Monthly Archives: March 2011

It’s About the Exchange

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, Volunteer Stories | No Comments

If you are familiar with voluntourism and volunteering abroad then I am sure you are familiar with some of the controversy and debate about the effectiveness of volunteers, often young and inexperienced, going abroad.

This post is not to delve into all aspects of that debate. To summarize my thoughts: yes, there are concerns but when done thoughtfully and with respect and partnership, volunteer organizations (including IVPA members) can get it right.

I wanted to highlight one of the positive aspects of volunteering that doesn’t get as much attention, cross-cultural exchange. The exchange that occurs through volunteering can build understanding and respect between people, communities and cultures.

Stan Pletcher, MD, founder of Mission Eyes Network, recently said in a speech to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery,

“It’s not about you, it’s not about me, it’s not about how many cataract surgeries we did this week, but it’s about fostering an exchange and interchange.”

That is a powerful statement considering the importance of their of work in restoring sight.

If you ask a volunteer about her experience the number one thing you will hear her say is that the experience “changed my life”. The experience of volunteering leaves a lasting affect perhaps because the volunteer’s eyes are opened to a new culture, she experiences new things but mostly because the volunteer grows to love the people she interacts with.

I recently spoke with Creative Learning about their work in supporting and promoting international volunteering in Muslim majority countries as a way to build bridges of understanding and foster better relations. They believe that this cross-cultural exchange is so important and effective that they have a who initiative called the Unofficial Ambassadors to help increase the number of volunteers in Muslim counties.

Cross-cultural exchange is an important part of volunteering. It builds understanding, compassion and respect, something this world could use a little more of.

Cross-Cultural Solutions AUA Initiative: Building Peace Between America and the Muslim World

By | IVPA Members, Volunteer opportunities | No Comments

IVPA Member, Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS) has recently announced that they have been chosen as one of 36 recommended organizations as part of Creative Learning’s Americas Unofficial Ambassadors (AUA) program.

The goal of this initiative is to build “peace through service in the Muslim world”. CCS was chosen specifically for their Morocco program and because they offer safe and meaningful service opportunities.

International Women’s Day – Women Hold Up Half the Sky

By | Book Review, Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, Uncategorized, Volunteer opportunities, Volunteer Stories | No Comments

A few years ago Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn published a book titled Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

Half the Sky is a stunning book with gripping stories of women around the world and their plight for freedom. Issues summarized in the book include maternal mortality, sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation, education and workforce participation.

The book also highlights grassroots action and the impact that individuals can have. There is the story of Harper McConnell a young university graduate who volunteers in the Congo and ends up staying and running a school. The authors also encourages volunteering often throughout the book.

Some of the alarming facts stated in the book include:

“It appears that more girls have been killed in the last fifty years, precisely because they were girls, than men were killed in all the battles of the twentieth century.”

“The World Health Organization estimates that 536,000 women perished in pregnancy or childbirth in 2005, a toll that has barely budged in thirty years. Child mortality has plunged, longevity has increased but childbirth remains almost as deadly as ever, with one maternal death every minute.”

“One of the most cost-effective ways to increase school attendance is to deworm students… “The average American spends fifty dollars a year to deworm a dog; in Africa, you can deworm a child for fifty cents.””

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Interested in volunteering to help the plight of women around the world? Below is just a sampling of some of IVPA’s member programs.

Education: Spend a year teaching with WorldTeach or if you only have a week to volunteer, look at Globe Aware‘s programs

Health: Volunteer to help improve women’s reproductive health with  Child Family Health International or work on one of Global Service Corps global health programs.

Women’s Empowerment: ProWorld and Projects Abroad has a number of opportunities in human rights and women’s empowerment.

Microcredit: Assist micro-credit organizations with Cross-Cultural Solutions

Community Development: work with indigenous communities with Global Citizens Network or work to promote education and community based solutions with Amigos de las Americas.

 

 

Volunteer Experiences in Thailand

By | Genevieve Brown, IVPA Executive Director, IVPA Members, Uncategorized, Volunteer Stories | No Comments

My apologies for the delays in posting. I’ve been traveling in Asia and while traveling I had the opportunity to visit some fantastic volunteer sites. These visits got me excited again about the cultural connections and person-to-person impact one can have as a volunteer.

Currently 8 of IVPA member organizations offer projects in Thailand including WorldTeach, ProWorld, Projects Abroad, Habitat for Humanity International, Globe Aware, Global Service Corps, Global Citizens Network, and Cross-Cultural Solutions. They offer programs located from the northern hilly region to the southern peninsula and range from a few weeks to over a year. Programs also offer a variety of projects like volunteering with beach and reef conservation or teaching English in a school.  So take a look and maybe this year you might find yourself volunteering in Thailand.