Global Volunteers works in partnership with community leaders on genuine development programs, creating impact in the areas of health, nutrition and intellectual development.
Through the generations, the indigenous people of the Andes have lived in an interdependent society that relies on every member to honor the other. All work is shared, but more – prayer, play and projects are conducted as a community. The Quechua word for this mutuality is “ayni”, meaning “today for you, tomorrow for me,” suggesting […]
A common perception of Western societies is that life for women in the developing world is one of deprivation and desperation. But those who travel discover that significant innovation and idealism thrives in rural villages around the world. We have much to learn from and admire about village women! While extreme need certainly plays a […]
Throughout 2019, volunteers provided greatly needed services to families in all corners of the globe, aided by Global Volunteers donors, institutional collaborators and corporate supporters. Following are highlights from a landmark year of volunteer-assisted development. Labor Projects in South America In March, an exclusive team of Medtronic employees committed a week to upgrading FUNDAC’s second […]
Although the caste system is officially banned in Nepal, its legacy and lingering prejudices have greatly damaged women of lower status over decades. The cumulative effects are daunting. Facing institutionalized inequalities that are nearly possible to overcome, women of oppressed ethnic groups often have lived outside village boundaries, and are prevented from walking through the […]
The arrival of 1,000 eagerly anticipated EarthBox container gardening systems from the United States marks the beginning of sustained nutrition for families in the Tanzania Reaching Children’s Potential Demonstration Program. Thanks to a formative partnership between Global Volunteers and EarthBox, more than 225 families in Ukwega Ward will soon learn how to grow the micronutrients […]
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 […]
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 […]
Can one or two weeks on a service program truly make a difference to people in need? Our answer is yes! Short-term volunteers can bring a long-term impact to the communities that we serve, and we have numerous alumni stories to underline this point. But, stories from our community partners and international staff are especially […]
Global Volunteers professes that every volunteer helps wage peace and promote justice in partner communities worldwide But, you might wonder: “Can I really make a difference in my two weeks of service? Can I truly impact at least one person’s life?” If you have doubts, this story may just convince you how important you can […]
Jack Bryan, Global Volunteers Digital Media Coordinator, said he learned a lesson on “mothering” in Peru he couldn’t have learned anywhere else. Read his compelling story here: “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Abraham Lincoln A growing body of scientific evidence reveals the extent that a mother’s […]
2019