<p>Since financially going abroad is not an option for me (I’m a current college sophomore) I’m looking to spend my one month term (Short Term) next year abroad. I’d like to do some meaningful volunteer work, and through my school, there is a fellowship application process where I can get a grant to cover the expenses.</p>
<p>My only problem is that I just can’t figure what to do or where to start. It’s not like my friends who looked through programs that were school sponsored (and so, vetted for “scams”) – I feel like I’m starting from scratch. If I had contacts with people running charities/etc in other countries I feel like this would be easier. From looking on the Internet I find programs that interest me, but I worry that these programs are more out to make a buck than do anything of real consequence, which I’m not interested in, and likely, would never get through the grant approval process with.</p>
<p>I’m looking to do something in Asia or Africa (I don’t speak Spanish, so Latin America is pretty much out) and hopefully something working with children. I guess I’m just wondering if any of you have any experience with programs I should go through, or if I should just forgo the program idea and contact someone directly (but who? when? most of these are not English-speaking countries). Any advice would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>Contact Jonah Mink, who recruits volunteers to help children and their families from many poor and developing countries who await life-saving pediatric heart surgery in Israel. You will hear many languages spoken there but you don’t need to speak them.</p>
<p>Patients (children) are brought to Israel from Asia, Africa and Arab nations where there is not enough technology to do pediatric cardiac operations. As well, the Israeli team train doctors from those countries so they’ll be able to go back and do more and better surgeries, using the available technologies in their countries. </p>
<p>In Israel, the Save a Child’s Heart project needs young people of your age (and any faith) to come and live in the hospital’s waiting house set up for the families. You’d play and work with kids, to keep up the spirits of the families and children as they await medical procedures.</p>
<p>This project is a few years old, and was begun by an Israeli pediatric cardiologist with a HUGE heart.</p>
<p>I’ve heard Jonah Mink present. He did this work himself, living in the house, but now recruits in Canada and the US for new volunteers. </p>
<p>You will probably fall in love with the kids, and can make an emotional difference in their experience as lives are saved by doctors. Meaningful enough? </p>
<p>[Save</a> a Child’s Heart - How You Can Help](<a href=“http://www.saveachildsheart.com/youcanhelp/volunteer.html]Save”>http://www.saveachildsheart.com/youcanhelp/volunteer.html)</p>
<p>That is something I would LOVE to do. Thanks so much, I would definitely be interested in contacting him.</p>
<p>his contact info is on that website, linked in post #2. PM me if you have any trouble getting in contact with him. Good luck.</p>
<p>Enough on that idea…does anyone have other ideas to suggest?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot paying3tuitions. This is definitely an option I’ll consider (probably more fully once I finish packing - it’s the end of the year!) When I decided doing volunteer work somewhere culturally distinct from me was important to me, I was just overwhelmed. I don’t want to get scammed - I don’t mind paying a lot of money if it’s really going to help something, but it seemed like a lot of the programs I was finding were asking $1000/2 weeks, but for what? I don’t want to line some administrators pockets, I just want to do something that makes a real difference - not get there and realize I’m getting a canned “experience”.</p>
<p>I know that sounds snobby and I don’t want it to, but even without having to get this project past a grant committee, I want to do something worthwhile.</p>
<p>Organizations ask for money to place you because it costs them money to “have” you – someone will need to make sure you have a place to live, things to eat, airport pick up and emergency contact who speaks English. And that someone generally needs to have a cell phone, a computer and access to a car. All that costs big money in the third world. Granted, there are organizations whose placement costs are excessive. On the other hand, you would not believe how expensive some volunteers end up being if they get sick, suffer from culture shock, get lost, freak out – and believe me that happens all the time. And the organization needs to be able to deal with it. To say you’re “lining some administrator’s pocket” suggests a certain naivete (and maybe arrogance) on your part. Truth is, many young & enthusiastic but inexperienced and underskilled volunteers are more of a hassle than a help.</p>
<p>You don’t want a canned experience – fine. What kinds of skills can you bring to the table, then?</p>
<p>Sorry, katliamom - I didn’t mean to offend. I’ve actually done a fair amount of volunteer work abroad (mostly in India) and do understand that naive volunteers can be more of a hindrance than a help. I also understand it costs money to go, stay, transportation, etc. I have no trouble paying what I’ll actually cost. I have trouble helping nonprofits profit from me if I don’t know where that money is going and what it’s going to do. I have been to places in the third world. And from some of these numbers, I know they are excessive - because I’ve <em>done</em> it for less.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to offend. I’m just looking to not get scammed - and there a lot of scams out there. That’s why I’m asking for recommendations. I said in my first post, I don’t mind paying the money if it’s going for something real, and not helping a nonprofit to profit.</p>
<p>Agreed Katliamom
My daughter and her friends are going to Ghana and arranging their own program, instead of paying a 3rd party to do so.
However, they are expecting to pay for themselves & have already set up lodging. ( in the boarding school where they will be working)
( Ghana also has English as their language of commerce, but in many areas where they will be, Twi is the main language)</p>
<p>Sorry, perhaps posting this thread was a bad idea. As I have reiterated, I have no problem paying money (my funds will be somewhat limited if I get this grant) - I <em>know</em> it costs money to have me there. I have no problem finding lodging and paying for myself - I understand I’m not going there to get paid. I just would rather not get scammed by a company who’s charging me far more than necessary, and it seems more reasonable for me to go directly through the organization itself than through a placement program.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’ve offended some people, and I apologize. But I’ve been searching for months to find something, and it’s difficult if I didn’t know specific legitimate organizations, and I felt relegated to a third party placement office. I’m sorry if I came off ignorant or arrogant - I’m honestly not, I’m just trying to utilize my time and money in the best way possible.</p>