volunteer in Africa

Anyone used Volunteer Africa, the organization?

See ‘someday’ plans.

I´m really looking forward to volunteering in Kenya this summer…there are just so many things to be done before I go
-persuade my parents :P
-get all the vaccinations required
-book a flight ticket
-finish my high school

My brother & I are looking to go somewhere together. We’re looking at the CADIP programs which is a Canadian based company. They have some programs that include working with mentally-disabled children & building a kindergarten. My only qualm is that the descriptions are very vague.

I’m looking to spend 3 weeks or so living somewhere in West Africa. I speak french fluently, and I’d like to volunteer my time (and hopefully some talent). I spent some time traveling Asia, but I’m tired of a touring/running around trip- I just want to get to know a small area, and hopefully contribute something helpful.

So many people dismiss any aid work that goes into “saving africa”. They say that one person helping will make no difference, the country is still poverty stricken, the people are still hungry, the children are still sick.

Please let me ask you, if an aids epidemic occurred in America tomorrow, and poverty struck in a way no one had seen before, if it was your daughter who needed medicine, would you tell her that she did not matter because she was just ONE small person? That sending funds would not make a difference? No. Because it does make a difference. That one life would be made better. That one girl would have a chance.

If you could only help one person, isn’t that one person worth it?

I want to go to Africa because I feel like that’s where I’ll find something I can’t find here in Europe.

And because I’m an idealist and I need to do something more useful than studying.

I grew up in South Africa, and that’s like the rich part of Africa, now I’m in China but I really want to get back there, and actually go around to the rest of Africa where living’s not as simple as we get it. Maybe survive couple days in Somalia??? To see why that place’s in such chaos.

Look at local churches. I went to a nondenominational church a few times, and twice a year they find a handful of people to go to Africa with them. Maybe a church around you does, too?

I went to Uganda with some friends for a month and helped build a primary school. We paid for everything (food, lodging, materials etc) through selling coffee from the region. Its cool because the money from the coffee went right back into the country. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I would recommend it to anyone.