Omprakash

• About
  • How it Works
  • Vision
  • Team
  • Board
  • Partner
  • Partner Application
  • Grant Opportunities
• Volunteer
  • Volunteer Abroad Opportunities
  • Connect with Volunteers
  • Volunteer Abroad Grants
  • Volunteer Grant Recipients
  • Preparing to Travel Abroad
• Stories
  • Volunteer Abroad Stories
  • International Partner Stories
• Media
• Resources
  • Resources
  • Resources for Teachers
  • How-To Resources
  • Travel Resources
  • Documentary
• Classroom
  • PhotoPals
  • Camera Grants
  • Collaborators
• Support
  • Donate
  • Expand Our Network
  • Fundraising for our Network
  • Our Supporters
• Blog

Current & Past Volunteer Stories

Want to know what it might be like to volunteer abroad? 

Omprakash volunteers have been posting stories, photos and even videos from their time abroad since 2007. We now have an extensive collection of personal stories from volunteers who've worked with our partners abroad. You can browse through the most recent stories below or use the category selection tool to narrow your search. Alternatively click on the Stories tab for each organization we work with to see specific accounts from a particular organization. Be careful - you might lose a couple hours of your day in here! Happy reading. 

sort by:    regions All Asia Africa Middle East Latin America United States Europe Online opportunities category All education health environment women's empowerment construction economic development disaster relief

 

Another monday Morning May 08, 2012 Childline Uganda, Uganda Godfrey Ogoma It is another Monday morning; I have just been woken up by noises coming from Trinity High school. The students must be doing their normal football practice. We have an appointment with counselors at HOSFA hospital to discuss issues related to one of Childline client. I must be wondering, what I was still doing in bed. As usual, I perform my normal jogs, around the trinity field ground, then finishes with some twenty pressups. For the next, say twenty five or so minutes, I should be at Mityana town to meet with John Bosco, the director of Childline before we proceed to HOSFA, and time is running out. For the past few days, I have begun to enjoy Ugandan food, and therefore looking forward to having a plate of matooke... common fruit A visit to HOSFA hospital A visit to HOSFA hospital Trinity High school Read More

 

 

The story Of Chance Nalubega May 08, 2012 Childline Uganda, Uganda Godfrey Ogoma Her name is Chance Nalubega, 9years old, an orphan who was born with HIV. Chance’s mother died of AIDS seven years ago, leaving Chance in the hands of her father, a fisherman at Lake wamala. Prior to the death, Chance’s father neglected the family, constantly spending months without returning back home. Despite her state, Chance’s mother started digging in the nearby villages around the lake, as she tried to make ends for her family of four (Chance had two other siblings, same mother but different father).Meanwhile, Chance’s family did not have a permanent place to stay, and they could move from one place to another, in most cases being assisted by neighbors who “donated” to them deserted houses. One day while looking for food from the nearby village, she heard... Visit to Chance Nalubega Visit to Chance Nalubega Visit to Chance Nalubega Visit to Chance Nalubega Visit to Chance Nalubega Read More

 

 

Closer Every Day! May 08, 2012 Mawuvio's Outreach Programme, Ghana Kaitlyn Gitter The past few months have been a whirlwind! I received my passport a few weeks ago and am working on booking the plane ticket. It's becoming to so real! Renee and I have been communicating on what the programming will look like this summer at Camp Helen Brachman where we will be working and Renee will be sharing her experiences in Ghana with the campers. I'm so excited to be a part of this! I have also been working on figuring out what this exchange will look like as it continues into the fall when our campers go back to school in Milwaukee, WI and Renee and I head to Mawuvio's Outreach Programme in Ghana. Since the focus of my time in Ghana is... Read More

 

 

My Volunteer Story April 03, 2012 Shem Women's Group, China Kimberly Gaeth My name is Kimberly, and I have been living here in Qinghai for about a year and a half. I have a BS in Sociology from Central Michigan University and an MA in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. Before and between my years at university I developed an interest in China, and then, more specifically, western China. Upon graduation I wanted to go there and somehow make a positive difference, while at the same time earn money to pay off my college loan debt. I’m presently an oral English teacher at a middle school in Xining. This isn’t my first time in China but it is certainly the most enjoyable. Though I have only been volunteering for Shem for a short time, I have thoroughly been enjoying the... Read More

 

 

Shem Women's Group Recommendation February 28, 2012 Shem Women's Group, China Sarah Oliphant I volunteered with Shem Women's Group for 1 year, doing mostly editing of grant proposals through email contact. I also taught classes on Powerpoint and test preparation. Shem Women's Group is a small organization, with 4 full time staff members. One of their main goals is to bring in young Tibetan women who are college students and train them in designing their own development projects. The members also take part in classes such as Women in Buddhism or English writing. These students and staff members usually make a big impact in their local communities because they are working in places where women are almost never in leadership roles and have no voice in the community. They serve as role models for other young women in the... Read More

 

 

Fishing for 'G' May 06, 2012 VE Global, Chile Michelle Newman Michelle NewmanPhiladelphia, USAMarch 2012Soledad* was writing out rows of letters for the afternoon homeworksession. As a 10 year old who cannot read, letters and words do notyet hold meaning for her. Still, Soledad’s love of stories andlanguage is not muted. She loves being read to and often repeats whatshe hears line-by-line, because her desire to learn trumps thechallenge she faces.Her tenacity was clearer than ever during this particular day’swriting exercise. The Tía in charge of homework had asked Soledad towrite the letter “g” on the grid paper in front of her. “The letter‘g,’ like gato (cat),” she repeated. But Soledad was stumped, unableto visualize the letter. She kept saying the g? Like gato? I don’tknow. I don’t know.Though I was working with at a different table with another girl, Icould... Read More

 

 

Camila Leiva: Recommendation Taller de Paz April 19, 2012 Taller de Paz, Colombia Camila Leiva I was a volunteer with Taller de Paz (TDP) from June to Mid-August of 2009 in Bogotá, Colombia, as well as a member of the team that prepared the workshops in the six month before arriving to Colombia. Working as a TDP volunteer, or tallerista, was the most wonderful experience I have had doing youth work. The TDP team welcomed me, even though I joined the team several months after they had already formed as an organization (when we were all students at Swarthmore College). I was a valued member of the team from the very beginning, and was able to bring in my ideas about how to structure our workshops and the curriculum for each workshop. My fellow TDP members provided me with articles,... Read More

 

 

Alejandra Ramirez Becerra: Recommendation Taller de Paz April 13, 2012 Taller de Paz, Colombia Alejandra Ramirez Translation: My experience with Taller de Paz has helped me to understand that time has a certain value of which we are often unaware and much less make the most of. Given that it is a project that runs during the summer and that they work with kids who have gone through very difficult experiences (of which I personally have not had to deal with) with the intention that the kids can learn and grow from you and more than anything you from them, it has been a fantastic way of using my free time. My vacation was no longer just a break from academics and a prioritization of my social life, but also a moment to recognize that I was capable of much more. I know very well that Taller... Read More

 

 

Very rewarding volunteer opportunity! April 16, 2012 The Sexto Sol Center for Community Action, Mexico Amanda Mortl I truly enjoyed volunteering for Sexto Sol in Motozintla, Mexico. Sexto Sol is mostly powered by a fantastic husband and wife team: Tamara and Francisco. They helped me find my way to their town, and picked me up from the bus stop with warm greetings. I stayed in their two-story guest house, but always found myself in their home/kitchen because Tamara and Francisco were such great company. The best part of working with them was learning from their experience and wisdom. I learned so much about the communities they work with, their struggles and triumphs. It changed my worldview to become more compassionate. They provided me with all sorts of volunteer opportunities based on my interests: gardening, teaching, coordinating other volunteers, research, etc. They have... Read More

 

 

Sexto Sol deserves all the help it can get. April 15, 2012 The Sexto Sol Center for Community Action, Mexico MaryAnn Beverly I first became aware of Sexto Sol several years ago. I am the site manager for actor/activist Edward James Olmos. In 2006, he asked me to add a new page to the web site dedicated to Sexto Sol. At the time, we had no pages devoted to the many nonprofit organization he supports, and I was intrigued. It was obviously important to him because he sent a letter and several pictures that he wanted included on the page. He wrote in part: rn rn"An important part of (Sexto Sol's) work to confront poverty is to provide assistance to schools that serve indigenous children. These schools are unique because they are the only places where indigenous children can receive some teaching in their own language in a region where local cultures... Read More

 

page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139

• Site Map
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• FAQs
• Contact Us

© 2011 Omprakash Foundation. All Rights Reserved.  Meet Our Team.

The Omprakash Foundation is a tax-exempt non-profit organization registered under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Tax ID# 20-8655418

The information on this website is being provided as a general resource for individuals planning to travel and volunteer abroad. The Omprakash Foundation and/or its representatives assume no liability based on the information contained herein in the event of accident or illness, or for damage or injury to person or property of any nature whatsoever.