familia in Ancón in northern Lima. In this essay, he describes his nervousness about his remedial […]
Elizabeth Wang, Senior Marketing Product Manager at Google, sought both a different way to travel and a meaningful way to give back to the global community. After reviewing several organizations online, Elizabeth selected Global Volunteers’ Vietnam service program. She served in Hanoi at Blind-Link, a non-profit organization which trains visually impaired adults in massage therapy […]
Four-time Global Volunteer Doris Sweet describes her service projects and some of the logistical aspects of her service program in Cuba in September 2019. She writes about the lodging and meals she enjoyed while volunteering in Havana with her grandson. Read on if you are wondering what a day in service in Cuba looks like […]
Ecuador volunteer Madeline Hite-Smaka reflects on convenience, assumptions, and perspective after her first day in service at an early childhood development center for disadvantaged children on the outskirts of Quito. She marvels how at the FUNDAC center in Calderón – which feeds and educates 60 children each day – nothing is wasted. In her team […]
In this guest post, Ecuador volunteer Gordon Smith takes us along on his step-by-step discovery of service abroad with preschool children and their teachers in our partner community. Secure as a father and grandfather, he knew he’d relate well to small children – even if they spoke a different language from him. In surrendering to […]
Team #183 to Ecuador helped the Foundation of Ladies of Calderón carry out an extremely important renovation project in July 2019. Read here about the history of this project and the struggle to provide a clean and safe place for disadvantaged children on the outskirts of Quito. Global Volunteers’ community partner in Ecuador – Foundation […]
There cannot be a holiday in Ecuador without there being a specific food that goes along with it. For Holy Week, it is an elaborate, rich, creamy soup packed full of grains. This deliciousness is called fanesca. Fanesca can be found in restaurants several weeks before Holy Week, but families get together to prepare it […]
Seventeen determined Medtronic employees joined a March team in Quito, Ecuador for a week of service and bonding. Pouring their hearts, skills, and strength into their assignments, the women helped paint the exterior of the two-story early childhood development center, tiled the dining room, and cared for the 80 children alongside the center’s teachers. The […]
Freedom from career demands led retired college professors Sharon and David Moore of Arizona to Cuba with Global Volunteers. In an interview with Volunteer Engagement Manager Maggie Bjorklund, Sharon and David explain how retirees can explore Cuba, experience an intriguing culture, connect and engage with people, build bridges of understanding and respect, and do something […]