A volunteer from Canada speaks to a group of males in Kenya during a 6 week medical healthcare volunteer program.

Sarah campbell - 23 years old

In 2023, Sarah left Canada and embarked on a unique opportunity to spend six weeks on a Medical Health Care Program as a volunteer assisting in the city of Nairobi, Kenya and surrounding area. For most volunteers like Sarah, completing post secondary is a big investment of time and money and although it is of benefit to have in the workplace, it does not typically provide out of the ordinary real life experience that is life changing for the most part. After being a volunteer in Kenya for six weeks, Sarah has not only made herself more attractive and marketable in the workplace and to a future employer but also got a chance to immerse herself in a completely different culture and was able to gain powerful experiences like this one in Africa that will leave Sarah; and anyone else who wants to volunteer, a new perspective and lasting memories that one will be able to reflect on and cherish for the rest of their lifetime.

“My volunteer experience was amazing. It was life changing to be able to experience a completely different culture from my own and see how the other half of the world lives. My trip left me filled with gratitude for what I have as a Canadian but also inspired by the resilience of the Kenyan people and how they are still able to find joy in the hardest of times. I am very happy with my experience with Volunteers Without Borders. I learned so much and also had the opportunity to apply and practice skills relevant to my educaiton and career path. As I am in the field of social work, I feel through the trip I gained experience and new perspectives that I am excited to bring back and apply to my work in the social services industry in Canada.”

VOLUNTEERS SHARE THEIR STORIES AND WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING TOO

SHARE STORIES ~

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make a world of difference.

Volunteering can be a wonderful experience. Not only can you help out an organization, but it can benefit you as well by making you a wiser, more appreciative, and better person. And to encourage you to try volunteering, this piece is a compilation of volunteering stories from people who have volunteered and are glad to have done so. Follow the link to read and learn how others have made a difference and so can you!

“My dad asked me to volunteer with our local Meals On Wheels when I was 15 years old. We volunteered every Saturday morning during the summer while I was off school…”

 

Click the link below to access the article:

www.outwittrade.com/why-volunteer

 
 

A LIFECHANGING EXPERIENCE WHILE VOLUNTEERING IN ECUADOR

Hello, My name is Aline Wolf, I am from France. I decided to become a volunteer with VWB International and travel to Ecuador in 2018 for the entire month of august to experience Social Labor with Children. I lived with a local Ecuadorian family, and enjoyed many delicious meals together. It was an interesting journey because I had the opportunity to discover the country with their landscapes, the culture and Ecuadorian specialties. I met some amazing people like the sisters at the orphanage I worked at, the family I was living with, other volunteers and the local Ecuadorian people who helped me when I did not understand things and were always available and present for me anytime. They all were so generous and made me feel comfortable. As for the volunteering in the orphanage, the memories will stay with me forever because it was extraordinary being with all this kids who solely ask for love. The language of love was expressed in such simple was by just playing with them or teaching them a little of English (or Spanish for those who were 3 - 5 years old).  Thank you for the experience and everything provided, you are all doing an incredible and important job!

 
 

WHY VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

When they’re forging connections and building valuable relationships around the world, what’s not to love about a group of people who choose to spend their time helping others? There’s no way to begin to quantify how volunteers make a difference in our world, but there they are, still putting in the work! These amazing people, spreading joy and compassion, deserve to be recognized for their amazing volunteer experience. Here are ten reasons why people should volunteer abroad and all the reasons why we love volunteers.

1. VOLUNTEERS MAKE THE LITTLE THINGS COUNT

Tasks that may seem minuscule or “too small to make a difference” actually have the opposite effect. Volunteers help improve areas around the world by completing any and every task, from mending fences and picking up trash to painting a community building or filling a classroom with necessary supplies. How volunteers make a difference is by recognizing no task is too small or insignificant.

2. VOLUNTEERS TEACH PEOPLE WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR HOMES.

Education is a huge component of volunteering abroad. By providing people with essential physical and mental tools for success, volunteers create an educational foundation that communities around the world can utilize forever. Another one of the many reasons to volunteer abroad, and why we love international volunteers.

 

want to live longer? volunteer

Now that we’re a couple weeks into 2017, it’s time to ask how your New Year’s resolutions are holding up—particularly if your goal is to be healthier than you were in 2016. If that’s the case, we’ve got just one piece of advice for you: Volunteer!

 

According to Doing Good Is Good for You, a study conducted by United Health care Made the following conclusions

  • 76% of people who had volunteered in the previous 12 months said that volunteering made them feel healthier.

  • The study also found that volunteering helped people manage chronic illness better, which certainly makes sense because if your mind is on helping other people with their problems, it’s less time spent thinking of your own.

  • 94% of people who had volunteered in the previous 12 months said that volunteering improved their mood.

  • 80% of the people who had volunteered in the previous 12 months felt that they had control over their health.

  • 78% of people who had volunteered in the previous 12 months said that volunteering lowered their stress levels.

It also makes sense that volunteering would help combat depression—it helps keeps you in regular contact with others, thereby keeping feelings of isolation in check. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and get healthy!

For more details, click here: www.greatnonprofits.org/nonprofitnews/want-to-live-longer-volunteer

 
 

Seaworld to End controversial orca show and Breeding

As Tilikum lies dying in a tank in Orlando, SeaWorld made a major announcement Thursday: After several years of pressure from activists and the public, the company will end its orca breeding and theatrical shows programs. The company had already announced plans to end its controversial whale shows in San Diego in November 2015, in response to scrutiny from the state of California, and now SeaWorld is going a step further by phasing out its theatrical orca shows at all locations, including in Florida and Texas.

For more details, click here: www.news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/03/160317-seaworld-orcas-killer-whales-captivity-breeding-shamu-tilikum