Barrie high school students fundraising for PaM

On October 8th, 2009, PaM directors traveled to Barrie, Ontario to make presentations in four classes at Bear Creek Secondary School, to talk about the work PaM does in Peru and help the students develop fundraising activities as a project for their Community Involvement Program requirements. Students from the civics department were given a slideshow presentation and talk, outlining the plight of school children in this poor and remote region of northern Peru, and about the history of PaM's activities in support of education in and around Mancora.

The students will put together their own small fundraising projects over the course of this school term, and the money raised will go to support young Peruvians their own age. The project will culminate in a video-conference between the high-school students in both countries, allowing them to meet and speak to each other and foster a cultural exchange.

PaM directors have put together a presentation package that fits in well with many aspects of the Ontario high-school curriculum, including civics, history, geography, world issues and environmental science, and which can be tailored to meet individual class and topical needs. The program creates a unique opportunity for students to become directly involved in working with and assisting youth their own age in a developing country. For more information, please contact Josh Hehner (josh@paraelmundo.org) or Sean Jacquemain (sean@paraelmundo.org).

Volunteer Fairs - Ontario

The Voluntraveler Team will be visiting several universities this fall to talk to students about volunteer opportunities in Peru with Para el Mundo. They are currently in need of volunteers of all kinds for 2010 for their medical, community and education programs. If you want to stop by and chat and learn more about what we do with Para el Mundo we will be manning a table at volunteer and work abroad fairs at the following universities:

September 22 - University of Waterloo

September 23 - University of Toronto (Mississauga Campus)

November 4 - University of Toronto (Scarborough Campus)

November 5 - University of Toronto (Downtown Campus)

Let us know if there is a volunteer fair in Ontario you would like to see us at. Email sean@voluntraveler.com

Girl's Club Mural is underway!

Sam and I have been working hard over the past two weeks washing, prepping, blocking, and preparing the wall next to the main entrance of Micaela school for painting, which began last Friday at our weekly girls club meeting! While we usually have about 6 - 10 girls in Club de Chicas, about 20 came to paint, and even more people were dropping by to take a look! Even in a whirlwind of vibrantly colored paints and teenage girls, nobody put a brush out of line -- the mural is looking great! We will be meeting again this Friday to add the finishing touches (in the meantime, Sam and I will be doing much additional painting) and of course for the girl's to add their names and take photos!

Volunteer Update from Mancora Peru

(Photo: Volunteers and friends Ann, Armando, Dave, Alex, and Sarah at a beach bonfire)

Hello! My name is Elise, and I am a current volunteer here in Mancora, Peru! I might be updating every so often with exciting news or inane anecdotes (most likely the latter) just to give you an idea of what life is like in Mancora.

After having a full house (8 people! We should have applied to be on 'the Real World') things are mellowing out as now it is just Jason, Samantha, me, and our adorable gatas (cats) Toffee and Eddy. We have been here for about a month and a half, although I am not very good at keeping track so it may have been longer. Time goes way too fast here! We are always busy with projects (I even make time for a paid job from my university which I do via the internet) and somehow, never get sick of surfing.

Recent events include:

• Learning to make homemade ice cream from a friend who owns a restaurant in town
• Drawing up the final sketch for the mural that the Club de Chicas will be painting in their school and preparing for the next meeting on Friday (look forward to pictures!)
• Playing endless games of dodgeball during rec time at Robin Hood (they call it 'Mata-gente' here: literally translated to 'kill people'. Don't worry, its very fun and not violent)
• Celebrating the 4th of July by finishing off an awesome day of surfing and beach volleyball with a barbeque at a friend's house involving excessive amounts of pasta salad, potato salad, s'mores, hot dogs, red beans, and tuna burgers.
• Elise attempting to make the pathetically uncomplicated dish 'Mala Rabia' and ruining dinner for everyone. Luckily the shop across the street makes amazing cake and juice.

Upcoming events include:

• Painting the mural!
• Heading out with the Dengue team tomorrow morning to do our usual rounds of water testing and larvae-cide distribution
• Saying goodbye to our housemate, Alex, this evening as she heads for a week of trekking in Cuzco!
• Pineapple Challenge: Elise, Sam, and Jason attempting to make as many recipes involving pinapple in one weekend as possible. (Lets see if this actually happens or if we just eat all the pineapple)

Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions about life in Mancora! We'll be in touch.

Best,
Elise

Daniel Castillo Surgery Update - Success!

We would like to update you all on the success of our fundraising campaign to raise money to assist 9-year old Daniel Castillo from Mancora, Peru, who has been suffering from a large cyst in his jaw. Daniel’s family are Primary School teachers from the remote area of Northern Peru where our partner charity, Para el Mundo (PaM), has been active since 2004, and have been unable to afford the surgery, biopsy, medical tests and imaging which were required to repair the large hole in Daniel’s jaw and heal the infection.

Thanks to the generous support of our friends, family members and the large network of kind folks we have been able to reach, we were able to raise the money required for his care. The first installment of $1,500 USD was sent to Peru via Western Union on June 16th, paving the way for the scheduling of Daniel’s surgery. Following a delay during which Daniel was recovering from a sinus infection, which temporarily prevented the surgery from taking place, Daniel entered the hospital on June 26th and was operated on during the day of June 27 by maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Santos of the University of Lima Teaching Hospital.

We have just recently received the wonderful news that Daniel’s surgery has gone successfully, and he is now recovering at home. The second installment of the $2,100 USD total that we managed to raise will be sent to the family this week, which will cover the rest of the hospital bill, as well as the expensive medications Daniel now needs to stimulate his body to repair the damage to his jaw bone. Although his jaw is now wired shut, and he will be eating through a straw for the next while, he is apparently feeling much better, and is healing quickly. The stitches will be removed this coming Saturday.

Daniel has written the following message to his many supporters, to thank you all for your contributions (translation below):

Hola como estan por alla bueno quiero agradecer por lo que están haciendo por mi y bueno yo estoy feliz, ah y tambien quiero agradecerle a los amigos mando saludos a everyone.

Los quiero mucho,
Daniel

[Translation: Hello. How are you all? Here, things are going well. I want to thank you for what you have done for me, and, well, I am happy, and want to thank all my friends. Please send my regards to everyone. I love you very much, Daniel]

To those of you who requested one, or who provided contact information via one of the online donation mechanisms (such as Facebook Causes or CanadaHelps.org), we will be sending out charitable tax receipts this week. If anyone who donated would like one but did not provide contact info, please feel free to write and request one (contributions of $25 CAD or over). To any of our American supporters, PaM USA has recently received its 501(c)3 status (charitable status), and can shortly begin offering charitable receipts for American contributions. Again, please contact us to inquire about this.

Peru is a very poor country, lacking any kind of public health care, and poor & working families are often forced to go without medical care. Without the generous contributions from all of you, this would not have been possible. We are eternally grateful for all that you have done to support PaM and Daniel’s cause, and we are overjoyed that, together, we have been able to reduce the suffering of this boy who has come to mean so much to our extended PaM family. His family’s thanks goes out to you, as does ours.

Fundraising Dinner Successful

After a few weeks of promotion and advertising in local English and Spanish media, the fundraising buffet dinner and celebration of Peruvian culture and cuisine at La Cocina de Doña Luz's was a success, with $500 in proceeds going to Para el Mundo (PaM). Also that evening, long-time PaM supporter Jennifer Balaishis donated a further $500 on behalf of her class at Langstaff Secondary School as part of their ongoing fundraising efforts to support the work being done in Peru.

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this event a success and for your continued support of PaM and Voluntraveler.

The photo above is of Josh Hehner (PaM/Voluntraveler) presenting La Cocina de Doña Luz owner Luis Parreto with a framed photo taken in Mancora as a gift for his continued support.

Annual PaM Dinner at La Cocina de Doña Luz

What? - A fundraising buffet dinner for Para el Mundo

When? - Saturday June 20th at 6:30pm

Where? - La Cocina de Doña Luz's (a great Peruvian restaurant in Toronto)

How Much? - $25/person

This is a dinner in support of Para el Mundo (PaM), Voluntraveler's partner charity in Peru to honour and appreciate the work of the organization and all it's supporters. Anyone who is involved or interested in becoming involved with PaM are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

La Cocina de Doña Luz's

807 St. Clair Ave W

Toronto, ON

Tel: (416) 652-7430

If you can't make it on the 20th, you can still enjoy the same meal from now until the 21st of June as part of La Cocina de Doña Luz's annual Gastronomic Festival, celebrating Peruvian culture and cuisine. Restaurant owner Luis Barreto will be donating some of the proceeds to Para el Mundo.

The festival runs from Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 21, open from 11am to 10pm for a sumptuous buffet-style all-you-can-eat meal for lunch or dinner. The cost is $25 for adults and $10 for children. Reservations are requested.

Toronto Walking Tour Fundraiser

Tour Guys (www.tourguys.ca) is hosting a fun and informative walking tour of downtown Toronto on Sunday June 14th to raise funds for Daniel Castillo's surgery. Para el Mundo (PaM) is 2/3 of the way to collecting the $2500 USD they want to raise, and this fundraising event could help them reach their goal.

The tour is free, but donations are requested and all of the money will be donated to Daniel's family in Peru via PaM.

The tour begins at the Peace Garden in front of Toronto City Hall at 2:00 PM on Sunday June 14th. The tour will happen rain or shine - so cross your fingers! After the tour, we will head to a pub for some food and drink and some socializing. How fun!

Here is the Tour Guys description of the tour:

"On this walking tour of the downtown core, I'll show you some cool places and tell you some stories that most locals don't know. Everyone visiting Toronto knows about the CN Tower, so that's not a part of this tour. Instead we'll cover rebellion, fire, epidemics, war, falcons, a family of jerks, zombies, whiskey, a rainforest, a labyrinth, a disco bomb shelter, bees, choo-choo trains, and geese with red ribbons around their necks. We'll also talk about beavers (our national animal), Canadian culture, and the weather."

If you have any questions, please email jason@tourguys.ca or call him at 647-230-7891

Fees Reduced to Draw More Volunteers

The Voluntraveler team has decided to draw more attention to Máncora by reducing the volunteer fees from $499 USD/week to $375 USD/week - that's 25%! We believe that this will create a greater interest and bring more volunteers to the north coast. Peru currently sees, by some estimates, 40% of global volunteers, but most of the programs and projects are based in and around Lima and Cusco, with few volunteers venturing into the outlying regions. Consequently the Peruvian government efforts and funding are concentrated there as well, leaving places like Máncora sorely neglected. Although the region has seen a recent boom in tourism, the local community has benefited little from the incoming tourist dollars.

We want to bring more volunteers to Máncora and through their fees, continue to support PaM's community programs to expand to other communities and help more people. If you are thinking about traveling and spending some time volunteering, there has never been a better time to do so with Voluntraveler!

Mary Donohue - House Manager and Volunteer

Hi everyone. My name’s Mary Donohue. I’m a current Para el Mundo (PaM) volunteer and the House Manager of the PaM house in Máncora, Peru. I’m going to be contributing a little something every week to the Voluntraveler blog to give everyone a little insight into life in Máncora. 

I’ve been living here since September 2008 and absolutely love it. I work with the Ministry of Health’s Dengue and Malaria Prevention Program that operates out of the local government-run health clinic. Because our work consists of inspecting people’s water deposits for signs of mosquito larvae, I have probably been in about 75% of the homes in town and have therefore gotten to meet tons of great people. 

The people in Máncora are wonderful and many have made me feel like part of the community. If anyone has any questions about volunteering, Máncora, living in Peru, or anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me by responding to my posts!

Please Donate: 9 year-old requires jaw surgery

Our partner charity, Para el Mundo (PaM), is scrambling to raise $2500 USD to provide emergency dental surgery for 9 year-old Daniel Castillo of Máncora, a small fishing town on the northern coast of Peru. Daniel is suffering from a painful cyst in his right maxilla; this progressed from an abscess that has gone untreated due to the family’s inability to pay for proper care. The bone is now involved, and the cyst is putting pressure on the adjacent teeth, causing him extreme discomfort. Daniel is well known and loved by PaM's Peruvian and Canadian staff and the international volunteers who have worked in Máncora. His Parents are both teachers raising him and his 3 siblings. Daniel’s father, Lucho, frequently has to make the overnight bus journey to the capital Lima where teaching work is available, and his mother Fanny struggles to make ends meet, working as a seamstress and craftswoman and making cakes and desserts for the tourist industry, while raising the children practically on her own.

Despite increasing tourism in Peru, most Peruvians live in extreme poverty, particularly on the northern coast, where a once thriving fishing industry has all but collapsed. Medical care is expensive and difficult to access, dental care even more so, and there is no publicly-funded health or dental care available for Daniel. Josh Hehner, PaM's Director for Community Medicine Programs says, "Only the richest have insurance, and so if we can’t raise the money to help, Daniel will have to live in extreme pain and discomfort and put his health at risk, or the family will have to take extreme measures to find the funds. We don’t even want to think about what this might mean, because they don’t own any property, have few possessions, and the family already lives in a very cramped space."

PaM is urgently requesting all sympathetic acquaintances, those in the dental profession, and past volunteers who have been touched by the kind spirit and community involvement of the Castillo family, to please give what they can to pay for Daniel’s care. Even the smallest amount is helpful.

Para el Mundo is a registered charity in Canada, the U.S.A and Peru. Their community liaison staff will make sure that 100% of any donation goes directly to Daniel’s dental and medical treatment. Ways to donate can be found here on the PaM website. They will then transfer the money to the staff in Peru who will oversee the disbursement. If you provide a mailing address and name when you donate, they will send you a tax-deductable receipt for your donation.

Danielle Lafond, one of PaM's Directors and a founder, adds,"PaM exists to help the community, but also to alleviate suffering in individuals. This child, Daniel, is very close to our hearts, and needs our help."

@Voluntraveler now on Twitter

By now I'm sure you've heard of Twitter, the "micro-blogging" tool used now by millions to "tweet" 140 character messages to all of their "followers" about whatever they want. It can be linked to Facebook to update your profile status ("Had soup for lunch - it was delish"), it is being used to spread news (like the plane crash-landing in the Hudson) and many businesses and organizations use it to keep their fans up to date on the latest deals and happenings.

Voluntraveler has jumped on the Twitter bandwagon and you can follow us here: http://www.twitter.com/voluntraveler

We probably won't be reporting breaking news. We won't be sharing what the Toronto team had for lunch. We won't be using this very often. However, we will be using it to spread informaiton we think is worth spreading about volunteer travel. We hope that you will join Twitter and help us become better advocates for volunteering in general.

Fundraising for Volunteer Travel

Some of our volunteers have asked about fundraising for their trip to Peru. One of the great things about volunteer travel, as opposed to regular leisure travel, is that it's easier to ask people to contribute money towards your effort to help children in Peru than your effort to drink Tequila Sunrises at a poolside bar in Cancun.

Fundraising can be done in several ways, and I think it's helpful to look at your potential pool of contributers as occupying circles around you. 

Family and close friends

The first circle are those closest to you, like your immediate family and closest friends. These are the people you would feel most comfortable approaching directly to contribute with no strings attached and would likely contribute the largest individual sums. If they believe as strongly in what you are doing as you are, and they know that you need the financial help to make the trip happen, they could be your best bet. You could ask them to:

• Contribute financial help in lieu of gifts they would otherwise give
  
• Collecting donations on your behalf (think of the parent who sells Girl Guide cookies in their office on behalf of their daughter)
  
• Help you organize a fundraising event (silent auction, party, show, concert)
• Just give you money

In the case of Para el Mundo, we made use of our closest friends and their resources to put together a concert at the Rivoli in Toronto. Our headliner was Samba Squad, an exciting percussion ensemble that had everyone dancing. We had t-shirts and ball caps made and sold craft items previous volunteers brought back from Peru. After ticket sales, donations collected during the show, and swag and craft sales, we had raised about $2000 for PaM that night.

Friends and co-workers

Outside that close inner circle are the remainder of your friends and your co-workers, who would likely attend your fundraiser, kick in a few bucks to your cause, but not make a substantial contribution beyond that. This group is a lot larger than your inner circle, but they still know and trust you. Pitching your plan to fundraise to them should be easy, but they won't feel as obliged to help you out. The key to getting funds from this group is offering something in return, even if its recognition on your website for contributing, or promoting their own business or interest. If you have a blog or a website and they have a band, you can write up a post in return for their contribution. Some ideas:

• Start a blog about your effort to get this trip off the ground. People like these kind of stories, and want the hero (you!) to succeed. In your blog, publicly recognize and thank the people that help you. Be sure to ask for donations which can be done through PayPal or Facebook. Here is an article on collecting through facebook applications.
  
• Find something to sell. You could start an Ebay auction and ask people to donate items that you can sell. If you're really nice, you could offer to share in a bit of the profit! Check out the companies that schools use for fundraising. A simple Google search should turn up hundreds! Find something unique to sell. An educational tour company I worked for once recorded a Christmas CD and made it availabel to schools as a fundraiser!
  
• Hold a fundraiser. It could be something as elaborate as a concert or a show, or as simple as a dinner party. Figure out what your costs will be and sell tickets that will cover your costs and then turn a profit. Add to your profit by selling other items. Don't over-estimate your turnout or choose a venue and entertainer that will leave you struggling if people don't show up in droves. A general rule for expected numbers is only count on 50% of your "yes" responses to show up. People are more polite than they are honest and would rather tell you they are coming than tell you they are not, even if they don't plan on attending.
  

The general public

This is the largest group (obviously) and the hardest to sell. Everyone is asking for money. Everyone is needy. There are people starving all over the world, and with the current economy, people are generally less willing now to let go of their hard earned money to help strangers. The key to getting funding from strangers is having a compelling story, not asking for much, and offering something of equivilent or greater value than what you are asking them to contribute. Ideas for this group would work with the other groups.

• Ask businesses to donate something you can give away or auction/sell in return for advertising, mention of sponsorship, etc.
  
• Sell tickets to a show, or fundraiser you are hosting as above. Make sure to promote the heck out of your event in the media. Contact all the papers and local bloggers!
  
• Start a word of mouth or social media campaign (like on facebook) asking for contributions of $1. Set a target date and maybe a website. Try to find something of value to offer for that $1. Here is a guy who made a ton of cash by selling pixels of a website for advertising. This has laready been done, so you probably won't have any luck replicating it, but it might give you some ideas.
  

One last thing...

Figure out which kind of fundraiser will bring the biggest return for the effort spent. However, no matter what you choose to do to fundraise, don't expect the money to flow easily and without effort. Treat your fundraising like a job, create a realistic goal and work your hardest to achieve it. The surpass it. When you are successful, be sure to thank those responsible for helping you. When you return from your trip, make sure those who helped get copies of your photos and some kind of souvenier. 

Then share your experience with the rest of the world!

The Kitten

One of the memorable experiences I had in Mancora, was finding a kitten on the front porch of the volunteer house. She was the smallest kitten I've ever seen and she was lying on her side, barely moving. I got some milk and she was able to suck it out of my hand, which instantly revived her. She ate a lot and then took a nap on my lap. I sat with her for hours, feeding her and letting her sleep next to me.

The two cats, Toffee and Fat Eddy, that live in the volunteer house now were rescued from a dumpster and PaM has the reputation of saving animals. I guess someone left this tiny kitten, hoping we could help.

I was leaving in less then a week and knew I had to find him a home. I enlisted the help of Gaby, the wonderful volunteer coordinator that will help you even when she doesn't have the time. Basically we were trying to find a home for a baby that needs to be fed every two hours, kept warm (not hard in Mancora), and stimulated to go to the bathroom. Amazingly, one of the volunteers Caitlin, with the support of her parents Michelle and Maggie, agreed to take on the kitten. I was so relieved and grateful I almost cried.

So many animals in Mancora need help and don't get it. I was happy to play a small role in this one cats life, but also sad to know that I couldn't do more for so many other animals. I dream of a veterinarian volunteering in Mancora and I would love to return and start a community run animal rescue.

PaM/Voluntraveler House in Mancora Peru

This is a video slideshow of the accommodation used by our volunteers in Mancora Peru. 

Learning To Surf In Mancora

Learning to surf in Mancora is an experience I will never forget. Why was this experience so memorable? First, it was wicked awesome fun; Second, I actually stood up on the board a bunch of times during my first lesson - this made me proud as punch; Third, let’s face it, people think you’re cool if you know how to surf.

My first attempt at surfing happened about one week after my arrival in Mancora. By that time I had been to the beach several times and had caught a couple of amazing waves on the boogey board. The thrill of catching those waves made me greedy for an authentic surfing experience. Give me that long board baby!

This authentic surfing experience came to fruition when my friends recommended Robbie, a local teacher and also a world-class ranked surfer. Robbie speaks both Spanish and English (which was good for me because my Spanish was not great at the time). What impressed me most about Robbie was his professionalism and easygoing personality. He’s super nice and really encouraging as a teacher. ‘Safety first’ was really emphasized during the lesson as well. For example, Robbie made sure I started out on the sandy area of the beach and not near the rocky break so I was not at risk of getting a ‘tummy scratcher’. With Robbie’s super easygoing style and mad skills as a surfer, I was up on that board in no time.

So there I was on a sunny Saturday morning at Mancora Beach with a white and pink long board, a borrowed surf shirt, and Robbie at my side. My first victory was learning the ‘pop up’ on the beach. My ultimate victory, however, was accomplishing that ‘pop up’ while catching a wave. The thrill of catching a wave was addictive. After that moment, I couldn’t get enough and I surfed almost every weekend.

Luckily my friend was there to snap a few pictures of my first lesson. (Note the giant grin.) That smile didn’t go away for hours and hours. I was so thrilled about my gnarly new skill that I recommended Robbie to every volunteer I met. It’s great way to experience what Mancora is famous for – a killer off-the-beaten-path surf spot. If there could be a star rating system to surf lessons, I would give lessons in Mancora a 5 out of 5. Hands Down!

Just remember to re-apply that sunscreen and you’ll be set for days and days of Mancora beach bliss on your board.

Mancora the Movie

An adventure drama that tells the story of Santiago, a 22-year old from Lima. Following his father's suicide , haunted by inner daemons and hatred for the world in general, Santiago decides to escape the crude Lima winter to take refuge in Mancora.

It will be interesting to see what effect, if any, this film will have on the tourist industry in Mancora. 

The Ocean in Mancora

When not in the volunteer house or working on a project I'm likely down at the beach when I'm in Mancora. Stretching the town on the west coast is the Pacific and the main destination for the majority of the tourists that come to Mancora. 

I had never lived on an ocean before coming to Peru. I'd visited and swam in both the Atlantic and Pacific on family trips when I was younger, but to have such access to an ocean (the PaM house is a ten minute walk from the beach) was amazing. 

I tried surfing and didn't do too badly with an instructor. Didn't do too well on my own. We got a body board down there and I had fun riding that for a while. My favorite thing to do was just swim out into the surf and body surf the waves back in.  I try to avoid the busy areas of the beach in front of the hotels on the south side of town. I swim in the usually deserted north end, where I don't have to worry about getting in anyone else's way. I usually go in the evening (the best time for random dolphin sightings) and watch the sunset as I swim. I'm not the most spiritual guy, but I feel pretty connected and at peace when I'm floating in the ocean in Mancora.

Why pay to volunteer?

The question of paying to volunteer pops up frequently, and is answered quite eloquently in this post by Le Ann Joy Adam, who worked as the Overseas Resource Coordinator at Stanford University. 

Below are the benefits she outlines for using an established organization and how Voluntraveler and PaM fit into it. The headings are hers, the points are mine.

• Orientation - Voluntraveler and PaM staff in Peru help the volunteers adjust to their new surroundings and integrate into the community quickly
  
• Language and Technical Training - Although we ask our volunteers to have intermediate Spanish, we offer additional Spanish lessons and the local professionals we work with can teach our volunteers a lot on the job.
  
• Arranged Accommodation - all of our volunteers live in the Volunteer House, have their own bedroom, and enjoy living with other volunteers and our Peruvian staff. Living in the volunteer house makes organizing projects, and having meetings very easy.
  
• A Safety Net - living with the other volunteers and our Peruvian staff means you have a shoulder to cry on when you are homesick, and other people who are sharing your experience. The staff provide logistical support as well.
  
• Clear Expectations - volunteers can run with projects started by others, or define their own. Having experienced PaM staff and established projects gives direction to our volunteers.
  
• Affordability - our program prices are less than what you would pay for a similar all-inclusive vacation elsewhere in the world, and probably less than what you would spend to live for a month in Canada or the USA. 

Voluntraveler is a social enterprise, and the fees we collect from our volunteers cover our overhead costs and offset the administration costs for Para el Mundo. We pay our Peruvian staff a handsome living wage and health insurance (rare in Peru) and this frees up money donated to PaM for their programs. It's a model similar to the one adopted by Free the Children (charity) and Me to We (social enterprise). Their trips are more than $1000 USD/week - twice what Voluntraveler fees are!

Life in the volunteer house

Living in Mancora is a bit of a transition. It's a different culture and pace of life. The volunteer house is a place where everyone can chill after a day of work and decompress. My favorite place in the house is on the wrap around balcony. You can sit there for hours and people watch from the second level. There is often a soccer game on the street with the neighborhood kids and it seems like once a week there is a procession that goes by.

I always felt like the volunteers were like a family. We take turns cooking and cleaning and maybe I've just been lucky, but every time I'm there the other volunteers are amazing cooks.

The house is nice and secure and has a lot of amenities like the PaM computer and surf boards. I like that we live in the local end of town away from all the tourist spots. We're close enough to walk anywhere in town, but our location makes me feel like a part of the community.

Robin Hood Program in Mancora

Providing undernourished, needy children with after school care and literacy education, the Robin Hood Program is a partnership between Magda Metwally and Para el Mundo. It serves as a great example of the type of project that volunteers with Voluntraveler can initiate. Magda saw a need and partnered with Para el Mundo (who provides 50% of the funding) and Voluntraveler for a steady flow of international volunteers to suppliment the Peruvian staff.  Now Robin Hood serves more than 50 needy kids.

Helping with Robin Hood is component of our Community Voluntraveler program.

House Manager Position - Update

We are currently looking for someone to fill the house manager position (see previous post) from April to August.

If you are interested, please visit our website and complete the online application form, indicating you are applying for the house manager position.

Job Position - House Manager

We are currently seeking a mature and responsible person to act as the volunteer House Manager for Voluntraveler in Mancora Peru. This position is ideal for a person who wants to be an integral part of the Voluntraveler program in a leadership capacity, and become immersed in the local culture while enjoying the sun and surf of Mancora for three (3) months or more. 

The House Manager is the point person for Voluntraveler on the ground in Mancora and is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the house and supporting the well-being of its volunteer occupants. 

Responsibilities Include:

• Helping the new volunteers adjust to life in Mancora
  
• Providing leadership and support to the volunteers
  
• Monitoring the volunteers' happiness and well-being
  
• Organizing house chores and maintaining the cleanliness and order of the house (actual cleaning done by local cleaning service)
  
• Holding house meetings and dealing with issues and problems that may come up with volunteers
  
• Liaising between Voluntraveler and local Para el Mundo program staff
  
• Reporting back to the Voluntraveler Directors on a frequent basis
  
• Taking care of the two house cats (Fat Eddie and Toffee)
  

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• Intermediate Spanish language ability
  
• Previous experience in a management or leadership capacity
  
• Previous experience living and working in South America would be considered an asset.
  

Compensation and Benefits:

• Free accommodation  at the volunteer house (minimum 3 months)
  
• Food for the duration of your stay in Mancora
  
• Free wireless internet access, and use of house computer
  
• Use of house phone for local calls and receiving international calls
  
• Use of the house surf boards and boogie board
  

This position is not a paid position, but the usual volunteer fees are waived.

If you feel you are suited for this position and would like to apply, please apply through the Voluntraveler website, but indicate in the "Programs of Interest" portion of the form that you are applying for the house manager position.

Voluntraveler Website is LIVE!

Our new website is online and looking fabulous. Here you can learn more about what we do, where we are, and how to apply.

Don't forget to join us on Facebook too!

Thanks to Holly Monster for making our organization look so good on screen. Holly does some fabulous work and she's into henna and tattoos as well, which makes her cooler than me! Check out her website at www.hollypagnacco.com

Thanks For Your Interest In Voluntraveler

Jason (in mask) and Sean from Voluntraveler

We had a great afternoon at the International Opportunities Fair at the Scarborough Campus of the University of Toronto (UTSC). We met some great people working for other organizations and see some great potential for cooperation in the very near future. "Synergy" is a word I've come to love and use it a lot when talking about our work.

Sean and I also spoke with many enthusiastic students, many of whom had done volunteering abroad before. For us, this fair was as much about getting people excited about our programs, as it was showing them that volunteering can be more engaging and immersive than digging wells or playing with orphans for an afternoon.

In creating Voluntraveler, we think the exprience we offer goes a lot deeper than the more expensive voluntourism trips offered by other organizations. At the same time, I think we expect more from our volunteers in their drive, independance, and desire to help others. While other organizations aim to give people a taste of what living and working in the developing world is like, Voluntraveler gives you an all-you-can-eat buffet. Many of our volunteers have created their own program and ran with it, so I suppose that would also make them chefs as well.

Oh, and our website should be up and running in the next 24hrs. In the meantime join our Facebook Fan Page to get updates and network with others interested in volunteering with us.

International Opportunities Fair - Toronto

On Wednesday, February 4th we will be participating in the first ever International Opportunities Fair at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. It is on the 2nd floor of the Science Wing from 11:30am - 3:00pm. If you have questions and want to meet us, come by and say hello!

We've created a short video using Animoto to help get the word out that we're in business. The website should be up on Tuesday!

Special Needs Kids - Project Ideas?

International and local volunteers are a big help at the local Centro de Niños Especiales in Mancora. The Centre is locally-run and severely underfunded; part of your Voluntraveler fees goes directly to the Centre, but they receive little other support and serve over a hundred families. The children have a wide range of challenges: most of the families are poor, and most of the children do not go to school since there is no support for them there. The parents worry a lot about their children's futures, and about whether they will ever be independent or gainfully employed.

To raise funds for the Centre and to give the families a source of income, volunteers have been leading various projects with the kids aimed at producing something they can sell to the many international tourists who travel through Mancora. They have made snacks and foodstuffs, and they have tried different art projects. If you have skills and ideas about how a group of these kids and their families could create a low-cost, unique product, this might be a great volunteer experiences for you! They are especially interested in how they can use recylclable materials that are easy to find in town, like plastic bottles, sea shells, or sand.

Does anyone have any art project ideas, or know of any similar examples? In South Africa, I saw a project where a collective of women were using discarded tea bags to make pretty things like coasters, key chains and journals.

First Week in Mancora

There can be a lot of challenges living in Mancora, Peru, especially if you're used to an easier way of life. Many of the simple things that we take for granted such as running water and easy access to medical care can be a struggle. 

Mancora works at its own pace and there is definitely a period of adjustment when volunteers first get to town. Para el Mundo (PaM) staff members work hard with new volunteers in their first week to make sure they get the most out of their time in Mancora.

Because PaM is staffed by Peruvians and works with community leaders, volunteers are immediately part of a community. Locals give PaM volunteers tips on where to eat and what local attractions are worth checking out.

Whenever you travel it takes time to get used to your new home. PaM staff makes the change as smooth as possible, so volunteers can spend their time volunteering as soon as possible.

Promoting Our Mission

We're preparing to market ourselves to the world and have designed some postcards and posters to help us get our message across (check it out above). We will be making appearances at various travel fairs at universities, and making as many connections as we can in the next few months. If you know of any associations that we should be contacting, or people that you think can help us find great voluntravelers for our programs, please contact us!

Seeking Partner Charities

Voluntraveler currently has a close relationship with Para el Mundo, but is seeking to partner with other reputable charities that would accept our volunteers in addition to funds to cover their living expenses and a contribution to their program. Hmmm... free help AND money? That's a pretty good deal.

The catch is, that we have to learn everything about how the charity operates, will want to be able to visit the sites where it operates, speak to past volunteers and current staff, and basically be sure that any money we send will be put to direct use by the charity to run its program. 

We have found that many so-called "charities" in South America (and elsewhere) funnel money out of their programs and into other pockets. Any charity we work with MUST be transparent with us.

What we are looking for ideally are grassroots organizations that have an existing volunteer program with costs in line with what we are familiar with. 

If you know of a charity organization that might like to partner with Voluntraveler, please contact us.

Volunteer + traveler = Voluntraveler

Travel with purpose. Meaningful travel. Voluntourism. Volunteer travel. These terms and phrases are defining a new type of travel that combine unique experiences abroad with work that benefits the local community. It's time to add a new one: Voluntraveler.

What is a voluntraveler?

A voluntraveler is not a tourist with some spare time to help dig a well, but a well-meaning professional who uses their particular skills and training to better the lives of people in developing countries. Tourists want to see interesting places. Travelers want an experience.

Voluntraveler: local partners, local impact

Voluntraveler is an organization concerned with placing the above mentioned professionals with charity organizations that can best use their skills. Our closest charity partner is Para el Mundo, a fantastic organization in Mancora, Peru. Each year, dozens of volunteers travel to the beautiful coastal town to help with the various projects. They assist with the small medical clinic (the only medical facitlity in the town), teach ESL to the local population, or work with various comunity programs that benefit from their professional training. 

Voluntraveler will be launching a website and online community in February. This blog will be your source for news and opportunities related to Voluntraveler and the world of volunteer travel. Subscribe by email, or add this to your RSS feed. 

-The Voluntraveler Team