What's a good skill to learn for volunteering in a third world country?

Question

I'm not a doctor, but I work in a research lab as a research associate. Is there a needed medical skill I could learn that would be useful in a third world country? I want to do volunteer work during future vacations. I was thinking ... something like collecting blood samples? Does that need a degree or just special training?

Answer 1

Another language is top of the list (Spanish for Latin and South America, French for several countries in Africa and because it's the second language of people throughout the world, Russian for Eastern Europe, etc.).

Anything regarding medical care is valuable. But what's more important is your ability to *train* others in a type of medical care -- or anything else, for that matter (organic farming, commercial kitchen sanitation practices, wine making, starting and sustaining a co-op, motorcycle or bike maintenance, raising chickens, and on and on).

Anything with regard to HIV/AIDS patient care or prevention education is also highly valuable.

Here is a web site that can help you learn more about the skills and experience desired by long-term placement organizations, or organizations that don't charge volunteers but require volunteers to be highly-skilled, and how you can start to gain such experience locally, wherever you are now. You are never too young nor too old to start engaging in activities and training that will make you a viable candidate for long-term volunteer placement agencies:

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

If you are going to volunteer on-your-own, without a sponsoring organization, then you need to be very cautious -- never, ever be alone with children or just one other person, never, ever agree to handle anything of a financial nature, know how to contact your embassy in case you need to be evacuated or have been accused of something... it's a VERY big risk to volunteer on your own without an organization looking out for your safety.

Answer 2

Good for you ,Be patient ,check with your local hospital,I am sure someone can direct you.Also there is an organization, Doctors without Borders ,type it in on the web. GOOD LUCK

Answer 3

Another language and water purification.