Get to Know Our Organization
- Our Mission
- Our Core Philosophy
- Our Promise
- Empowering Local Leaders Who Strengthen Communities
- Culturally Viable and Sustainable Solutions
- Cross Cultural Exchange
Village Volunteers (VV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works in partnership with rural village and capacity-building programs to support the development of sustainable solutions for community survival, education, and growth.
The Village Volunteers community:
- believes in the immense potential of all people;.
- has respect for the diverse perspectives, creativity and talents of all individuals;
- is committed to the principles of market-based, local economics, and entrepreneurship;
- believes in the power of partnership and collaboration to work towards social justice and gender equality;
- is committed to facilitating educational opportunities to all who reach for their potential, and medical care for all who need help;
- is dedicated to environmental conservation and biodiversity.
Village Volunteers will work to leave a legacy that supports self sufficiency and has a profound impact on the health and welfare of children in the communities we serve.
Founded in the belief that partnership and advocacy is a key factor in the renewal and healing of areas plagued by poverty, hunger and disease, we partner with communities to reach their full potential through collaborative sustainable approaches to agriculture, health care and public health awareness, environmental conservation, access to clean water, sanitation, education, food sovereignty and security, and economic stability.
Culturally Viable and Sustainable Solutions
Rather than hindering village growth by creating a dependency on the management of Western staff members, the Village Volunteers model is based on self-empowerment: all village projects are initiated, executed, and managed by locals. Village Volunteers supports local community efforts by providing grant writing assistance, developing income generating projects, and mobilizing the resources of volunteers worldwide.
Empowering Local Leaders Who Strengthen Communities
Committed to honoring community autonomy, Village Volunteers works in collaboration with community based organizations to implement sustainable solutions to community challenges.
VV acknowledges that there are many community members who know how to solve their communities’ problems, but do not have access to the necessary resources and support. To that end, VV brings together worldwide collaboration in support of inspired community leaders in Africa and Asia who empower local people, rely on indigenous resources and build upon their existing cultural and economic context.
Culturally Viable and Sustainable Solutions
Rather than hindering village growth by creating a dependency on the management of foreign staff members and funds, the Village Volunteers model is based on self-empowerment: all projects and programs support local leadership. VV supports local community efforts by providing grant writing and fundraising assistance for sustainable community projects, technical consulting for income generating projects, and mobilizing the resources of volunteers worldwide.
The opportunity for volunteers to live and work side by side with people in other parts of the world and to exchange knowledge, information, skills, and stories, gives everyone involved the opportunity to develop a meaningful common bond with our global community. The mandatory hospitality fees from Village Volunteers’ cadre of volunteers is sent ahead of their arrival and will directly and indirectly support sustainable development programs in their host village.
From Our Founder
Village Volunteers Founder and Executive Director, Shana Greene
In an increasingly interconnected world, what happens around the globe affects us all. The challenge of growing poverty, hunger and disease worldwide can be addressed if we individually recognize our role as a global citizen, become aware of the issues and take steps to create a more just world for all.
VV promotes self sufficiency in rural villages by partnering with programs to enhance economic and educational opportunities, food security, and health conditions, with respect for the environment and culture. Village Volunteers is dedicated to assisting communities in their quest to achieve a healthy, self sustained life.
This vision of hope is possible with the help of people like you.
Sincerely,
Shana Greene
Founder & Executive Director
Green Policy
Worldwide, vulnerable populations are feeling the increasing effects of climate change. We, the Village Volunteers team, recognize that each and every one of us, individuals as well as organizations and businesses, must make a commitment to preserve and protect the environment.
Dedicated to preserving resources, we are committed to lessening our environmental footprint and striving to be a “carbon neutral” organization. Below are some of our key practices.
- VV and partners promote appropriate technologies, renewable resources, conservation and innovation to enhance economic stability and community well being.
- We strive to be paperless in all ways possible, and we rely heavily on technology to do so. All volunteer orientation materials are accessed online from our website, and we do not mail brochures or fundraising materials.
- To offset the carbon produced by the air travel of each volunteer, 10 moringa trees are planted in the tropical regions that we serve.
- We continuously apply sustainability principles to the way we operate our organization. We are committed to being proactive in our environmental stewardship and continually work on improving our sustainable practices.
The Story of Our Founding
Inspiration came in 1997, when Shana Greene took her children to Zimbabwe to study the music and dance of the Shona people. There, she was deeply moved by the kindness and generosity of the people in the rural villages they visited. Upon returning to the U.S., this lasting impression moved Shana to join forces with a Kenyan woman forming a small 501C3 nonprofit organization to educate girls in her family’s home village.
Shana was quickly overwhelmed by the significant issues affecting the lives of the young women she served. The solution, as she saw it, was not simply sending girls to school, but looking holistically at the challenges that they faced, from lacking infrastructure, economic development, and access to healthcare, to the scarcity of clean water, public health education and food security.
Shana Greene founded and incorporated Village Volunteers on October 17, 2003, the same day the UN declared as the international Day of Eradicating Poverty.
Working first in Kenya, the goal was to address poverty at multiple levels, recognizing the impact that interrelated issues play in its continuation. Kenya, a country particularly vulnerable to poverty due to the high rates of HIV/AIDS infections, has more than one million orphaned children as a result.
Without a U.S. payroll for the first four years, Village Volunteers has had to and still relies on the efforts of dedicated volunteers who have provided thousands of hours of expertise and valuable skills in our Seattle office and around the world.
Today, Village Volunteers impacts the lives of thousands daily, works with partner organizations in Asia and Africa, and continues to grow as a self sustaining organization with a reputation for tangible and meaningful results.
