I first became aware of Giving Vicariously earlier in 2012 when I was working for Traveller Not Tourist as Volunteer Coordinator. Dan kindly offered to do a piece about the projects and communities we were working with at the time and those of you who read that piece may well remember Flora Tristan English School (read original Traveller Not Tourist article) – a tiny brightly painted community school, located on the outskirts of the southern Peruvian city. Since that article, a lot has changed in the life of Flora Tristan English School, and a lot has changed in the lives of those of us who run it! FTES is now officially a project of a new NGO in Arequipa, Helping Overcome Obstacles Peru.

HOOP, as we like to call ourselves was born out of the necessity to facilitate the development of the school that had up until this year, been led purely by volunteer efforts. Under TNT, amazing volunteers had arrived, and with little guidance or professional support, had built a beautiful 4 classroom school, implemented a curriculum and even a scholarship program! It really is amazing to see the kind of changes volunteering can make to the world, and FTES wouldn’t be what it was today without those wonderful efforts. However, as anybody who has worked long enough for a small charitable organization knows, the sustainability of a project is absolutely key to its survival. A curriculum can be started but if nobody is employed to implement it and make sure it functions, how can you ensure every volunteer will use it? How do you measure its effects if attendance is inconstant? English is a very precious skill for young Peruvians to have in looking for work, but how do you know whether that’s truly the most relevant thing you can be providing the community with? With the huge drive forward in volunteer led development, it was realized that the time had finally come to run and develop the project under a professional community development setting – and thus, the birth of HOOP!

As a young NGO, HOOP has two major objectives. One of those objectives is to carry out a diagnostic of the community of Flora Tristan, in order to put together a true picture of the community’s biggest challenges, needs and issues. This is absolutely vital for us in beginning to formulate projects that will truly serve the community, and ensure that our stakeholders are actually involved in the planning process.
Our second objective is to continue to run Flora Tristan English School, even better than it was before and ensure that we provide a quality English language education to our students. In order to do this, we have employed a School Director who joined us in September. We also have professionals working on our teacher training and curriculum content as well as researching how best to complement and improve the national curriculum guidelines.

Most importantly, HOOP desperately needs committed and enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about educating children in need. HOOP volunteers not only lead classes in English, but help in other activities such as homework support, sports, leadership and citizenship workshops, and truly have the chance to help build and develop HOOP, our projects and be a part of our vision.

If you are interested in finding out more about our volunteer opportunities or working with us, please check out our website www.hoopperu.org. OR if you’d like a wider picture of the work we do, have a look at the following links:

• www.facebook.com/HOOPPeru
• http://HOOPPeru.blogspot.com/
• http://juliabcarson.blogspot.com
• http://hoopperu.blogspot.com

Thanks again to volunteers Priya, and Teresa for your incredible commitment to improving the lives of children in Peru!

You Might Also Like:

• Traveller Not Tourist, Arequipa, Peru
• Put Them First, Arequipa, Peru
• A Day With Peruano Guitarrista Percy Murguia Huillca

Continue for an interview with Renu Bali, founder of Tender Heart Educational Society. (The audio of the interview is coming soon! The transcript is below.)

 Can you tell us the history of Tender Heart?

Twenty-four years back, while I was a lecturer in Delhi University, I moved to a small town named Faridabad. I was astonished by the people there and their lack of awareness toward education in their lives. I felt that I was required more by them than as a lecturer in Delhi University. Ignorance of the people toward education and it’s significance in their lives inspired me to start Tender Heart.

What inspired you to start this organization?

I started teaching neighborhood children, including the children of house maids in my two room apartment, which would be a school in the morning and my home in the evening. By teaching them I realized that poor children could not cope with their studies. I had to teach them separately with a different method. Slowly they started excelling, thereby proving, that given an enriched environment, every child can do well. So that inspired me to go to the village that had the lowest literacy rate, and start this organization.

Why do you think education is important in a society overcome by poverty?

Well education to me seems to be the root cause of poverty. An uneducated person not only is ignorant of how to earn a good livelihood, but also he does not know how to live a healthy life and face all the situations wisely. Poverty makes a person more susceptible to superstitions, depression, and exploitations. It is only education which will bring them out of the clutched of social evils.

What are your future ideas for Tender Heart, in terms of growth and development?

Well Tender Heart is a holistic concept of an inclusive educational program, which includes teaching the poor village children, the children with special needs and empowering the school dropout girls and rural women in terms of vocational skills. Each program is interrelated with one another and each program benefits from the other. I feel Tender Heart will produce a group of good educated children who in turn will be able to reach out to more villages and create more Tender Hearts all across the country.

Tender Heart supports some of the best skilled women who are able to earn a good livelihood for themselves thereby encouraging other school dropout women to come forward, learn the skills and empower themselves. For it’s further growth and development, Tender Heart is producing handmade products such as scarves, jewelry, chalk, candles, cards calendars etc, for selling in the market. We are hoping to raise some more funds to aid in producing more Tender Hearts all across the country.

For more information about Tender Heart, visit www.tenderheartngo.org or contact lenacolon@gmail.com or tenderheartngo@yahoo.com

Thanks to Lena and Tiago, a few of Giving Vicarously’s biggest fans for their support, and for sharing their interview and documentary about such a great cause!

However, the story is far different in much of the developing world, where scientific knowledge of agriculture is limited. In Guatemala, many farmers have all but destroyed their soil in attempts to get every last bit of nutrition out. Malnutrition is prevalent, and long-term solutions have been limited.

Semilla Nueva (New Seed) is a nonprofit working to educate farmers with hopes of fostering a future of sustainable farming. I’m not so sure that I can tell the story any better than Semilla Nueva’s video:

As Executive Director Curt Bowen mentions, Guatemalan farmers have spent more and more on chemicals while yields have steadily declined. By teaching processes such as worm composting, agroforestry, green manures and conservation tillage, Semilla Nueva aims to help farmers to restore and fertilize their soil. Farmers are then encouraged to educate their neighbors about the new technologies and practices.

Semilla Nueva is currently holding a fundraiser aiming to provide 100 families across ten communities with pigeonpea seed. Learning more about this seed, you can see that its benefits are absolutely astounding.

• First, it can be grown in between existing rows of crops. Farmers will get more yield per acre, translating into a boost in income.
• The crop grows well in dry conditions and in poor quality soil.
• Pigeonpea beans are rich in protein and other nutrients that can fill the nutritional void stunting the growth of so many children in the area.
• The seed actually repairs and rejuvenates the soil by taking nitrogen from the air and leaving it in the ground.

Part of the challenge of introducing this new seed has involved encouraging local families to adopt the crop. Volunteer Anne Barkett relates that in order to fully convince the male farmers to give the seed a try, she turned to the women of the family. We’ve all heard the phrase, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Accordingly, Anne held workshops with the women to try various recipes incorporating a new food into the kitchen.

During my conversation with Curt and Anne, I was thoroughly impressed by their purpose and the scientific knowledge that they are working with. Many of the organizations I have been in touch with are affiliated in solving hunger problems in one way or another. I am convinced that Curt, Anne, and the rest of the dedicated volunteers of Semilla Nueva are on to something that will feed entire villages.

Please consider supporting Semilla Nueva:

• Visit their pigeonpea fundraiser page.
• Take a look at the Semilla Nueva website, and consider sponsoring a family.
• Share this article, and help spread the word!

I was fortunate to come into contact with them after reading about their epic, 6490m engagement at the top of Mount Illimani, Bolivia. While I took a month off from hiking after climbing Huayna Potosi, these two decided that oxygen is overrated and summited their next peak, 402m higher, just five days later.

Felicity and Marco have recently hosted an article on their blog about my recent trip through Peru, “Backpacking in South America with Dan.” Here’s an excerpt from the article:

My recent backpacking adventure through South America opened my eyes to a new way of life and has truly changed my focus moving forward. Aside from changing the way I plan to travel in the future (slower, with purpose), the experience has inspired me to write about my travels in hopes of making a positive impact on less fortunate places…

…The plan was to follow the “Gringo trail” down the coast, inland to Arequipa, and finish in Cusco with a trek to Machu Picchu. From there I would slow down and find a place to volunteer, maybe teaching English near the beaches of Huanchaco. Surely one city would establish itself as the obvious spot to settle, right?…

Visit the Thinking Nomads blog to read the full article, Backpacking in South America with Dan, along with some other incredible travel tips and experiences.

As I work to grow the blog and increase publicity to featured causes, every bit helps. A big cheers to Felicity and Marco for their support!

Couldn't resist...

So it’s been awhile…

Sorry guys! I’ve been riding a wave of motivation working on my real business. And that can be hard to come by sometimes. But it’s good – setting my focus where the motivation lies at any given time seems to be doing wonders for my productivity. Hm, that might be a concept too obvious for Leo Babauta to even mention over at Zen Habits, but it’s been a nice revelation.

Part of the reason for this motivation is that it’s finally time to book another ticket. I (kind of purposely) forgot to budget during my previous trip to South America, and capped it off with a week straight of wine and steak in Buenos Aires. It was an unforgettable trip, but it definitely set me back a few bucks.

The Mobile Office

On this trip the goals will be different. I’d like to find a monthly rental, really get to know a place, and prove that I can run a business with 3G, an iPhone, and a netbook. The internet really opens the door for travelers to work from a mobile office. A digital nomad can travel sustainably, and in the context of Giving Vicariously, make a difference sustainably. That’s the goal.

And fresh content for the blog can’t hurt either, eh?

As of today I’m thinking of Colombia as a starting point. Gareth from Tourist 2 Townie / Biblioworks has some pretty convincing pictures from his stay in Medellin, and I’ve heard more than one person say it’s their favorite country in the world. And I had a great Skype with Cerys from Colombia Sin Fronteras, and still owe them an article (along with a few others).

The Andes are calling again…

In the meantime I’m still looking for ideas. Any tips for an aspiring digital nomad? Do you have an experience or a volunteering opportunity in Colombia that you would recommend?

(Related: BECA Bi-Lingual Education for Central America, Cofradia, Honduras)

The Jungle School provides about 100 kids in grades K-6 with a free, private education. Students are given school supplies, uniforms, a hot lunch, vitamins, and medical care. Many of them walk a 3 hour round trip for the opportunity to attend. You can view a volunteer video of the Jungle School.

Grandma’s Kids helps to support actual grandmothers who are acting as caregivers. In this way they are providing a family unit to children who would otherwise be part of the orphanage system. Sponsored by donations, Helping Honduras Kids helps to provide the Grandmas with food, clothing, medical supplies, and other resources to raise the children.

Helping Honduras Kids is in the process of building a new “Hogar de Amor (House of Love)” children’s home, set to open in April. The project has come together piece by piece, with donations of $75 for a new toilet here, and $120 for a new bed there. The current orphanage has become cramped, with 22 kids living in a 3 bedroom 2 bath house. The kids take turns waking up at 3am in order to ensure that everyone has time to use the bathroom before school. The Hogar de Amor will provide a more suitable space for up to 43 kids.

The kids who make the move from a government orphanage to the Hogar de Amor will surely experience a significant upgrade. The government-run programs have a reputation for being inefficient, with as much as 90% of funds going to salaries and office workers and only 10% left for the kids. An account of a visit to one of these facilities states, “When we arrived at the facility it looked more like a juvenile detention center than it did an orphanage. Venturing into the facility, my heart was taken back as we witnessed living conditions that shook me up to the point where I had to compose myself before I could move forward.”

Father's Day for Dave Ashby - Sign reads "El Padre Mejor del Mundo (The best father in the world)"

Many of the children that Helping Honduras Kids takes in have been abused. HHK Founder Dave Ashby writes, “Some abused children are fine until puberty sets in, and then they become ‘lost souls’. They may or may not remember the abuse, but they always know that something is terribly wrong.” Dave uses art, encouraging kids to “draw their pain” to uncover problems and to learn the history of each child. Board member Jim Storbeck relates, “Dave appreciates the statistics but is fighting hard to beat them–he wants his kids to receive love, emotional counseling, and a good education to break free from the problems in their past and the cycle of poverty they grew up in.”

Art is also used to establish an identity for the kids, many of whom lack birth certificates. During their time with HHK, kids compile “Life Books,” including photos, descriptions, school records, likes and dislikes, and happy memories.

Overall, Helping Honduras Kids regularly helps over 200 kids and feeds around 100 daily. In the future the organization seeks to be more sustainable, recognizing that current donations are only about half of what is needed for the existing programs. With a staff made up entirely of volunteers, donations go directly to helping the poor and orphaned children of Honduras.

Cheers to Dave, Jim, and the volunteers that make Helping Honduras Kids possible!

Support Helping Honduras Kids

• Visit the Helping Honduras Kids website and consider sponsoring a child or making a donation.
• Volunteer! Visit Helping Honduras Kids and make a difference in person. Learn more at the HHK Volunteer Page.
• When you sponsor Giving Vicariously for $3.50/month, a portion will be donated directly to the organization each month.

Special thanks to BiblioWorks volunteer Polly for her informative article. Here’s Polly:

Seven years ago, Megan Sherar, a Peace Corps volunteer from the US was working in the tiny village of Morado K’asa about two and half hours from Sucre, Bolivia. The teenagers of Morado K’asa asked Megan over and over about the possibility of building a library in their community, and so her brother Brendan came to visit the village to find out more. As CEO of Biblio.com, the largest independent book marketplace on the Internet, he was already knowledgeable about the world of reading and books, and their importance in establishing and encouraging literacy. Fortunately for everyone, Brendan fell in love with Bolivia and with his support the people of Morado K’asa were able to build their library, and at the same time BiblioWorks was effectively started.

Since then, BiblioWorks has continued its work developing library services for local communities, and can now proudly boast the existence of seven more rural libraries in and around Sucre.

However, for BiblioWorks, this work is about more than just opening libraries where previously there were none – it’s about establishing a place that will lead to real development and progress for the whole community. All of BiblioWorks’ libraries are in villages where there is extreme poverty and literacy rates are low. Formal education systems have not been a priority and there is a great lack of resources for them, both human and material. Added to this, many children don’t actually have the chance to attend school because they are needed to help out with work at home.

It is this lack of access to education and literacy that BiblioWorks aims to address. The organization was founded on the simple principle that these are both critical components for the creation and vitality of sustainable communities and cultures. It believes that where knowledge, literacy and learning exist, people have the resources they need to solve social issues, maintain and strengthen their cultural identities, as well as to grow their community economically.

BiblioWorks tries hard to make sure that all of their libraries are set up with the involvement and support of the local community. It believes that unless the community takes the library to its heart and really wants to own the project, sustaining the library independently from BiblioWorks won’t be feasible. But it can be hard to convince mayors and local officials of the need for a library if most of a village’s income comes from industries such as tourism or agricultural production, meaning that funding for education is very far down the list.

BiblioWorks opens libraries in the beautiful countryside of Sucre, Bolivia.

There have been many frustrating times but these are easily outweighed by the successes, as any of the permanent staff or volunteers will testify. Volunteers who come to work in one of the libraries or in the office in Sucre see and hear first-hand just how much the libraries mean to the people of these communities. Previous volunteer Christine said: “I worked for a few months in the Morado K’asa library, which is the first library opened by BiblioWorks. From the moment I arrived to this beautiful, tiny, Quechua community I could tell the library was an important part of the peoples’ lives. As I worked there for a period, I realized that without this library, children, teens, teachers and community members in general would not have the opportunity to foster real community development. I could see this development happening in the library on a daily basis.”

As for the permanent BiblioWorks staff, they know that in some cases it’s difficult to imagine the village before the library was there. Matt Lynn, Project Coordinator of BiblioWorks, admits that there have certainly been many challenges, but when you see a library full of children reading and playing games, it makes it all worthwhile. “Bureaucracy, paperwork and difficult work situations in general can be overwhelming sometimes, but whenever I step into any of our libraries on any given day and see it full of smiling, happy and healthy children it makes everything we do here more than worth all of those passing frustrations.” says Matt.

BiblioWorks would love to hear from you if you’re in Sucre and have time to spare to volunteer with them. If you have a bit more time to commit, there are always new or existing projects in the libraries in need of an extra pair of hands; alternatively help in the office with promotional and editorial work is always welcome too. Also if you wish to help out from abroad, any cash donation, large or small, is greatly appreciated and will be used to directly impact communities in need. You can donate securely through our PayPal link on our website.

(Note: when you sponsor Giving Vicariously for $3.50/month, a portion will be donated to BiblioWorks each month)

For more information about BiblioWorks:

• Visit our website: www.biblioworks.org
• E-mail Matt Lynn at: mlynn@biblioworks.org
• Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BiblioWorks
• Follow us on Twitter: @BiblioWorks

We’re getting there! In the next month or so I look forward to easing into a groove of steady posts and regular columns. This will include my own travel journal and reflections, the Vicarious Volunteering series spotlighting causes around the world, and quick tidbits like a weekly photo.

In the initial start-up phase the challenge has been to take an exciting idea and refine its focus. It’s been a time of brainstorming, defining goals, lots of networking, and googling my way through WordPress blog design and video production. Not to mention finding the “voice” of the project and my own writing. But it’s coming together.

Coming soon are features on the Helping Honduras Kids, Colombia Sin Fronteras, and Tender Heart NGO organizations. Also, a well-defined mission statement and detailed guidelines for the use of sponsorship funds. (Related: Causes page)

Personally, I’m getting my mobile office together. Again, lots of googling. After sorting through SIM cards, 3G, GSM, CDMA, tethered modems, roaming, data packages, VoIP, and SIP clients (breath in), armed with a travel laptop and an iPhone, I look forward to being a location independent digital nomad. Perpetually connected, this blog will be updated from wherever it takes me (Twitter too, don’t you worry!).

So hang tight, it’s gonna be good. To everyone currently sponsoring, subscribing, encouraging, thanks so much. Your support adds meaning and momentum to a budding idea.

Cheers!

We first visited Arequipa with a story of the kindness of local guitarrista Percy Murguia Huillca, and returned to profile the Put Them First organization. Now we take a look at another admirable non-profit of “The White City.” Traveler Not Tourist works in the areas of Flora Tristan, and Chachani, a shanty town that shares its name with a local volcano. The inhabitants had settled on the land and only recently gained recognition of ownership from the local authorities. For this reason the area lacked access to running water for a time, and continues to lack electricity and waste water disposal. Many local children do not attend school, and some work dangerous jobs gathering sillar, the white volcanic rock that is a staple of Arequipa’s architecture and also the source of its nickname. This work consists of throwing rocks at a cliff to stimulate small landslides, and then gathering the fallen earth.

Traveler Not Tourist aims to care for children of the community, and to provide them with the opportunity to improve their future by learning English. The organization consists of an orphanage, a school, and a tourist office near the main plaza. In addition, they have recently implemented a scholarship program, supporting one promising student each year with all costs of completing secondary schooling. The Casa Hogar Luz Alba orphanage operates with the goal, “To guarantee the calm and harmonious development of the children in relation to protection, care, feeding, education, early stimulation and medical assistance.” Full-time volunteers support the orphanage to ensure that kids who have lost one or both parents or been abandoned have a chance at a peaceful early childhood. Although the local government provides the orphanage with children, they do not send funding or resources.

The Flora Tristan English School was built by volunteers on a piece of land donated by the local community. Continuing construction on the school was recently completed, though work remains to be done on the mother and toddler group building located in Chachani. Because of the role that tourism plays in Arequipa’s economy, the ability to speak English will open up many future opportunities for the kids of these neighborhoods.

Traveler Not Tourist’s tourism office is located on the third floor on Santa Catalina street, the main tourist drag. Although it is more difficult to access than offices at street level, those who brave the altitude and climb the stairs to book their tour will make a difference in the lives of the children. Volunteer Priya says, “50% of all tour profits are used directly in the projects and help to make the work we do more sustainable. There are also possibilities to volunteer for a day, and anyone can come to the office for more information on volunteering as well.”

Volunteering with Traveler Not Tourist has provided countless volunteers with a memorable and rewarding experience. As a former volunteer writes, “I spent the most amazing 3 months of my life in Arequipa, with some really great people. Everyone is committed to giving the children placed in the orphanage the love and care all children deserve.”Another says “The children changed my life and way of thinking. I had the best time with the kids every day.”

Cheers to Jay, Luis, Carina, Priya, and everyone else making a difference with Traveler Not Tourist!

Support Traveler Not Tourist:

• Visit Traveler Not Tourist’s website. Consider donating through their PayPal button.
• Like their Facebook page, and follow them @TnTvolunteers.
• Volunteer! Visit them in Arequipa and make a difference in person!
• When you sponsor Giving Vicariously for just $3.50 / month, a portion will be donated directly to Traveler Not Tourist.

BECA (Bilingual Education for Central America) partners with schools in Honduras to enhance the quality and availability of education offered (the Spanish word “beca” means scholarship”). What makes them unique is that rather than having a stake in the ownership of schools, the organization forms an equal-footing partnership with a Honduran partner. This allows the school to maintain Honduran leadership and to aim for self-sufficiency in the long run.

Guidelines for the partnership are clearly explained on the organization’s website. BECA sources English speaking volunteer teachers who work alongside Honduran faculty, and under a Honduran director. BECA provides training in classroom management, Spanish, and cultural immersion workshops to help the English teachers to be effective. In turn, the Honduran partner takes on the administrative responsibilities of the school, provides facilities for ideal class sizes and separation of grades and grants scholarships to at least 35% of its students. These scholarships are essential to extend educational opportunities to those who otherwise could not afford them. Teaching duties are shared based on subject; Spanish-speaking teachers teach social sciences, civics, and Spanish classes.

BECA describes the difficulties faced in Central America as “endemic poverty, income inequality, crumbling infrastructure, and a lack of quality educational and professional opportunities.” In fact, in many areas of Honduras the easiest path to some form of advancement is involvement with the drug trade. Many reports indicate that the advancement of narcotrafficking in the area was made worse by the military coup in 2009, coupled with the resulting suspension of U.S. aid.

In a country with limited opportunities, BECA recognizes that education gives students the chance to improve their quality of life, providing them with more options in the short run, and leading to economic development in time. With U.S. corporations such as Puma, Hanes, and Caterpillar in the area, a bilingual education can mean an upgrade from factory work to a management position. On a larger scale, the spread of the English language will increase international trade and partnership opportunities. And to promote social responsibility alongside the development, BECA aims to “mold students into persistent advocates for social change; vigilant stewards of the region’s valuable natural resources; and fierce opponents of corruption, violence, and environmental degradation. ”

In addition to improving educational opportunities, BECA provides a worthwhile experience for volunteers. The position itself is very competitive with a 10% acceptance rate.  Throughout their one year commitment, teachers will enjoy a “challenging, transformative experience that gives an in-depth understanding of grassroots international development, underserved Central American communities, bilingual teaching strategies, and community capacity building techniques.” This personal development and new perspective will certainly carry over when the teacher returns home.

In some cases the volunteer only leaves temporarily before feeling a drive to return. Executive Director Mike Buttram points out “out of all the places you will see in your travels, there will be one or two that stay with you, that you will return to.”  Mike started working with BECA as the Program Administrator in 2009. He describes the community as having a “family feel,” and returned with the feeling that it was still a part of him, something he couldn’t abandon. Accepting the executive director position in August of 2011, it appears that Mike will be a part of the cause for the long run.

Mike’s future goals for the organization include increasing the level of self-sufficiency among Honduran partners and steadily adding partner schools. There is no shortage of schools who would like to work with BECA, but Mike recognizes the importance of expanding within the organization’s means, and searching for the right fit when choosing to partner. Cheers to Mike and BECA!

To contact BECA, e-mail Mike at mbuttram@becaschools.org.

Support BECA Schools:

• The organization’s website, BECASchools.org accepts donations through Google Checkout or PayPal.
• Volunteer! Visit BECA in Honduras. Teach for a year or participate in a short-term service project. Learn more at the volunteer blog.
• Visit BECA on Facebook. “Like” them and help to spread the word.
• When you subscribe to Giving Vicariously for $3.50 / month, a portion of your fee will go directly to BECA.