Volunteer for the Visayans

Hello, my name is Paulina and I am from Poland. I would like to take an internship or or volunteering as I am finishing my Bachelor's Degree now in Dietetics. In July I am able to come and start cooperation :) I count on a positive response and thank you for taking the time to read :)

This was a vulnerable time for the residents of Leyte as many of them had just suffered through typhoon Yolanda. However, with the guidance of administration and other volunteers, we were able to undertake many tasks to help the community recover from the long-lasting effects. There was a neighborhood clean up, cooking at a local community center, clothing and book drives and teaching at a local primary school. This experience was the second time in Tacloban, and I would gladly go back and help wherever needed.

Well, what on earth do I say about VFV? I spent two months volunteering with them, and I have to say that it was one of the most important experiences of my life. My original project was a rural health clinic (I am a nurse), however, due to an overwhelming number of healthcare staff available to work in the Philippines, my clinic was constantly well-staffed. This left me feeling every day that I was not really needed, and that it was an experience that was benefiting only me, and not the community I worked in. On the flip side of that, I was able to get experience learning the language (WarayWaray), doing prenatal exams, and giving immunizations- all things that I could not do in Canada due to my status as a 4th-year nursing student. The truly rewarding experience- outside of dealing with and learning so much from the wonderful staff at my clinic- came from my side projects. A few evenings a week, I helped tutor the Grade 8 students who are also sponsor children through VFV. I tutored English, math, and a few other subjects, whatever the kids needed help with that day. It was absolutely a blast! I had so much fun spending time with them, refreshed my math skills with the help of Google, and felt like, at times, I was actually helping. I also joined a co-volunteer at her placement for a couple of days at the girls' shelter, where I designed two workshops- one on self esteem and healthy relationships, and one on womens' health. That was by far the most rewarding, and one that I will probably travel back to the Philippines to do more of. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and it really felt like I did something worthwhile. On top of it all, the volunteers all become quite close and spend a lot of time together, so I met a couple of lifelong friends in the process. My homestay was so wonderful, and helped me to understand so much about Filipino life and culture. I miss being "Ate Kirsten" (sister Kirsten) in the community, and I miss the friendly neighbourhood kids and adults every day. I even miss my hour-and-a-half jeepney/tricycle ride every day to my project! I will absolutely be back again, and can not wait to see what the next volunteer trip brings. Thank you, VFV, for the amazing experience!!! 2 tips for future volunteers: 1) Come with an open mind. Each project is different from your expectations in ways you couldn't begin to imagine, so come with the mindset that you will find and create value in whatever your project is. 2) Take initiative. You are given so much freedom with VFV to participate in other projects, so take advantage! If you question the value of what you are doing, be creative and spend time experimenting and figuring out where the need is. Share that with people, initiate change- VFV does not gently take you by the hand and tell you what to do every step of the way, that is the best part of the organization's volunteer program! You have leeway to decide what you think is important, and to explore it. Enjoy the freedom and the opportunity to create change!

Volunteering in the Philippines with VFV was an amazing experience and I couldn't ask for anything more! Even though it was a short experience, I am walking away with new life skills, a ton of new friends, and a complete love of this island nation!

Last year I participate in VFV by acting as an NGO Intern, working very closely with the director to manage the construction of a community center in a rural village. As a returning volunteer, I found it incredibly rewarding to get more deeply involved in the inner-workings of the organization. The Director, Ate Wimwim, was very good at explaining how the organization works, to the public eye as well as the nitty-gritty stuff like financials. I was challenged by some of my daily tasks, but well supported through it all and always given time to adjust to any "learning curve". The experience interning with VFV has given me is priceless. It taught me exactly what it is like to work for an NGO and the day-to-day functions that are often overlooked, yet extremely important for the organization. I would recommend interning with an NGO for anyone hoping to run their own nonprofit some day or even for those who are interested in working in the Charity sector.

During my 6 month volunteer trip with VFV I had the chance to help contribute to the construction of three homes in a rural village. With no construction or building experience at all I wasn't sure I'd be much help, but the head carpenter, local workers, and even local kids were extremely grateful for any assistance I could provide. I never knew I had it in me to carry 20 lb sand bags all day or shovel 6 ft. deep holes under the baking heat of the Filipino sun. Building the homes challenged me physically but my sleepiness was overpowered by the notion that I was providing a family with something tangible, a home where they would create memories, where the parents would watch their children grow, where they would share meals daily, and where they would safely rest their heads at night. It was an incredible feeling to see each family move in to their new home, and I live for the day that I can build more homes with VFV.

I volunteered at SOS Children's Village in Tacloban City with VFV for 2 weeks. During my time there I played games with the kids, worked on math skills, and held arts and crafts time. The orphanage itself has an incredible structure, allowing the children to form families within individual homes fit with individual house mothers who become like a real Mother to them. You would never know that all 120 children at SOS are orphans or children who's parents can no longer care for them, the atmosphere is loving, caring, and inviting.

When I volunteered in 2012 I was 16 and the youngest volunteer they had had, and it was my first time travelling alone. Yes I had been a little worried, especially as I didn't feel like an adult, but I found that everyone, both locals and volunteers, made me feel both welcome and valued as part of the VFV community. I also felt safe around the local barangays, which is a contrast to home but made Tacloban all the more welcoming! It is an experience I loved, working in an orphanage taught me a lot about my own life , attitudes to life and how lucky I am; I was fortunate enough to shadow one of the volunteer medics and see more rural life as well. It was life changing and the independence I gained has been so valuable. I find that now I am back home I still miss the feeling of community that was present and my homestay mums cooking! I think what really made it special was going for every opportunity I could, whether it was tutoring local children or wandering round downtown and the museums, but also being given such opportunities despite my age and being trusted. The staff were awesome as well, especially when the day had been hard or I missed home a little and it really was just a life changing experience which I hope to experience again! Thanks VFV

Volunteering with the community center brought me in touch with children who are among the sweetest and warmest I have ever encountered. The interaction with them is in itself already very rewarding. More so, I love how the community center is making a huge impact on the lives of the local villagers. Many of these children come from families of farmers. These farmers rely on the earnings they make from harvest seasons, which only happen twice a year. For the most part of the year, these families have to deal with the possibility of hunger on a daily basis. The community center, and its sponsorship program, means the world to many of its underprivileged beneficiaries.

I worked on the Santo Nino Nutrition Project for seven weeks during the summer of 2013. Monday through Friday we had daily supplemental feedings for the children participating in the program in this village. My partners and I also held nutrition education classes for the Boys and Girls Clubs at the VFV Center, gave a lecture at a local high school, and administered health and sanitation lessons to the mothers of the children in the feeding program. At the end of my stay we implemented a small community garden in which we planted peppers, eggplant, tomatoes etc. in recycled water jugs for the families in Santo Nino. I would highly recommend VFV to anybody- it has been the highlight of my life so far. The smiles of the locals are contagious and there are happy vibes everywhere you go; I never once felt in danger. During my time in Tacloban there were many other volunteers and we would all spend time together on the weekends and when we weren't at our placements during the week. These people are truly appreciative and seeing there positive mindset is absolutely life-changing!

I first volunteered for VFV in 2009 and after 1 month I knew I would be back. The second time I came for 6 months and that still wasn't long enough. I suggest volunteers stay for 4 months to get a really good feel for the culture, communities, and for the ultimate experience. VFV has an amazing array of placements, but volunteers with initiative can also start their own programs. You can share your talent or knowledge with individuals of all ages in the communities served. Homestays are always amazing and provide you with a home away from home, no doubt!

Volunteer for the Visayans helped me to facilitate my own volunteer experience. I have experience as a dental assistant and really wanted to teach children about oral health. The administration answered my questions quickly and thoroughly and gave me a lot of flexibility with structuring the program. They helped me with transportation and housing too. I got to work with children and their families in a small village near Tacloban City, Philippines. My co-presenter and I taught around 50 children how to take care of their teeth. We asked how many brushed their teeth everyday and only one raised their hand! We were able to give them each their own toothbrush and a mini toothpaste thanks to some donations. All the kids were so excited and fun!

In 2011, I taught dance lessons to some of Volunteer for the Visayans sponsorered children at their main community center in Bliss. The center was conveinently located within 20 feet of my homestay and living amidst the community members and sponsored children made it super easy to connect with my dancers. We started off with all girls but I was able to collect one little boy along the way. We started our dance lessons with just basic rhythmic exercises sprawling the width of the center, practiced stretching, and some basic dance moves. Then I taught the girls an entire dance, over a few weeks practicing inside the center once a week on the weekend. The girls were very responsive, giggly at the moves, but eager to learn. When the dance was prepared the only bad part about teaching them was that the class had to end, they nervously performed the dance on the plaza for my farewell party guests. After completing it the first time they begged me to let them try again so they could really show their skills. Teaching dance in the Philippines with VFV was an amazing experience. I taught dance classes in the U.S. for multiple years, but teaching the VFV sponsored children was even more rewarding and helped me expand my capabilities as a teacher. I feel it was a great way to boost their kids confidence too!

Volunteering with the healthcare team at a personal and community level was a great experience. From the moment I arrived I worked directly with patients. The majority of patients presented with low acuity ailments and many mother's brought their children in for weight and growth measurements. From wound care to vital signs, vaccinations to observing physician consultation, I was able to cover nearly all aspects of the small clinic. The staff allowed me to work under my own scope of practice, always making sure I felt comfortable completing tasks. The staff went out of their way to welcome me, spending time to teach me useful words and phrases in the local dialect, Wary Wary, which helped me connect with the patients on a greater level. Overall, this was a great way to obtain patient contact hours, connect with the locals and an unforgettable cultural experience.

Volunteering in the Philippines with VFV was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. To have the chance to meet and help families in underprivileged communities opened my eyes to what the world is all about. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking for an invigorating, challenging, and rewarding cultural experience.

I've volunteered with VFV 4 times already and every time I do, it never fails to give me a satisfying feeling that I was able to help underprivileged Filipinos. Thanks VFV and thanks GoAbroad!

Volunteering at the Department of Social Welfare and Development run orphanage with Volunteer for the Visayans honestly changed my life. It opened my eyes to the true desperation that comes with extreme poverty. I spent many hours each day in the orphanage nursery, sometimes caring for 16 toddlers and infants at one time. From one child to the next the routine never stopped, diaper, bottle, love, rest, repeat. It was rewarding, disheartening, and amazing all at the same time. The stories of the children's lives before the orphanage, however short, shocked me at first. Some were literally left in garbage bins, others in resting public transport in the middle of the night, and other abandoned after birth at the hospital. A handful of the children were willingly given up by their parents, who realistically had no way of caring for another child. It broke my heart to hear the stories, but everytime I walked out the door I was filled with joy at the pictures which lined the entrance of children with their adoptive families abroad. The children's smiles were bursting as they went on their first sledding excursion with their parents, met their grandmother for the first time, took a family picture with their older siblings, or played with the family dog. Those pictures kept me going, and the thought that each moment I spent with each baby was enough, enough for them to know for that moment that they were loved and safe. Volunteering at an orphanage will open your eyes to the experiences of the most innocent humans on the planet, their struggles, needs, and desires. It will provide you with one of the most fulfilling experiences of your life.

Volunteer for the Visayans is a great Philippine NGO in Leyte. The projects are ideal for someone wanting to get their hands dirty. My project was construction at the community center at the dumpsite . VFV is tuned into the needs of the kids and the community center has local buy in from the village. If you can't do a developing country don't do this program. Expect to make a million friends and be impacted by the children. You won't be the same after you do the program.