How to help out the rest of the world question. (peace corp, type programs)?

Question

So, i am sitting in my apartment on this friday night with my girlfriend and we are watching t.v. I come across one of those Feed the Children commercials and me, being the softy i am, cant help to stop and watch. I see these people on television helping feed these kids, help build schools, give medical assistance, etc. I was just wondering what do i have to do to be one of those people helping (like what program should i have to join). Im a freshman in college and have a goal that once i graduate, before i start looking for a job, i am going to travel the world for a few months and just see whats out there. But now, this commercial has got me thinking and now i want to spend that time going to like africa or asia and helping out those people. So my question is, should i join the peace corp or do they have like other programs that do stuff like that. I am not particularly religious but if you guys have info of like a christian program or something like that, i would love to...

Answer 1

Check out Heifer project International.  They are a great organization and I know they have some programs that go abroad.  They basically take donations and buy livestock for families in villages all over the world, and when a family gets an animal, it can be used for a variety of things, like with goats, they can be used for milk, transportation, fur, etc., and when the animal breeds, the newborn is given to another family in the village.  It is giving upon giving.

You have a wonderful heart.  I almost envy you, and I'll tell you why.  You are dreaming of doing something I dream of doing too.  I teach ESL to immigrants from all over the world and I know their lives are so much better here, and I hear tales of the horrors and poverty that they left.  I want to go to these places and help these people, perhaps by handing out food, perhaps by teaching English, but somehow I want to help. I give them money regularly, but I want to see these places.  

I can't now, I have a child in high school.  But I will.  You can now.  It will be the journey of a lifetime, and whether it is through Heifer or some other organization, all blessings to you on your way to help the world, one child at a time!

All the best,

Lady Morgana

Answer 2

Yes, those ads on TV are touching and they are designed to produce the exactly what you're feeling.  It's comendable that you want to dig deeper than your wallet. I've done a lot of volunteer work both in the US and abroad and the one constant is I've learned way more from the people I  thought I was trying to help than what I hoped they learned from me. I was in Peace Corps and highly recommend it. I don't think it's necessary to structure your college courses around potential volunteer service. Just take whatever interests you until you find your passion. Whenever you decide to  volunteer make sure it's for something you already enjoy and not just because you vaguely want to "help." Then your enthusiam will come across in your volunteering and you'll not only help out the rest of the world (or a small corner of it) but also enrich yourself. Good luck!

Answer 3

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations such as the PeaceCorps, and how you can start to gain such experience locally, wherever you are now:

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/volu...

Also, visit the PeaceCorps web site and read about what they expect of successful candidates -- they have high standards and, indeed, they prefer someone with a degree and a tangible skill that is very much needed in the developing world.

Also, consider volunteering locally for organizations that help internationally. See:

VolunteerMatch, http://www.volunteermatch.org

Idealist, http://www.idealist.org

Change.org, http://www.change.org

CraigsList, http://www.craigslist.com

Network for Good, http://www.networkforgood.org

http://www.1-800-volunteer.org/

ServeNet, http://servenet.org/

If you see an organization that you would like to help, but don't see a volunteering opportunity posted by that organization, it's okay to call them and say you would like to volunteer -- they may have opportunities they haven't posted. Also, many organizations are open to your own suggestions for volunteering activities.

Also, contact your local volunteer center; you can find this via the Points of Light Foundation web site,

http://www.pointsoflight.org/centers/

Answer 4

Most overseas charities hire locals for all the positions they can. It doesn't make sense to send an American to Kenya to pass out surplus wheat when they can hire a Kenyan to do it. That employs a Kenyan and saves the air fare, which can buy more wheat. I'd bet all but a few people who work for Save the Children are locals. The country director and an auditor or two are probably from the USA.

The Peace Corps is a good job choice if you want to see a small part of the world. It is as different from those tours where you see 7 countries in 7 days and stay in the Hilton every night as you can get.

When I was a PCV, 35 years ago, TESL was in demand. You should talk to a recruiter. Their web site will give you an 800 number, or ask in your college placement office if a PC Recruiter is coming to your campus. He/She will have up-to-date figures on what skills are in most demand.