General FAQ
About Village Volunteers
Volunteer Program
Glossary of Terms
About Village Volunteers
When was
Village Volunteers established?
Village Volunteers was established as a non-profit organization
in October 2003.
Is Village
Volunteers a registered non-profit?
Yes, Village Volunteers is registered as a 501(c)(3) public
charity with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, EIN 20-0342079.
Village Volunteers is also registered in Washington State
as a nonprofit corporation, UBI #602-334-972.
Village Volunteers is not registered in any country outside
of the United States.
What is
the philosophy behind Village Volunteers?
Village Volunteers was founded in the belief that partnership
is a key factor in the renewal and healing of areas plagued
by poverty and disease. Committed to preserving autonomy and
cultural heritage, Village Volunteers works in collaboration
with village non-governmental and community-based organizations
to support the achievement of their goals and objectives by
integrating international volunteerism, sustainable community
development projects, and program assistance.
Learn more about our philosophy and who
we are.
Is Village
Volunteers just a volunteer organization?
No, Village Volunteers is much more than just an organization
which provides volunteer opportunities overseas. The mission
of Village Volunteers - to work in partnership with rural
village and capacity-building programs to support the development
of sustainable solutions for community survival, education,
and growth - is a holistic mission. Village Volunteers strives
to carry out this mission and support the work of our partner
organizations:
- by facilitating donations and fundraising
events
- by facilitating orphan support and educational
sponsorships
- by funding community development workshops
- e.g. organic farming, briquetting, etc.
- by providing grant writing and review
services
- by supplying international volunteers
- by providing access to an advisory board
of experts
How
do Village Volunteers' partners benefit?
You can learn more about how our partners benefit by clicking
here.
Who are
Village Volunteers' partner organizations?
Village Volunteers currently partners with non-governmental
and community-based organizations in Kenya, Ghana, India and
Nepal.
How
does Village Volunteers select its partner organizations?
Village Volunteers carefully selects each of its partner
organizations. Potential partners typically come through referrals
from other organizations and are invited to complete Village
Volunteers' partner organization application. Partners are
selected based on their ethical philosophies, well-respected
leadership, and sound program management.
Does Village
Volunteers give out grants?
Because Village Volunteers is not a foundation, we unfortunately
do not have the resources to provide funding for individuals
or non-partner organizations.
Instead, Village Volunteers facilitates donations, funds community
development workshops, and provides grant writing and review
services for our partner organizations. Village Volunteers
operates under the belief that we can make the greatest impact
by focusing our efforts on supporting the work of those organizations
with which we have an established relationship.
Does
Village Volunteers accept in-kind donations for the partner
organizations?
Village Volunteers is happy to collect the following in-kind
donations for our partner organizations:
- medicine that has not expired
- laptops
Unfortunately, Village Volunteers cannot accept used clothing,
toys, or large or heavy items.
Village Volunteers typically transports donated items by sending
them with volunteers who are going overseas.
How can
I donate to Village Volunteers?
You can make a donation via check, draft, wire transfer,
or securely online by PayPal. To learn more, click here.
100% of your contribution will go directly to the project
of your choice, and all fees associated with wiring the funds
overseas are absorbed by Village Volunteers.
Volunteer Program
How will
you determine my volunteer placement?
After you complete your application, Village Volunteers
staff will work with you to identify a placement that best
fits your interests and goals for your trip.
I don't
feel I have any skills. How can I make a difference?
Joshua Machinga, Director of Common Ground Program, recommends
the following for volunteers: "Leave your material possessions
at home. You will need very little of them here. What you
will need is natural curiosity, a positive attitude, plenty
of patience and a willingness to help those in need."
Regardless of your skill level, your participation in a village
program will have a meaningful impact. Your very presence
is treasured and valued. When you arrive at the village program,
the Program Director or Volunteer Coordinator will work with
you to identify appropriate volunteer activities. Also, some
possible volunteer projects can be found in the Sustainable
Village Library.
Will I
have a specific placement for my volunteer work?
The areas in which you participate will depend on your interests,
skills, abilities and the needs of the community. Even if
you are a teacher or medical professional, we suggest you
work in several areas to get a well rounded view of working
in a village.
You will work with your village Program Director or Volunteer
Coordinator who will assist you in finding ways to contribute
effectively. We ask that all volunteers be flexible and
willing to pitch in where needed.
What is
your age policy?
The minimum age requirement for volunteering as an individual
is 20-years-old. Volunteers who are 18 or 19-years-old are
required to travel with a companion their age or older.
Volunteers who are 17-years-old or less must be accompanied
by a parent, a legal guardian, or a person appointed by that
parent or guardian and must take full responsibility.
Families with small children, as young as 5-years-old, are
welcome to apply and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Please keep in mind that extreme weather conditions and lack
of basic facilities - such as plumbing and electricity - in
some villages may be difficult for young children. Also, please
note that childcare is not available for volunteers.
There is no age limit. Our eldest volunteer to date was 81-years-old.
What
is your conduct and dress code policy?
Please refer to our Cultural
Sensitivity Policy for our policy on conduct and attire.
Is
travel health insurance required?
Yes. Traveling abroad is exciting, but like life, it is uncertain.
It is for this reason that travel health insurance is mandatory
for all volunteers taking part in a program overseas.
All volunteers are required to submit proof of travel health
insurance coverage to the Village Volunteers office at least
2 weeks prior to their departure from their home country.
Volunteers are recommended to first check with their current
health care provider to see if overseas coverage is available
and what procedures one must follow in the event that medical
care is needed while overseas.
If you need to purchase travel health insurance, there are
many companies that offer medical coverage as part of a larger
travel insurance policy. Below are just a few examples:
Do
you welcome volunteers who are not from the US?
Yes. In addition to our volunteers from the US, we also have
a number of volunteers from Canada, many parts of Europe,
Australia and New Zealand.
What
is your language policy?
All volunteers must be fluent in conversational English.
What
is your deposit refund policy?
100% of a Volunteer Program deposit is refundable if a refund
request is received by the Village Volunteers office by mail
or by phone more than 60 days prior to the program start date
specified in the Volunteer Program acceptance letter. If
a start month is listed in the acceptance letter, in place
of a start date, the start date will be considered the 1st
of the start month.
Refunds will be processed within 14 days of Village Volunteers'
receipt of the refund request. Bank or wire transfer transaction
costs required to process the refund will be deducted. Deposits
that were paid by bank or wire transfer will have the transaction
costs deducted.
Within 60 days of the Volunteer Program start date, a deposit
is no longer refundable.
If a volunteer would like to postpone his/her Volunteer Program,
the deposit must be applied to a Volunteer Program that commences
within 1 year of the original scheduled Volunteer Program.
If the deposit is not applied to a Volunteer Program in this
time, the deposit is forfeited.
What
is your cancellation policy?
A cancellation charge of 50% of the Volunteer Program fee
will be assessed for cancellations made 22 to 30 days prior
to the start of a Volunteer Program. Cancellation requests
must be received by the Village Volunteers office by mail
or by phone.
Refunds will be processed within 14 days of Village Volunteers'
receipt of the refund request. Bank or wire transfer transaction
costs required to process the refund will be deducted. Program
fees that were paid by bank or wire transfer will have the
transaction costs deducted.
A cancellation charge of 100% of the program cost will be
assessed for a cancellation or change in dates made 21 days
or less prior to the start of a Volunteer Program.
Participants who depart a Volunteer Program early forfeit
the program fee for the time not spent in the Volunteer Program.
How far in
advance do I need to apply for a program?
It is highly recommended that you apply for a program
at least 60 days before your anticipated departure to ensure
that space is available in the program of your choice, you
have time to prepare, and you have obtained the necessary
immunizations, visas and a passport.
If you register less than 60 days prior to the desired departure
date, and space is available in the village placement of your
choice, then arrangements can be made. You must consider,
however, the time needed for immunizations and the extra fees
for expediting your passport and/or visa.
Once I have
been accepted as a volunteer, how long do I have to submit my
deposit?
To reserve your placement, your $100 USD deposit should be
submitted within 60 days of receiving your acceptance
letter by email. Once your acceptance has expired, we can
no longer reserve your place in our volunteer program.
If you would like to request an extension beyond 60 days,
feel free to contact
our team.
What kind
of orientation is offered before my departure?
To thoroughly prepare you for travel, Village Volunteers
provides comprehensive informational documents and personalized
travel guidance, including:
| » |
Visa, Passport & Embassy |
» |
Language Guide |
|
Information |
» |
Cultural Guide |
| » |
Tips for Travel Arrangements |
» |
Etiquette Guide |
| » |
Travel Considerations |
» |
Tour Guide |
| » |
Packing Guide |
» |
Awareness Guide about |
| » |
Health Guide |
|
Local Issues |
| » |
Arrival Guide |
» |
Sustainable Village Library |
| » |
History Guide |
|
(for project ideas) |
What is not
included in the program cost?
Please refer to our What
is Not Included in the Program Cost? page for a summary
of additional expenses.
When is my
final payment due?
Your final payment must be received 3 weeks
prior to your departure from your home country. If payment
is not received by this time, you will not be admitted to
our volunteer program as there will not have been adequate
time to process your payment and send the funds to your volunteer
destination.
Is the program
cost tax deductible?
All checks made payable to Village Volunteers, for humanitarian
purposes, are tax deductible. Our US tax identification number
is 20-0342079.
Please be aware that due to limited resources Village Volunteers
only provides tax receipt letters for contributions of $250
USD and above. For contributions totaling less than $250 USD,
a receipt from PayPal or a copy of the cancelled check, noting
Village Volunteers' tax identification number, are sufficient
proof of a contibution for tax purposes.
Money paid to Village Volunteers for safaris, excursions,
or other tourist activities are not tax deductible.
How much money
should I bring with me?
You may want to consider changing $100 - 200 USD into the
local currency prior to your departure. We do not recommend
taking travelers checks. While overseas, you will have periodic
access to banks and ATMs in towns and major cities.
If you think you may be interested in purchasing crafts while
in the rural areas, ensure that you visit an ATM or bank prior
to departing for the village. Simply notify your In-Country
Coordinator, Program Director, or Volunteer Coordinator and
they will assist you in locating an ATM or bank.
Prior to departing for your Volunteer Program, be sure to
notify your bank that you will be using your credit or debit
card overseas. Depending on your bank and the country you
are in, you may still need to call your bank to "unlock" your
account, but it is always best to notify your bank in advance.
Please note that in Ghana, VISA is the most commonly accepted
credit card, and only VISA debit cards will work in the ATMs.
You can access funds with a MASTERCARD debit card, but you
will have to enter the bank and show your passport in order
to withdraw money.
Glossary of Terms
Sustainable
Community Development
Sustainable community development occurs when functions
and processes of an ecosystem are maintained for the common
good; it requires an increased awareness of the value of community
and of our place in the natural environment. Sustainability
is derived from a greater sense of personal and community
responsibility.
"A sustainable society satisfies its needs without diminishing
the prospects of future generations."
Lester R. Brown, Founder and President, Worldwatch Institute
"Sustainability is the long-term economic, ecological,
and social health and vitality of our community."
Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment
Micro-credit
and Micro-enterprise
Micro-lending funds give credit to women who have no collateral
or access to credit. Access to credit allows women to start
or expand their businesses, gain financial independence, and
thereby improve their status in the community. Micro-credit
is far superior to direct aid grants as it opens doors for
sustainable economic development: grant and aid funds are
short term and quickly become depleted, sometimes without
achieving their project goals.
Without the opportunity to start or expand their businesses,
women and girls are sometimes forced by poverty to engage
in prostitution in order to survive, placing them at risk
of contracting HIV in a community with infection rates around
25%. In gaining financial independence, these women will in
turn gain mental independence, and thereby avoid abuse that
results from their financially subordinate positions. Click
here to read about women's
issues.
Memory
Box Project
When children lose their parents at a young age, it is often
difficult for them to preserve the memory of their parents.
The Memory Project memorializes parents who are HIV+ and provides
a means for these parents to pass personal stories, wisdom,
guidance, and hopes on to their children. The object of the
project, as coordinated by a memory facilitator, is to support
the remembering of these invaluable people, and acknowledge
their importance to the family.
Permaculture
Bill Molison from Tasmania began the Permaculture movement
in 1974. Permaculture, from PERManent agriCULTURE, is a practical
system of ecological design and stewardship integrating natural
surroundings, people and appropriate technologies, to provide
suitable shelter, energy and other needs in a sustainable
way. Permaculture promotes connected and productive communities
and beneficial relationships with the natural world.
Ethno-botany
Ethno-botany is the knowledge of local, medicinal plants used
in traditional healing. Traditional healing provides remedies
for illnesses such as fever, diarrhea, toothaches, sore throats,
sinus problems, intestinal worms, respiratory problems, earaches,
skin conditions, menstrual problems, infertility, broken bones,
wounds, burns, etc. These healing practices not only provide
remedies for common ailments, but they also demonstrate a
thorough knowledge of the environment and concern for the
conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants.
The art of traditional healing suffers from the global emphasis
on Western culture and the younger generations' disinterest
in traditional knowledge and practices. The wealth of knowledge
held by traditional healers is in danger of dying with current
generations.
Throughout history, traditional healers have been highly respected
community experts. Their techniques have evolved over centuries
of trial and error, and have been refined through generations
of family apprenticeship. Unfortunately, the traditional practices
are no longer being passed down through society and a whole
volume of cultural heritage is in danger of being lost forever.
This chance to study and document the cultural and traditional
knowledge of these last experts is an irretrievable opportunity
to preserve the knowledge and experience of a culture struggling
with the influence of modernization.
Appropriate
Technology
Appropriate technology is that which is sustainable, clean,
and can be derived from local resources. Examples of appropriate
technology include solar and wind power generators, rainwater
harvesting systems, solar cookers, and solar food dehydrators.
Integrative
Health Care
Integrative healthcare is the use of several healing modalities
to maintain health and combat disease. It combines allopathic
(mainstream) medicine with natural healing practices, such
as naturopathic medicine, homeopathic medicine, acupuncture,
and traditional healing.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy has been considered effective in acute, chronic,
traumatic, epidemic, and endemic diseases. Homeopathic treatment
has proven to be safe, free of side effects, affordable to
the poorest people of the world, and can be implemented in
situations with very little infrastructure. In places where
medical care is a two-days walk, a simple homeopathic self-help
kit is a lifeline.
Homeopathy Around the World*
There are more than 100,000 practitioners of homeopathy worldwide,
and approximately 500 million people receiving treatment.
There are over 12,000 medical doctors and licensed healthcare
practitioners who administer homeopathic treatment in the
UK, France, and Germany. The UK has five homeopathic hospitals
and many regional clinics where treatment is funded by the
National Health Service.
Homeopathy has been used in India since the middle of the
19th century, and is widely practiced and officially recognized.
India has the largest homeopathic infrastructure in the world,
with 300,000 qualified homeopaths, 180 colleges, 7500 government
clinics, and 307 hospitals.
In Mexico, the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) has had
a School of Homeopathy since 1936. This school has both bachelor
and master degrees.
* Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#_note-1,
February 2006.
GROW
BIOINTENSIVE® Sustainable Farming Methods
GROW BIOINTENSIVE® Sustainable Mini-Farming
is a whole system of food security that nutures soil, produces
high yields, conserves resources and can be used successfully
by almost everyone. It has been very effective in
combating the abuse from soil depleting mono-cropping, and
over-use of pesticides. The system includes: composting; companion
planting; double-dug raised beds; growing foods like grains
and seeds that also have a lot of carbonaceous materials for
composting; planting 30% of the foods in high calorie crops
like potatoes; and, the use of open pollinated seeds to maintain
bio-diversity. For more information, visit www.growbiointensive.org.
I have
more questions.
If you have additional questions about the volunteer program
- e.g. volunteer accommodations, how long you can volunteer,
whether you need a visa, which airport you should fly to,
who will meet you at the airport, or whether you will have
internet access - be sure to read our specific FAQs about
volunteering in Kenya, Ghana,
India or Nepal.
For more assistance, please contact our team at info@villagevolunteers.org.
|
