Report from Cuba – By Pam Cromer, Team Leader Global Volunteers’ historic first volunteer team is doing important work – not only meeting the community’s labor requests, but building long-lasting relationships. This is the foundation of every successful program – important, directed work, and compassionate, open-minded volunteers. When combined, long-term change can occur. Each volunteer teaches English in the […]
Global Volunteers assists local farmers in our partner community of Ciego de Avila. On our inaugural service program in May, 2015, volunteers worked alongside paid community laborers on weeding and harvesting produce at “Garden Number 2.” (Read “Being a Farmer In Cuba” on one volunteer’s blog.) The vegetables are provided to childcare centers and sold to community […]
When I asked the community of Alto Progreso what project they needed help with and they replied a wall, I honestly was a little scared. I knew they meant a 40-meter-long wall. I knew they had no machinery whatsoever. I knew it would mean a lot of sweat. But I also knew of the importance of […]
And so we finally started our service program in Alto Progreso. Alto Progreso is a struggling community of about 350 families in Pamplona Alta, in the barren hillsides of Lima. Sherry was our first volunteer for the job. Upon arrival, we did not know how things would turn up, but we had much excitement and expectation. […]
Fountain Hills High School students in Costa Rica – Hailey, Leah, and Harley – report discoveries on their Global Volunteers team. Today was a long and rewarding day. Magic happened around every turn. The ‘rock mountain’ at the base of our trail-building project was successfully moved by volunteers and students of Colegio one grain bag […]
On any given Global Volunteers service program, a collection of students, working professionals and retirees come together to make a difference in a community requesting help. How they contribute depends upon each volunteer’s commitment to service and personal experience and energy. For instance, on one service program, a contractor, a sales representative, a dairy farmer, an […]
You may never again feel so appreciated after volunteering with the infants and toddlers in the children’s ward of Municipal Hospital in Barlad. The children with sight or hearing impairments or mental disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome and PKU crave your personal attention and care. Read below for an inspirational story told through the […]
Team Journal Entry from January 7, 2015: Back to India, back to feeling at home and at peace. I worship every moment spent with the children and was rejuvenated again this morning at Little Angel’s Early Intervention Center. Luckily, most of the children’s ears are clean so I only had to clean three children;s, and […]
Team Journal Entry for January 6, 2015: Yesterday Maria went to the hospital to help clean more children’s ears. Jayne, Victor, and Alex went to PRS to teach conversational English for the second day. After watching Steven and Ester’s fierce conversation, all three of them went to the 6th, 7th, and 8th standard classes. In […]
Team Journal Entry from January 2, 2015: A lot was riding on this trip to Chennai. Would I feel healthy enough to do it? Would I get sick here? Would I enjoy it as much or more than my first visit in 2012? I needn’t have worried. What a fantastic journey it’s been. For our […]