19 May 2013

After nearly three years of working, building and constantly advertising EHN to as many people as we can I can honestly say its been hard but worthwhile work. Thinking just this morning of the young girl and baby that is still alive thanks to everyone involved in building and running the medical centre in Gerkhu including our friends from Leeds Uni who were there at the time. It made me feel proud that I was a small part in this. But as usual I want to achieve so much more and with the volunteer organization as the foundation for us to work I want to turn my ideas to special projects that tackle the roots of the problems in Nepal. Phil and the guys are running the mobile health treks this July which is fantastic considering all the funding comes from EHN and the volunteers. And with this project in their capable hands I want to turn to a project that means a lot to me. The creation of self funding daycare centres in rural areas where the quality of education needs to improve. By using the Sauraha daycare centre as a model I want to design, fund raise and create centres across Nepal that works with the youngest children from the poorest families giving them a taste of education and helping to prepare them for school. I also believe that from my years spent in Nepal these centres should also help provide a safe environment for older children to do homework and learn from our volunteers. And best of all using my idea of funding we can create each centre to be self funding through the use of goats. So I am looking to put together a team to design, fund raise and build the first one and EHN will work alongside the community to run it for years to come. Want to know more then contact Wayne at wayne@ehn-nepal.org

16 May 2013

Become a Voluntourist in Kenya The International Humanity Foundation (IHF) is seeking forward-thinking, dynamic individuals of all ages/backgrounds to contribute to our children’s home in Kenya. Work with children, teach, organise workshops/activities Assist with our survival projects in the community Learn about poverty and development Still have time to explore and travel Each IHF center is a product of its environment and follows the cultural code and norms of its host community, so there are different programs in each center. Our Kenya center is a children’s home and also provides emergency relief to the surrounding community. This is the biggest IHF center, with approximately 100 kids. The kids are from the marginalised Pokot tribe, whose conditions are amongst the worse in Kenya. Living conditions in this region are harsh, and we provide basic needs such as a home, food, and access to education to children who would otherwise go without. We also run livestock donation projects and other initiatives to relieve the extreme poverty where we can. IHF Voluntourists teach English, and assist with the care of our children and organise activities. At the centers, IHF requires its Voluntourists to work four hours a day at the center, six days a week. There is time to sightsee, but work remains a priority. This is an ideal opportunity to gain experience in development firsthand, but still have time to explore the local area. The center offers access to numerous wildlife parks and safaris. Cost: $150 per week, no application fee Basic food and accommodation included Minimum stay 2 weeks Fluent English is required Please take the time to familiarize yourself further with our organization - www.ihfonline.org.  And  to our blog   http://ihfblog.wordpress.com/home/.  If you have any questions at this time, feel free to e-mail one of our helpful volunteers - volunteering@ihfonline.org .  If you’re ready to apply visit: http://www.ihfonline.org/volunteering.

07 May 2013

Eco Volunteer UP gives you the opportunity to volunteer and travel at the same time.

20 Apr 2013

I was born in Slovakia where I spent the first 19 years of my life. In june I will be 24 and for the past 5 years I have been travelling the world, earning money in several countries, looking for my true self, for the real purpose of existence. I have never been paid for something I love to do. Everything was just a simple work I learned quickly and soon got bored with it because it didn‘t require anymore learning, improving, no challenge or progress in a way I seek. In opening my mind to new informations, opinions, realizations; in sharping skills and shaping character. I remember myself being a kid truly concerned with the sad side of the world. I suffered very much when I heard about the cruelty caused on animals and when I saw with my own eyes the increasing pollution around me. Since the age of 7 I've been visiting local animal shelter to take the dogs out for a walk, show them some affection and give them some love they craved so much.  I've also been feeding the ducks in our small river, planting the flowers in front of our apartment block and picking the garbage up from the ground, putting it in the bin where it belongs. I made an aspiration that when "I grow up" I'll change the world. Or at least try. Although as a small girl I craved to save the planet, in my adolescence I forgot the beautiful purpose I chose when my mind was still pure and playful, joyful. I became obsessed with New York city and the world of rich. When it was time to choose the career path and go to University my deluded mind decided to become a marketing genius and earn big money. However destiny or karma stepped in and at the age of 19 I had to leave home and for the lack of finance and no possible support from my family I couldn‘t go to the University anymore, so as an unskilled high-school graduate I had to start to earn money to survive in today's society, live by myself, and I felt I had to find the purpose of life again. And so I travelled and performed simple work. I started in Slovakias capital, moved to Prague, later England where, having only TV to watch and factory work to do, I quite quickly learned how to speak english and thanks to learning from subtitles as well, also reading and writing. And then after years of fascination, I finally went to New York City. Living in the world I was admiring from books, movies, pictures, the world I dreamt of for years, I was gutted I didn‘t feel the happiness I expected. And it was like that- shopping, partying, waking up on Upper East Side, money, wealth. I ceased seeing material comforts as the way to make one truly peaceful, happy and satisfied. After New York city I traveled through Europe working on a cruise ship, and later lived in Amsterdam, spending most of my time in solitude. Both experiences as well as the informations about eastern ways of living and the paths to liberation that suddenly started to appear from everywhere, helped me to realize where the true happiness lies. That it is there within waiting to be awakened and it is interconnected with the well being and happiness of others and the healthy enviroment. I realized that I can save money instead of wasting it on material goods (by buying which you might quiet down the cravings of spirit within). And that I can travel and explore the world I live in in order to achieve the peace of mind. After collecting neccessary funds for a flight and basic living needs I left Amsterdam for India. I am not much of a Lonely Planet user or a person who plans every step he takes. I usually follow my intuition with a strong feeling of knowing that I will end up in a place I am meant to be in. Arriving in India, so different from anything I'd ever seen before, I was  surprised how quickly I adjusted to completely different culture. I loved the simple life and carelessness and most of all sincereness of indian people. Of course I suffered the consequences of being from west- and so  being "rich" in the eyes of Indians; or feeling awkward when there's 200 pairs of eyes watching you all the time.  After a short time though, I somehow created a protecting sheet with still maintaining approachable; I learned how to say with one look that I am not interested in buying something I don‘t need; I learned how to distinguish which begging person really does need a help; I got used to being stared at, because I knew I was different but the feeling of belonging I felt made me not to mind at all. I was  welcoming the small talk "You come from?" with a big smile and patience. For a first few weeks I travelled with fellow travellers from the West. Most of them had the Lonely Planet so we just followed recommendations from there. For some reason I felt restless, my finances were running low even though everything in India was so cheap and I just felt that something was really wrong. I came to India for spiritual development but all I did was being a tourist in an exotic country following the crowds to sacred places that long ago lost their magic under the footprints of tourists with newest Cannons and Nikons in their hands. And so one morning I decided to abandon all of that and I started to walk. This decision along with taking right, by intuition chosen steps, led me to meeting with an indian driver called Devi with whom I developed nice friendship and who invited me to live with his family. I came to a small village surrounded by the vast, beautifully green rice fields under the monumental Himalayas. It was a paradise. The family lived in a stone house that contained of one room and one kitchen.  They improvized and assembled a room for me in a part of house that was under construction for decades and at that moment was a storage room for rice and concrete. But I loved it, it was home. I spent four months living with this family, exploring the area around. Once I discovered a small tibetan community, where I was spending time in the monasteries developing my meditation techniques and studying buddhism. With the help of homeopathic doctor (for whom I volunteered several times and we provided medicine in remote parts of Himalayas or extremelly poor communities) I was able to run my own "animal rescue". We tried to help sick and injured dogs, sometimes I had to take the jumpy goat off the fence. I raised 4 beautiful orphaned himalayan puppies and eventually found them home in the nearby monasteries. (when I came back to India for the second time I was very happy to see how well they're doing). I became a part of Devi‘s family. The moment grandpa "bapu" touched my feet to show me respect; his stories roughly  translated by my indian sister Minu; the night sky full of stars and milky way so bright it blows your mind; the night of diwali with my other indian sister Shinu playing on those indian drums I can‘t remember the name of and us dancing with the bare feet under the light of the moon; the spicy indian meals cooked on the fire while we're sitting cross-legged on the ground in the simplest kitchen;  the stories of Krishna and Shiwa and their miracles; and much much more, those are the things I will never forget. I had prayed to find a teacher and India herself it became. I now know what true happiness is and where to look for it. I now know how it feels to help someone (and to be helped) without expecting anything back which is actually the most  beautiful reward of all. Selflessness. Living half a year in India made me very confused as well though. I started to question the value of money and notice the differences between the east and the west. This confusion only deepened after I had moved to United Arab Emirates where I worked in the sports bar in Abu Dhabi. I had to earn money. . . I saw a family with 11 members live out of 100 euros per month, being perfectly happy. And then I remembered people in NYC, earning per hour what this family had in a month. And in UAE, meeting people so rich I can‘t even imagine that much money, but stressed, lost and sad- that's when I seriously started to question our society and the system we live in. It also did not make any sense to me, when I saw someone from the third world country- it were mostly indian, bangladeshi, filipino people, work on building a skyscraper in the killing heat of arabic desert and earn amount of money per month that average arab or westerner living in UAE spends on one lunch.  Leaving plenty of leftovers to be thrown away while millions of people are starving around the world. I just don‘t understand and I can‘t go through life pretending to be oblivious to those things. (I will return to those and other issues the world is currently facing later on, as soon as I finish my story.) However if you are oblivious to what's going on around you, you can create a "happy bubble" and live a nice drama-free life in UAE. I didn‘t want to do that though. I took advantage of the first opportunity I got and went to India for a few weeks  during the month of ramadan, to recharge my batteries. I came back determined to leave the job that does not make me grow spiritually or intelectually as soon as I save up some money and go to travel again. And so I travelled through thailand, where I studied buddhism and got first glimpses of modern physics too. And then moved to New Zealand- the greenest country of the world. And it was as green and beautiful as I had expected. And after 5 months in a concrete jungle on the desert, it was too green. There was a work promised to me but that never happened. I spent some time living with a friend, whos‘ lifestyle (and all those around her) proved to be completely different from what I had expected. We lived in a place called Whitianga. Beautiful small town with kilometres of long sandy beaches. I had naive expectations that everyone must be a nature lover and have enviroment-friendly roots deep in their consciousness.  But they were all just people lost in that drama called life, drinking every night, sleeping all day, forgetting to live. They hardly cared about the beauty that surrounded them. When we went to the beach, we had to stay in and watch it from the car. When the wind blew, it was too windy to go outside when the sun was up it was too hot to be out. I was just so different- me not drinking because I just dont like how slow my mind is when it's drunk; spending 18 hours of the day outside, no matter what the weather, walking and wondering about life and the world and getting life energy from the sun. I just knew that that wasn‘t what I came to New Zealand for. I felt the urge to go. And so one day, with last 15dollars, I packed my backpack and left. Thank God, I did. For 2 months I mostly walked and hitchhiked  through the Coromandel penninsula on the east coast of North Island down to the Bay of plenty. I was very fortunate to meet people, wonderful people, who were happy to help me. I did some gardening or easy construction work in exchange for food and shelter. I was just following my inner-voice that always took me to the right place at the right time. I met people living a life-style I've never seen before but which inspired me very much. There were people living deep in the bush, with no neighbours, no roads, very limited internet and phone access. They built their own houses from the scratch, using the used things that could be used again!! It was wonderful and inspiring. They created electricity using the solar panels, in some cases even the flow of the river or waterfall. They were self-sufficient in all their needs- they grew their own food, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables; chickens, cows, pigs provided fresh eggs, milk and meat. Very few things went to waste; organic waste was used as a compost, material waste- plastic, bottles, pretty much anything that could have been recycled, actually had been recycled. These experiences inspired me and helped me to shape the picture of my future plans, the way I want to live once I decide to settle down. During my travels through New Zealand I also got to know the Maori people, their culture, medicine and I was amazed to see their connectedness and respect to nature. I slept on the roof of their house, deep in the bush-the sacred land of the Tuhoe tribe. The bush was returned to them in August 2012 after many years of being under english occupation. I slept on the beaches, hills, small islands in the ocean, I built the tent in the gardens. I was always very lucky to get a hitch by open-minded people who listened to my stories, ideas and opinions whole-heartidly and who shared theirs with me. From the air-force pilot to primary school teacher, farmers and managers to priests, doctors, truck-drivers and many more. While my wanderings few times I encountered endangered animals- small duckling running confused on the street, or the bird in shock on the highway. And so I helped, tried to and hopefully did save their lifes. While I was wandering through this beautiful country I found out that New Zealand is actually only 37% forested. That the remaining 63% had been cut down in order to create better conditions for farming. Yes, maybe 37% is much higher number compare to the rest of the world but considering the vast places where the trees could grow (and produce the fresh air we need so much), I was little dissppointed. Especially after the research I did on the global warming and pollution in the atmosphere. And when I found out that the co2 increasing in the air can be absorbed by some marina bacterias and the oceans- but we also do pollute those; I just lost any interest in contributing to and being part of such a destructive society. I feel a great desire of doing something, changing things. Yes, for years I've been saving animals, picking up the garbage off the ground, and trying to minimaze my own waste, using the plastic bag as many times as I can until it doesn‘t fall apart. But right now I feel I need to be a part of something bigger.  I need to learn about those things, get more informations and meet people with whom I can share opinions. Work hard to protect the mother Earth. In a near future though I do plan on walking/hitchhiking/using only local-NOT TOURIST-transport around the earth, spreading my message. There's more than 50% of humankind living on less than 2$ per day. While 1% of population owns 40% of the planet‘s wealth. There's tons of food being thrown away on daily basis in the West while people are dying from hunger in other parts of the world. There's rivers and streams being polluted while it is the only source of drinking water for us in the so far known Universe; and the trees are being cut down while they produce the air we breath in order to live. The animals are being killed, so they can hang on someones wall. And for what? For MONEY?! I have seen an extreme poverty and an incredible wealth. I know the answer but let me rhetorically ask you- Can money improve our health, bring us peace, make us love? (except for the golddigger ladies) None of this makes any sense to me. And so I want to go and make a cyrcle around the Earth, I want to live on 2 dollars per day. Although I am only one small person out of nearly 7 billions of people, I will do my best to make a difference. Looking at the world and the collective state of human consciousness, I dont think the evolution will lead to intelectual  and so technical and material further developments causing the Earth's slow and with more progress in this field quicker death. The human consciousness will have to undergo spiritual revolution, enlightenment. And we will have to start saving our mother Earth, Nature. Because as it is an unseparable part of us, and we are its unseparable part; if it dies, we die. People don‘t see this. They're working 9-5, most of them having the job they hate. Then they come home, turn on the TV and watch news that only show how ugly the world out there is. Violence, wars, political and economical crisis. News being interrupted only by commercials that say "If you buy THIS, your life will be easier!! And if you don‘t have enough, get a loan, sign your soul to the evil banking system!!" and so they do. They create their small worlds in which they think they're safe from that ugly world "out there". People forgot that the world out there is as well their home as their small fort with newest technology they ordered from teleselling. And that they need to protect it as much. But I am ever-positive person. I believe that fundamental core of all humans is goodness and compassion. I still believe there is a hope for us to wake up. And I do want to actively participate in this awakening.

15 Apr 2013

KVCDP is currently sourcing for funds to put up a modern and well equipped Children’s Home in Wagusu with a capacity of accommodating 200 orphans and vulnerable children annually. The organization has acquired enough land for construction of such a modern facility. THE STRUCTURE OF THE MODERN CHILDREN’S HOME • A learning centre comprising of 10 classrooms • Modern children’s library • Youth training centre for social and economic progress • Guest houses for volunteers • A dormitory • Health Unit • A playing ground • An ICT centre • A dining hall • A model kitchen • A legal office for children We invite all our supporters to join our fundraising efforts so as to achieve this dream by mid next year. http://www.kvcdp.org

04 Apr 2013

 Any advise welcome :D I'll be heading to Ghana come June! looking any advise or feedback as what to expect ? Im excited / anxious as im not sure what im in for :D so please feel free to contact me :)  

17 Mar 2013

As Mama Africa Gymnastic(M.A.G),am conducting my individual project on children,it is about teaching gymnastic to children,it started since 11th of march this year,and will be held through the whole month.i welcome individuals,and group who are also interested in this,you can gice your hand in way you like and it will be accepted no matter where you are. Welcome all of you,lets bring changes... Thanks, Mama Africa Gymnastic(M.A.G)  team.

09 Mar 2013

hi people, jouvin child sports organization is looking for some one who can coach table tennis to come and help us as a volunteer please. so if you are out there and would like to help us please just contact us on email: jouvinsports@hotmail.com, we will be happy to recieve you. God bless you all.

05 Mar 2013

Mr Reinhard Mostert President, Pius X Conference of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society The Saint Vincent de Paul Society is a welfare society (NPO nr ) composed of volunteer lay persons of the Catholic Church, and assisted by the latter in generating funds. We help poor families and assist them in getting back on their feet after setbacks such as retrenchment, illness, etc. I first met Danie and Gert about six years ago and have witnessed their struggle to make their homeless shelter progress during this time. What has impressed me most about the way that they run the shelter is that they do not attempt to exploit their charges, as so many other organisations that profess to care for the homeless do. A typical procedure is for such organisations to send the people to whom they provide shelter, out to collect funds (either door-to-door or at street intersections). Homeless Solutions will first assist their charges to obtain documentation that they may require before being able to find work (mainly ID documents) and will then assist them in finding work. In the mean time they are expected to work on site, helping with housekeeping and administrative chores, and working on projects. Homeless solutions have launched projects in an attempt to generate funding - making and restoring furniture and making pre-fabricated housing (Wendy Houses) and do this type of manufacturing to high standards. I can unreservedly recommend Homeless solutions for the integrity, honesty and hard work of their managing members, and for always being prepared to reach out and help the homeless, asking only that those that they assist be prepared to work and to abstain from the abuse of drink and drugs. As is the case for the SVP, Homeless Solutions assists those in need without regard to race or creed. StumbleUpon

25 Feb 2013

It was with slight butterflies in my stomach, that I walked into my very first classroom full of 20-25 innocent, expectant and anxious faces. These children had never been to a proper school before, as the boys generally helped their fathers at farming, shop keeping or shoe making and the girls would stay at home learning how to cook , clean and take care of their younger siblings. Excited yet nervous I greeted them all hello, realizing that the most these children knew about the English language was A is for Apple and B is for Ball. Going around the class asking for introductions it made my day as one small girl piped up  "Teacher we have only have one hour, please tell us an English story about a prince or a princess". I will never forget the enthusiasm and intelligence of that first classroom, and how blessed I was when after my time was over, it was that very little girl who proudly stood up and read the story of the prince and the princess in impeccable English:)

09 Feb 2013

We had decided to come to Phana Monkey Project and volunteer. We wanted to be  a part of a community, experience some real Thai culture and help with the Monkeys . We were not sure what to expect so we decided to keep an open mind and see this as an adventure . We took the night train from Bangkok and as the sun rose we could see the beautiful countryside and some wild monkeys running in the fields as we passed by. It was a very magical scene. We arrived at Ubon at 8 am and had arranged to meet Lawrence at the station. When we got off the train everyone  stood still and the national anthem started to play accompanied by a howling dog. Eventually we arrived in Phana and Lawrence drove us through the forest to meet the monkeys who ran up to the car. It was an amazing sight but nothing compared to what we would be encountering.  Later that day we were taken for a walk around the forest to get our bearings and meet the famous monkeys. I felt like an adventurer walking through a sea of monkeys and enjoyed listening to Lawrence’s stories and facts about the forest. We were told not to make direct eye contact with them for too long and to keep some space between us and them and remember they are wild monkeys. Over the next few weeks we began to do visitor surveys. We had to record the numbers and times of visitors and the food types being given. You start to notice different characters and the psychological structure of monkey groups. One day as I was walking through the forest I felt a small hand tugging at my trouser leg and it was an adolescent male monkey wanting my attention. He decided to climb up me and sit on my head! I remembered Lawrence’s words ” just keep walking and they will climb off”.  Well this one refused to go. I tried to pass him to Steven and in the end I had to coax him down with a banana. At first it was funny but over the next few days this monkey became more attached to me and I could not enter the forest without him sitting on my head. He started to groom my hair and began to get territorial over me. I have had to try and ignore this little monkey .Whenever he sees me I move away. It makes me laugh to see the similarity between us and the monkeys. They don’t like to get up early, love messing around and some days its just too hot so all they can do is lounge around grooming. We also met the infamous ginger cat! I will leave someone else to write about that. The English lessons at the Study Center are great fun. I enjoyed watching Lawrence’s lesson. The children are so enthusiastic and happy to learn. We volunteer at a  primary school in a nearby village  on Mondays and Tuesdays. We have a book to follow with their syllabus and  the rest is up to us. We found they enjoy singing and games so we do a lot of this, also Bingo is a big hit. Now if I am writing on the board more children sneak in to join the class and I can turn around to find a whole new row has appeared and everyone is giggling. It's a lovely feeling when you walk through Phana and children shout your name and English words and sentences at you. A 3-year-old boy from the Kindergarten passed me yesterday and shouted ” Sarah Potatoe” — we had been learning about vegetables. I hear little bits of English all over town now , so many people know who we  are and it makes you feel you are doing something very worthwhile. We have even started teaching some teachers at the Study Centre and that was very entertaining. Photos to follow in next blog! So now I am off for a cup of tea and may sneak a bit of Lawrence’s Marmite when he’s not looking. It’s been a busy day and I have to count the Monkeys at 5pm.

08 Feb 2013

Bali Experience (Adventure & Volunteer Combo)  Three week. http://thrillofasia.com.au/bali/83-bali-introduction.html Action packed Adventure & Volunteer Combo 1st Week Introduction (Full) 2nd Week Volunteer Work in Bali 3rd Week Bali Adventure Booking more than 3 persons, will get free discount 10% (only this program) http://thrillofasia.com.au/

29 Jan 2013

By Names i am Nyago Erieza, brown in looking, 5.8 ft, small, a Uganda by nationality ,in the Eastern areas of Uganda, married with five children. I have an advanced level of education and a certificate in theology. I am a child counselor, youth counselor and in have a certificate in HIV/AIDs and marriage life education, I am the initiator of Reach the Needy Development Association (RENDA), a Non Governmental Organization, Registration number: S.5914/7329. I love gospel music and my favorite book is the Bible. Love listening to developmental programs like politics, marriage, spiritual, children and youth programs. I hate seeing some one vulnerable.

27 Jan 2013

everyones journey starts out different, some happen by chance and others happen by fath.  my jounrey is a mix of both. it all started when i turned 15 years of age. I had already been involved in Scouting my entire life and never thought anything of it. It was the norm for me. one day after returning from school my parents asked me how would i feel about volunteering in irelands 100 birthday in scouting. I didnt no much about it and didnt really pass any remarks on the subject ether. It wasnt untill all the planning meetings started to happen and my parents would come home with al the notes and ideas that it started to catch my attention. for some reason beknown to me the idea of running a 10 day camp in auguest 2008 for 10,000 people really got me thinking. "how could such a small group of people pull this off" or " what do they aim to achive from this they are only a few people they cant make a differance.....can they ???" after a few months of the planning meetings my father turned around to me and said "james i know you dont want anything to do with this event, but i could really use your help on my team" .  who was i to say no to my father when he came to me and asked me so nicely. THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP IN MY JOURNEY