Volunteer work: Africa, South America, etc.

Atrocity

Hi lads,

Does anyone have any idea of how someone like myself might volunteer to work with the victims of Hurricane Katrina ar rebuilding projects in Pakistan or where the earthquakes were? People say that you can't just go off abroad to work for a hobby and then come back when you're sick of it. People say you have to pay to go out there yourself and it's expensive.

What about someone who is at a crossroads in his life, does not know what they are doing for the rest of their lives, stuck at home, with no money and depressed..

Surely there is someway I could be helpful abroad, building, working to help people rebuild their lives. I am good with paper and computer work, I could be good at organising food programmes or the like. I would love to experience something like this in my like, to get the chance to give something back to the world, to help people who are in disaster areas.

Is there anyway to do this? Would I have to pay? I'd be so ready and capable to make a difference

Thank you lads.

ronbyrne2005

the problem with volunteering in 3rd world countries is that unless you have skills that they dont have much of there(like medical nursing engineering etc) you arent much use there as theres millions of unemployed in these countries that can do the job so why would they deprive a local of employment to accomodate a caring westerner?? if you dont have the skills required there then you can do a lot back in this country such as fundraising for these countries and engaging in advocacy for them.
my cousin raised money to fund her "charity" trip to ghana where she was building homes etc but a local unemployed man could do the work she was doing 3 times as fast and feed his family with the small wage he would get.she was genuinely well meaning but i think she wanted an "experience" more than making real change.another guy i know raised money for a "charity" trip to nicuragua for 6months,he said it was best 6 months of his life and seemed like more of a holiday to me,i did voluntary work wth oxfam ireland and they are always looking for volunteers.

ronbyrne2005

also i know you mean well but why would you feel the need to rush to the richest country in the world with all the resources it needs at its disposal to help the survivors of a hurricane that actually dont need any help from the outside world? i think anyone concerned with helping people should focus on those in the worst circumstances with the most requirement for assistance and that is those in the worst parts of africa

Atrocity

yeah, you're right. I would love some kind of challenge, but I suppose you need actual skills before you can do anything.

stupefly

I agree with everything that has been said. Westerners volunteering in 'developing' (hate that word) countries is always a complex issue.

If you're really serious about doing it you could always book a flight to Calcutta. You dont have to have work or accom fixed before you go. Beds in the hostel I was staying in started at 60cent a night, and you couldnt book beforehand. Mother Teresa's order welcomes every volunteer, you just have to turn up. And the variety of work you can do there is amazing.

I know Calcutta isn't as cool sounding as South America or Africa, but if that matters to you, I think you should just forget it and go on holiday.

But it is volunteer work and it will be a challenge.

Atrocity

yeah exactly, I didn't mean to give the wrong impression, those places were the first to come into my head, I don't know much about where the help is really needed or anything. I don't have any money, I was a bit naive in thinking that there was some organisation that would take you for a year, provide food, shelter etc. but the work would be for free.

I would love to be part of something official, maybe with other Irish people? I don't have the guts to just up and leave and be out there on my own, I wouldn 't know what to do.

thanks.

stupefly

There's Irish people going out to Calcutta the whole time. A lot go alone but there are organisations like Suas who go out every summer.

Roughly the cost is gonna be about 2500euro. Thats flights accom food and vaccinations for the summer. A lot of people fundraise.

And there are many organisations that will take you and pay for everything, but you have to be very useful to them. Overseas development is a professional business, so you'd have to go through an interview process like any job.

What kind of work do you want to do/are qualified to do? If you have a degree you could go teaching English in somewhere like Korea. They'll pay for everything, incl flights and you could volunteer in your free time.

I'd also advise volunteering in Ireland. These organisations like to see that its the work you're into not just the travelling.

DadaKopf

Suas send Irish volunteers to Calcutta. As far as I know, volunteers are required to pay for their flights, but everything else is taken care of.

In total, there are probably about 35 Irish volunteer sending organisations. Most, except VSI, are moving towards longer-term volunteering, but the industry is beginning to come to terms with the growing diversity in the area, some people wanting to donate their skills for years, or just for a few weeks.

By far, the best place to start is the Volunteering Options website, a programme funded by the government and run by the Irish NGO, Comhlámh. Comhlámh doesn't send people, but they provide information to people wishing to go over, and services to development workers who have returned to Ireland. They're currently in between volunteering information officers, but if you're interested, you could talk to Marie-Therese, the returned development worker officer, or call in for a chat and buy the book Working for a Better World (€10 from the office, €12 by post, €15 from Easons).

Dizzyblabla

Just heard on the Radio, call Denis: 086 8520271, bring children in an orphanage in Nairobi to Mumbasa (spl?) it's only 12 days, and I've no idea of cost etc.. but it could be a way of getting into volunteering?

DadaKopf

Sounds dodgy.

Anyone who wants to volunteer in the developing world, or pursue that work professionally, should understand that if they don't go with an organisation that is sensitive to the needs and wishes of their host communities in the South, they'd likely do more damage than good. Gap-yearism in Britain is a dangerous development, but luckily it's not such a big thing here yet.

For anyone hoping to go abroad, please visit www.volunteeringoptions.org and read the information on it. It also contains a thorough database of volunteering opportunities and organisations.

Dalas

You can always help by teaching English.... As long as you dont expect to get paid

Atrocity

but at least be fed and sheltered?

Dalas

Atrocity wrote:

but at least be fed and sheltered?

I've heard of places that do both. go to TEFL.com they have mainly jobs for qualified teachers but you can look through the countries and it will give you a good job description and what they will provide for you.

CorkMan

I'm in the same situation, don't know what to do.

DadaKopf

Contact the organisations, or Comhlámh.