Volunteering and Learning Spanish is so far a perfect combination

August 26, 2011

Voluntario Global, Argentina

Living in a globalised world has meant it has never been more valuable to speak another language. The ability to move freely between countries has meant we are now far more likely to encounter other cultures and languages than previous generations, and speaking another language helps us to integrate properly and understand more about how different societies live. Most importantly however, it is vital they are taught correctly in order to preserve the understanding of the spoken and written word.I arrived in Buenos Aires at the start of June having listened to several hours worth of Spanish tapes convinced I could speak some basic Spanish, however it proved far more difficult than I first thought. Whilst I could repeat some basic phrases droned into my head, I was unable to...

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Practice in Progress

August 26, 2011

Elgon Youth Development Centre, Uganda

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Going Green!

August 26, 2011

Elgon Youth Development Centre, Uganda

The EYBB is doing much more than just teaching kids to play music. Recently its members were out on the streets of Mbale cleaning up the public spaces at the start of their Going Green campaign. They perform at functions and ceremonies to earn money to support the group, andhave bought sewing machines to set up a small cottage industry. They even busked at the local supermarket over the Easter weekend.The real stars of this project are, of course, the young people themselves. So when member Mirembe wrote, ‘You have made my dreams come true,’ Elgon Youth Brass Band association didn’t feel it could really take any credit. She’s making her dreams come true herself.Another member, Derrick, wrote: ‘After my father died I dropped out of school because no one...

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New additions to the Daktari Family

August 23, 2011

Daktari Bush School and Wildlife Orphanage, South Africa

We are happy to introduce to you, the newest members of the Daktari family… Zulu & Shangaan, the Caracals.The brothers arrived here last week and have settled in very quickly, they are too tame to be released but are still very wary of us! They are around 6 months old, still only babies, and they like to play! We are planning to hang a tyre in their enclosure to entertain them.We will keep you updated on their progress.Andrea & The Daktari Team 

Zulu & Shangaan

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By Kavita Kanan Chandra, Mumbai Story on Parijat Academy

August 22, 2011

Parijat Academy, India

It was born in a cowshed. The humble beginning notwithstanding, the school, ‘Parijat Academy’ is today a ray of hope for the Karbi tribes of Assam as their children are poised for a better future.The people of Pamohi village had been sceptical about educating their children when Uttam Teron started the school in the tribal village in 2003. But Teron had started the school in a cowshed with just four students, driven by a desire to provide quality education to the children.read more  linkhttp://www.theweekendleader.com/Heroism/638/Heavenly-school.htmlNow Parijat Academy has tin-roofed and bamboo walled classrooms and most of its 508 students are girls.Children from nine tribal villages - Pamohi, Mahguapra, Deosutal, Garchuk, Mainakhorong, Dhalbama, Nowagaon, Garoghuli and Garbhanga – attend the school. The school has added standard XI from this academic year...

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CNN IBN Real Heroes 2011 Award

August 22, 2011

Parijat Academy, India

Real Hero award to Uttam TeronStaff ReporterGUWAHATI, Aug 20 – Uttam Teron of the city- based Parijat Academy has been awarded the Real Hero award by the IBN 18 in Mumbai. He is one of the 24 real heroes selected by the IBN 18, said Assam-origin NRI Wahed Saleh in an e-mail.The Real Heroes in partnership with the Reliance Industries Ltd, India’s largest private sector enterprise, teamed up with the CNN IBN in instituting this award. The award recognizes and acknowledges ordinary Indians who are making a difference in the life of the people. in its fourth edition, this annual felicitation honoured24 unsung heroes of the country. The efforts of these 24 real heroes from across the country in diverse fields such as women empowerment, youth and social welfare, health...

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Examples of La Paz Volunteer Experiences

August 17, 2011

La Paz Community School, Costa Rica

Gap Year volunteer Catherine spent 4 months as a prek-third grade volunteer before entering her first year at Davidson College Future Northeastern undergrad student Anastasia spent 3 months of her gap year as a preschool assistant while participating in a home-stay with a local La Paz family. A Chicago Public School teacher volunteered for 3 weeks and stayed with a local La Paz family while honing her spanish skills, learning more about dual language education and place based education. Swiss graduate student Janick Plancer spent 3 months working as an assistant to the kindergarten and first grade classes. Famed Chicago Graffiti Artist and Teacher at the University of Hip Hop Lavie Raven visited La...

La Paz Volunteer with students

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Happy Birthday Abriendo Mentes!

August 11, 2011

Abriendo Mentes, Costa Rica

Written by Meradith Leebrick, Co-FounderA little over two years ago, on a hot sunny Costa Rican Saturday in early June 2009, Drew and I found a tiny little note pad in our house. Perfect, just what we needed. We penciled down 15 class schedules intended for 15 children in Potrero that we had heard were interested in learning English. We jumped in the Jeep and drove around town to track down our future students. After about an hour, we had successfully delivered the first Abriendo Mentes "horario" or schedule to our first 15 students.Riding around town that day, we didn’t yet realize what we were creating. We didn’t know that the Abriendo Mentes organization would exist (working name at the time: Teach Potrero). And we definitely didn’t imagine the community...

June 2009, one of the first AM classes

Novemer 2009 - Classes grow.

June 2011 - a full AM class in a new building

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Working with Roxana

August 10, 2011

Put Them First, Peru

Katy worked with Roxana for 3 months. These are her words:Teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do, even more so when you teach one on one. I was lucky enough and privileged enough to be given this chance with an amazing and wonderful little girl named Roxana in Chiguata, Peru. It was the most challenging job i have done to date, but one that made me extremely happy and one in which the results are seen each and every day. I watched Roxana grow academically as well as socially and her confidence just rocketed the more comfortable she became with me and my teaching style. Roxana went from a scared, vulnerable, young and immature 14 year old to a mature, confident and happy girl in the...

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Makalali Game Reserve

August 08, 2011

Daktari Bush School and Wildlife Orphanage, South Africa

Every Wednesday morning we take the children to Makalali Game Reserve so the children can hear about the different job opportunities. This is to inspire the children about jobs in the eco tourism. Most of them have no idea these jobs even exist!When we arrive at the reception, after seeing Giraffe, Zebra and Impala…. Lawrence is waiting for us with his open game-viewing vehicle. The children love to sit in this, especially in the back.Lawrence is the head field guide at Makalali, but started as a tracker, he is brilliant with the children, telling what possibilities they have and that it is good to always have a back up plan in life, because it doesn’t always go as you want it to go. That metric is the most import thing...

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