It's more than just volunteering

My husband and I have been volunteering with IVHQ for the past 2 years. We will soon be completing our 5th project with them. As "boomers" we have found their staff and other volunteers incredibly supportive and engaged. Age, nationality and other differences seem to merge with the common goal of volunteering and hoping to make a difference. We love it!

Most recently, at my husband's assignment, Linda Farm in Livingstone, Zambia, he was only there a week when he decided he wanted to make a sustained impact in memory of his sister, Francine, who died of cancer earlier this year. With the help of our local coordinator, Dream Livingstone, we identified a painting project at the farm, where we could arrange to patch and paint 10 of the 12 houses for the community of 90 people. The houses had been neglected for 30+ years and our efforts were welcomed by the elders in the community we asked. This way, the new school where my husband was helping finish, would not be the only nice building for the children to come to know. A sense of pride would be instilled by all. By the time we returned to the USA, the project got off the ground and as I type, we await pictures of the refreshed community!!

We couldn't be happier, and suggest memorials, dedications and honorariums are yet another way, on top of the specific volunteer assignment that you can consider to make a difference. IVHQ has a Booster Grant program that could help fund similar efforts if a volunteer is unable to make the contribution him/herself. In our case, the local organization agreed to match our contribution as well as manage the project.