Volunteers can continue to embrace meaningful travel through new Microfinance, Nutrition, and Care programs and internships
A Projects Abroad volunteer and a local child during playtime at a Care placement in Cape Town, South Africa
NEW YORK – January 15, 2015 – January is the month of resolutions and for everyone who has vowed to travel or make a difference in 2015, a volunteer trip with Projects Abroad is the perfect way to do both at the same time. The international volunteer organization is once again expanding its vast selection of projects in Bolivia, Cambodia, and South Africa, with opportunities to suit everyone seeking adventure with heart. Whether they are rehabilitating malnourished children in Bolivia, helping small-scale entrepreneurs gain financial security in Cambodia, or caring for and teaching young children in impoverished communities in South Africa, volunteers of all ages and skill levels can participate in meaningful travel.
“More and more people are embracing travel with purpose and opting to use their time to serve others,” says Christian Clark, Deputy Director of Projects Abroad USA. “If this is something that you want to do, 2015 is the year to pursue your dreams. Our new volunteer programs in Bolivia, Cambodia, and South Africa are designed to enrich lives through service and give volunteers the chance to make a lasting contribution to communities and experience cross-cultural exchange.”
New projects include:
Malnutrition is on the rise in Bolivia and increasing numbers of children are suffering as a result. At the root of this problem is a general lack of awareness of good nutrition and limited access to nutritious food. To help affected children and their families, Projects Abroad has partnered with Centro de Nutrición Infantil Albina, a nutritional day care center in Cochabamba, for a new Nutrition internship. Here, interns support families by rehabilitating malnourished children, doing outreach work, and improving nutritional awareness in the community. Food insecurity is a serious issue in the world today and interns will be able to take the skills they learn in Bolivia and apply them anywhere.
In early 2014, Projects Abroad joined forces with Khemara, one of the oldest locally registered NGOs in Cambodia. Since 1991, Khemara have played a significant role in working for the advancement of Cambodian women and children by working directly with local communities. Together, Khemara and Projects Abroad run nine successful day care centers in Phnom Penh that care for the children of working mothers. This year, the two organizations are working together on a new project, Microfinance in Cambodia. On this project, interns work alongside the Projects Abroad Microfinance Officer and help small-scale entrepreneurs create and develop sustainable businesses. On a daily basis, interns will get involved in a variety of tasks, including reviewing loan applications and meeting beneficiaries, monitoring and mentoring the targeted individuals and groups, conducting workshops, and more.
Care & Community in South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa, is a fantastic destination for high school students looking to fulfill a sense of adventure and purpose over summer vacation. On the Care & Community project, volunteers work at day care centers in underprivileged communities, helping to care for children and promoting early childhood development. The project also involves some practical work such as painting, cleaning, and renovation work, which will have a lasting impact on the center. Volunteers will also contribute to the local community outside of the centers by assisting with the running of a soup kitchen. This is a fantastic opportunity for teenage volunteers – living with a host family and working in the community will give them first-hand experience of a new culture and give them space to mature and explore.
Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 by Dr. Peter Slowe, a geography professor, as a program for students to travel and work while on break from full-time study. The program had its genesis in post-USSR Romania, where students were given the chance to teach conversational English. After a few years just sending volunteers to Eastern Europe for teaching, the company expanded to sending volunteers of all ages around the world on a wide range of projects.
Projects Abroad is a global leader in short-term international volunteer programs with projects in 29 countries and recruitment offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and the United States.
For details on volunteering abroad, visit Projects Abroad’s web site at
www.projects-abroad.org
