Volunteering Abroad

To all of the volunteer organizations that attempted to extort money from me so that I may freely offer my blood, sweat and tears… screw you. I genuinely don’t mean to sound negative or pessimistic toward every volunteer organization—some are legit (I think). But if you want to volunteer abroad for a worthy cause, PLEASE stop before pulling out your plastic card to register and read of my experience.

I’m currently residing in the beautiful, yet destitute country of Nepal. First question: how did I get here? I wish I could claim some elite institution offered me a prestigious fellowship to come and study the culture, but the reason is far less glamorous—I purchased a one-way ticket, booked a cheap hotel and got a three-month visa. Next question: why am I here? Again, the answer isn’t glamorous—I felt like being here and it sounded like fun.

Before arriving, I conducted due diligence on various volunteer organizations. I thought about teaching English to Buddhist monks, holding craft sessions in an orphanage, engaging in a photojournalism course and I looked at a host of other spiffy-sounding opportunities. The websites, in all of their colorful splendor and flash-based design, showed pictures of blonde-haired, happy volunteers holding babies or monkeys. Then I’d click on the “program fees” portion of the website and my stomach would churn. $800 to volunteer for one month?! I knew I could scrounge up the cash, but a part of me strongly resisted. First, the website typically offered no explanation of how the fees were allocated—perhaps a portion would go to the orphanage, but who could really tell? Secondly… I have an ego. Maybe I sound like a cold, heartless bitch for saying this, but I’ve worked my ass off to harness my unique skill set. I’m indebted to SallieMae for the next 30 years as a result of going to college. I think my soul was almost sucked from me as I sat through my intermediate macroeconomics course. I worked for the Man by spending three years in a cubicle learning the trade of accounting. Now, I completely understand that I have been afforded opportunities in my life by virtue of being born in the US. For this reason, I want to volunteer with no expected remuneration. But I’m not going to pay for the privilege. And guess what? You don’t have to, either.

In some cases, paying to volunteer perpetuates a vicious industry where your dollars make a very select few richer while doing little to help the people who need it most. A Nepali Times article outlines how many tourists come after paying thousands of dollars, only to quickly realize those dollars went to the chairperson with little of it going to the organization. I’ve heard other horror stories since being here, including volunteers getting placed in an “orphanage” which, in actuality, is full of wealthy school children asked to appear poor. Furthermore, think of what it would be like if you were trying to learn a foreign language: Imagine if your teachers changed every week, each spoke a different dialect, possessed very little experience and had completely different programs—would this situation be very helpful to you? I don’t mean to undermine the work of volunteer teachers… some programs such as the Peace Corps and ESL organizations create lasting change by offering training and providing long-term placements to schools in need. But most pay-to-volunteer organizations offer no such things. Thus, the end result is possibly placing local teachers out of work and creating headaches for students.

But there is good news—hundreds of organizations in several countries are clamoring for your expertise and support. The absolute best way to find these groups is once you’re in the country. Nothing sounds sweeter to a group’s ears than hearing, “I’m already in your country and can get started tomorrow.” You already being in the country also saves the administration from exchanging countless emails for your possible pipe dreams. I found hundreds of NGOs from which to choose by stumbling upon lists haphazardly—I’d Google a founder’s name of one company only to come across a list of 75 youth organizations filled with contact information. For starters, type “(country’s capital name) wildlife preservation” or “(city name) NGO.” Ideally, the domain name has the country in it, such as .np for Nepal.

Back to my own story, I’m personally enthralled with the field of microfinance: Giving small loans to impoverished citizens who otherwise would have no access to credit is, to me, a way to make a lasting difference. I decided to see what volunteer options were available and within five minutes, developed a pretty big inferiority complex—the first site I stumbled upon was an internship organization that sent high-caiber students from London School of Economics grads and Columbia PhD candidates to help on projects in third-world countries. I read their bios and immediately thought, “I’ve done nothing with my life nearly this awesome.” I wondered if the students in the pictures staring back at me could somehow tell that I barely passed my ‘international monetary theory’ course in college. I then came across the Kiva fellowship program and noted the lengthy application process complete with training in the US six months later. I thought of the irony, given that the program sent Kiva fellows down the road from my hotel. Other six-month programs in Ecuador and Mongolia charged $4,500. I began to have doubts by wondering what I could possibly offer any organization. Then again, I mustered up the courage and realized I had just as much to offer as any of the other students sent here to help. Very likely, they were no better at hauling chairs, performing filing and learning statistical programs than me.

I’ve recently read a book called, “The Art of Non-Conformity” by Chris Guillebeau. In it, he describes how powerful, elite institutions often serve as gate-keepers telling people what they can and cannot do. These groups provide choices a and b, but never c, d or e. I was thinking about this dilemma in my quest for meaningful volunteer work. If not paying for the privilege, it seemed the only way to find a volunteer position in an area requiring a type of skilled expertise (such as business, science or health) was through some prestigious institution sizing you up and telling you if you are good enough to do so. Meanwhile, the very organizations these institutions claim to help by sending worthy candidates continue to be understaffed and in need of volunteers. Now, I understand that such organizations cannot accept every person into the programs. An unfortunate side-effect borne from this weeding out, though, is the belief that rejected candidates are somehow not good enough to make a difference—and this is blatantly false. The prerequisites to volunteering abroad are not degrees, a high GPA or a stellar resume. These things help, certainly. The greater skills, however, are persistence, ambition, showing up and a willingness to get your hands dirty (often times, literally). As a note, if you can earn a fellowship or internship through these high-caliber programs, absolutely go for it—I commend you on your journey and wish you luck. No doubt have you paid your dues to the academic gods to get where you are. The only point I’m trying to make here is how it is totally, completely possible to find an amazing volunteer opportunity independent of a second party.

I decided to ignore that nagging feeling of doubt in my head and continued my search for microfinance institutions. I came across three and sent query letters to all of them. In my letter, I explained I was a 25-year-old female currently living in the country seeking a meaningful way to contribute. I stated how I was impressed with the organization’s mission and cited a few projects of theirs that sparked my interest. I proceeded to list a few of my credentials and dedicated a paragraph to examples of ways I believed I could help. Examples included writing reports, conducting seminars, gathering data, performing market analysis and writing promotional materials. Clearly, the skills you list will vary depending on your own abilities and interests. I then expressed my enthusiasm regarding assisting, followed by enclosing my contact information. In your letter, always tailor the details to the organization (ie, don’t state how you love working with kids if you’re applying in the office of tourism).

Of the 15 letters I emailed to organizations ranging from microfinance to sustainability, 5 groups expressed a willingness to meet with me and a desire to take me on as a volunteer/intern…all within 48 hours. I’m ecstatic to hopefully spend the next two or three months working with a credit union’s microfinance division and the country’s fair trade group.

So alright, let me recap how to volunteer abroad—I know the message got muddled in my own personal story. First: Go to the country. I know this might be a scary prospect, given that you won’t be ushered into a stable routine right away. Trust me, it's cheaper and advantageous in so many ways. Next—identify in which field you’d like to work. Assess what makes your heart sing; figure out what sends those goose bumps down your arm--the ones that tell you you’re on the right path. Maybe it’s helping sea turtles in Singapore or perhaps it’s assisting in a women’s empowerment program in Delhi. If you’re unsure of which field you’d like to work, by all means, use volunteer websites for your location as guidance. Or, look on the Peace Corps website and assess their given branches ranging from health to business. Next, figure out NGOs within the country working on these issues and email the chairman. I remember for one credit union, I couldn’t find the email address of the chairman—I did, however, find his Facebook page. Though perhaps crassly American, I sent my query letter to his message inbox (profusely apologizing for doing so, of course). He then forwarded my letter to the program officer, who then offered me an internship. You may get discouraged during this time—NGOs listed on one page may already be disbanded and you might get a few ‘return to sender’ e-mails. Ideally, the group should have some track record lasting a few years.

I don’t recommend going directly to the office right away. Very likely, the admin will state how so-and-so is not available, followed by taking your resume and then you probably won’t hear from them. The better choice is to contact the person directly in charge—she’ll be the most aware of ways you can help, or at the very least, the person under her who can point you in the right direction.

Also, keep your eyes peeled when walking around the city. I’ve found fliers in expat hangouts requesting assistance at a school for Tibetan refugees and a school located near a UNESCO heritage site with a “need volunteers!” sign painted on the outside of the building. However, stay away from tour businesses that also have a “volunteer” division. Just as you have to pay for recreational activities, they’ll very likely make you fork over money to volunteer.

I wish I could provide a list of URLs outlining veritable volunteer groups… but that’s not the point of what I’ve been explaining. The fact is, some of the best volunteer positions are the ones hidden in a poorly-constructed websites of passionate groups. At the sake of sounding trite, always cling to the belief that you are a human being who can contribute something of value. Trust that your skills and passion are highly prized within the right setting. Of course, also approach your volunteer stint with humility—very likely, you’ll learn just as much, if not more, from the group you’re helping.

Happy travels!

by Catherine C.