International Humanity Foundation

My name is Innocent Ochola Owuor and I chose to return to Kenya to volunteer with IHF. Initially, choosing how I would spend my summer break was a conundrum. However, one thing was certain, I had to spend some time in Kenya. The last time I had been back home was 3 years before. Working with IHF gave me a way to go back home and also contribute to a cause that was just. Currently, I am a sophomore in St. Lawrence University in Canton. The two years spent abroad made me feel disconnected from Kenya. Therefore choosing Nakuru as the center to apply to was an easy decision.
I arrived at the center in the darkness of the night. The bright blue houses, the smiles of the children and radiance of the sun were nowhere to be seen. However, the warm welcome was still there and it stayed all the way through my stay at the center. The center itself is not impressive but the individuals within it are; each with a unique personality that drives the center, spanning from the children to the staff. This diversity gives the center incredible character.
Spending the past few weeks at Nakuru has been a great insightful experience. I got to experience the joys and troubles of running a childcare nonprofit. I got to meet altruistic individuals who endure difficult conditions to make education possible for the children here. The continuous work ethic is inspiring. I have learned what it takes to selfless and to put one’s pride aside. I have learned that working with the disadvantaged is not about pity but about deference. It is about taking time to meet new personalities and appreciate them. What I’ll remember the most is not what I did but who I met as well as the stories and the jokes they told me. I came to appreciate that despite a person’s socioeconomic status they still possess interesting and pertinent stories to hear.
I encourage others to volunteer with IHF because you will encounter individuals and have an enlightening experience. You will learn that the lack of wealth or education does not make another person unapproachable. In fact, it will expand your perspicacity.
I enjoyed my stay with the children in Nakuru and I learned much more than I expected.

My name is Ina and I am a Work-Study Volunteer for IHF International Humanity Foundation in Bali. I’m a 19 year old high school graduate from Germany doing my gap year. I was sure to want to volunteer for a while during travelling and because of that searched for opportunities to do so. Luckily I saw one of the adverts of IHF and started to inform myself about this foundation. I liked the idea of being able to work with kids and to have some insight in the structure of the organization though doing international online tasks. IHF seemed as well to be a reliable place to go, which I thought was important, because I’ve never been to Southeast Asia before and wanted to be sure of where I’m going.
I teach four classes English twice a week and we have two special days weekly to do any craft with the kids to get them stay around and be connected to the center apart from going to lessons. You can see that this concept works, because there are always kids coming early to class just to draw something or play any game with us. You can see that they like it here.
I don’t regret coming here in any way and would recommend IHF to anybody willing to work and to make a difference though doing that.

I had volunteered a little before, but never for an actual NGO. When looking for possibilities in Asia, I found IHF and was inspired by the work it does for children and the local communities. I needed NGO work experience for my future and IHF seemed like a good choice, so I applied and was placed at Medan. I work on my international online tasks in the morning and early afternoon, then in the evenings, I help teach English to some of the classes. The center here offers additional education to supplement the lacking school system. On Fridays, I lead the Special Activities class that allows the children to experience things outside of standard curriculums, such as arts and crafts or cultural exchange programs. The center also visits TEP students who don’t attend the evening classes, but who have sponsors to help them with daily living and their school costs. The children are full of energy and always smiling and the volunteers enjoy being with them. In my short time here as a Work-Study Volunteer, I’ve learnt a lot about how an NGO works with it’s staff and community and skills that will be useful in my future.

I am a rising senior at a college in New York, United States, who is nearly finishing her volunteering time for the International Humanity Foundation in Bali, Indonesia.
At school, I am studying politics, with an international focus so traveling experiences are a huge supplement to my education. I decided to volunteer for IHF to learn more about the running of NGOs, live in a different part of the world, and contribute my time to the betterment of others.
IHF is an international NGO that has education centers (Indonesia) and children homes (Thailand, Kenya) where people can volunteer and donate money towards improving the lives of young ones in need. The IHF Bali location hosts activities and supplemental English, math and computer classes for locals in the neighboring areas. As a volunteer, I am awarded the opportunity to help teach these classes and host activities to have fun with the kids.
It has been an enjoyable experience to interact with so many sweet kids. Everyone in the community is so friendly, as it is impossible to walk past someone without expecting a greeting. I have learned that, despite cultural difference, the Indonesian children are very much similar to ones back in my country. Indonesian kids love to dance, sing, play around, and learn from volunteers, such as myself, and others of IHF. Overall, I feel that I have learned a lot from the experience and appreciate the chance to have lived in such a nice community in Bali.

I have never been an volunteer abroad before coming to Bali. What amazes me is that everyone here is so friendly. Coming here has always been one of my dreams, but this time it surely is a whole new experience, being away from the busy street and noises, listening to the sound of the waves and going to sleep. Every morning wakes up with people's smiling faces. One thing that is for sure is that I am having the best time of my life right now.