Work-Study Volunteer opportunity in Indonesia

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 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.

My name is Clara Lo, and I am currently an accounting major from Queen’s University in Canada. It was through my university’s job board that I found out about the International Humanity Foundation (IHF), and I am so glad I applied to be a part of this organization.

I volunteer at the Bali Center for IHF, and this center offers English, math and computer classes to students of all ages and castes. At the center, I spend my mornings doing online work for IHF, my afternoons preparing and teaching English and computer classes, and my nights with my fellow volunteers and the locals from the village nearby. Together, there is a deep sense of community here such that I have never experienced before in my life.

I came here with no expectations of being a part of such a community, as I simply just wanted the experience of working for a NGO. However, I am so glad my experiences have been so much more than that, and I can sincerely say I found happiness in volunteering for IHF.

Already finishing up my third week volunteering with IHF, it's today I officially start counting down the last week. This work-study volunteer opportunity is a life experience I will never forget. The welcoming Banda Aceh community, loving children, beautiful scenery and fascinating attractions are just a few of the reasons I will really miss this place once my time here is done.

I've always thought it would feel great to volunteer for an NGO overseas whether it be administrative work, natural disaster clean-up, building or teaching but could never find a short-term opportunity. Knowing I was not in a position to leave for more than a couple months at the most, I left the idea on the back burner. Then I came across International Humanity Foundation on the Volunteer Canada website. Now, instead of having no option, I had 2 short-term options to choose from!

I knew two weeks would not be enough time for me to get an experience which would fulfill my expectations (IHF's voluntourist program), so I chose the four week work-study program; I am so glad I did, and part of me wishes I could stay longer. Although three weeks is a relatively short period, it's enough to give me idea of what it's like to life with less at my fingertips and in turn have such an appreciation for what I have.

The families here are so friendly, always wanting to take the international volunteers around to show Aceh's attractions; museums, shops and beaches to name a few. They enjoy hearing stories about where the volunteers are from, their culture and stories from back home. Wanting to introduce us to their friends and expose us to much of the beautiful Aceh life as possible in the limited times we are all here for.

Along with the local volunteers, the other international volunteers here at IHF Aceh make this a really comfortable experience; I've never had a moment where I didn't feel safe or taken care of. We spend most of our days in each others company and really look out for one another. I could not have asked for a better “fill-in|” family to spend these last three weeks with.

Not only are the people here amazing, the experience in itself is what makes this so memorable. Teaching these passionate, dedicated students to piece together proper English sentences, making new friends from different parts of the world, eating authentic Indonesian meals and even learning a bit of the Indonesian language along the way is just a small slice of my Aceh life list.

Now having a better idea of what's it like to be more involved with IHF; how they operate, spend their money, connect with the community and recruit for volunteers (international and local) and students, will give more confidence in applying for the next short-term volunteer opportunity which comes my way. My passion for volunteering for those in need has increased over the last three weeks thanks to the experience I'm having here. Fundraising, recruiting and forever telling stories about my life changing adventure with IHF Aceh will continue on for a very long time.

I had enjoyed so much volunteering at IHF Center in Medan, Indonesia. The volunteership was a mutual learning experience. I learned a lot while I taught. The one month with IHF can be described through some lasting memories that i managed to collect.

Having travelled in East and Southern Asia before, I knew Indonesia was somewhere I wanted to get to know more. And I believe you can only really get to know anywhere properly by living there for some time. So Medan it was.

My role at the Center was “Work- study volunteer”. In fact, I did anything and everything that could be useful. My tasks have ranged from making videos, fundraising, and posting advertisments, to teaching the kids and making art and craft classes. The experience I have gained has been phenomenal and the exposure to the donor community has been more than I could have hoped for. It’s been a marvelous experience!

Living in Medan has been very interesting. I am going to miss my lovely room and the Indonesian culture. I am leaving next week, and it is definitely emotional. I have made some incredible friends– both at work and outside of the center. I will miss going for nasi goreng with my co-directors, Lissa, Sahat, Zoe and Aditi every afternoon and going trips around Sumatra on the weekends..Living in Indonesia is quite an amazing experience. I have had the best time and overall, I wouldn’t have planned it any other way!

The best part about the whole experience was the love and respect that the children would express every time we met. They would always be so excited and eager to learn. They loved the art and craft classes. That paid me off.

Volunteering at IHF, I also saw the challenges that are involved in the management of an NGO. I know now, how hard it is to manage more than 100 kids of varied age groups. Though I would always crib as this volunteership required a lot of work, the experience was worth it as it really inspires me to give back to the society. IHF lives up to its name. It gives one the hope that things can be changed and will change.

By Evgenia, Work-study Medan Center, April-May 2015

My name is Kerri. I am currently a volunteer at the Bali IHF center. To an outsider, the center provides supplemental English, Math and Computer classes to children who live in the area. To anyone who knows a bit about the IHF or who comes here, knows that it offers so much more than that. The center is a place for the kids. On any given day there are children running around, playing cards, talking with the teachers or just hanging out. The center gives them a safe place to go and provides them with opportunities and resources that most of them would have never had without the IHF. At the IHF - the children are the number one priority. I've learned that you can do a whole lot with a little and that sometimes it's the smallest things - like taking the time to have a conversation about the latest Indonesian pop song - that mean the most.

My name is Jing from Beijing and I’ve been working here at IHF Bali center for 3 weeks now. Before coming here, I had worked as an English teacher at a secondary school for 3 years, and the experience helped me quickly blend into the work vibe at IHF Bali, especially when it comes to working with the young.
Here at IHF Bali, we offer supplementary classes to underprivileged students from primary to senior high school. Almost all the courses are taught by helpful volunteers from all over the world. Apart from the knowledge we try to share, it’s also the abundant care, love and joy we bring that the kids cherish dearly.
One would be naïve to think that we are here only to give and teach. The fact, however, is we ourselves are undergoing a process of self-reflection and transformation. By spending time with the local, getting to know the culture and trying to see things both through their lenses and ours, we are learning, day by day, and gaining understandings about a once unfamiliar land, which we now feel connected with. Isn’t it one of the marvels of life?

My name is Esther Manzanera and I am a WorkStudy Volunteer in Bali. I have been here for two months already and I could say that this experience has changed my life so I would recommend it to anyone! Since I arrived to the center I could see how easy was to help the children most in need. I have enjoyed the happiness of the kids which is is the most grateful thing that you could have. They don´t worry about the material things, about having the best Play Station or iPhone. They don´t need those things to be happy, they will be smiling everyday, even linving on the most basic conditions. The life in IHF shows you a different way to understand the world where you learn to value the most simple things!

My name is Rong Fu, as a work study volunteer in Jakarta center, I am responsible of teaching activities such as English and art classes and undertaking international assignments from four different teams in IHF. My initial purpose of volunteering is quite straightforward--to help those in need, but gradually I find that in the process of voluntary work, what I have learned is no less than what I have taught.What I have gained from this work study volunteer experience is learn how to swiftly accommodate myself to a new environment and people from various culture and background, and the most important, how a grassroots NGO as IHF, operates to realize its commitment to children in need.

My name is Yuxuan Zhu. Originally from China, I'm now studying Economics and Psychology at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

Being a volunteer is not new for me; but this is the first time that I have devoted such intensive time and effort into an undeveloped country. I'm really touched by the kids in the center.

Being a volunteer teacher was what I wanted to do for a long time. Now the dream came true. As a counselor of overseas education, I helped Chinese high school students to pursue higher education in American universities. I wondered if I could do something for the students who lived in wholly different backgrounds. When I knew IHF had centers in Jakarta and Bali, I applied without hesitation.

I arrived at Jakarta center on March 3, and began to teach Chinese for junior high school students in the first week. In the following two weeks, I also taught English for the younger children from age 6 to 12. Familiar with common characteristics of teenagers, I got along well with the junior high school students, and they learned Chinese fast with strong passions and good methods. I was happy that they liked my class. It was a small challenge for me to teach young kids. Without any experience in teaching children, I prepared for the class more carefully. It was more difficult for us teachers to teach young children because we also needed to maintain discipline in the classroom. The goal of education was guiding students to study, think and explore. It's more important for children to learn something in IHF because of their limited learning resources and poor conditions. I felt fulfilled when the kids acquired English vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation that I taught.

Besides teaching and doing online tasks, I harvested friendship. Hanging out with the co-directors and local volunteers made me excited. We knew more about each other as well as the city in our spare time. I would miss the students and co-directors after leaving Jakarta at the end of March.

I learnt about International Humanity Foundation online. From a background of economics in college, I chose to come to a Southeast Asian country – Indonesia - to see the difficulty and potential of the economic and social development in one of the poorest places, and Bali in particular because I was interested in the huge economic inequality on an island thriving with tourism and traveler-oriented services - so far, Bali and IHF have delivered all my expectations.

Living in a small Indonesian village proved to be even more difficult than I thought. The level of underdevelopment is far worse than anything I have ever experienced. I have complained about the inconvenient living conditions and the often malfunctioning wifi. I have biked up the mountains on a recruitment trip and seen for myself the kind of mistrust the locals have in a US-based NGO like us. I have been constantly surprised by the local kids’ excitement upon seeing a foreigner and their lovely ‘hello’s and ‘good morning’s.

Volunteers at IHF Bali started an art project to decorate the center. We asked the kids to draw the ‘IHF hand’ on a piece of paper, write down their names and decorate the drawing as they wish. The kids dived right into it and created many remarkable drawings. Their creativity and imagination surprised me. Moreover, I was pleased to witness their excitement over such a small art project. Every day after the English classes, most volunteers complain about how hard it is to discipline the small kids and get them to focus on the class material. We college students are used to sitting in a lecture hall, staying concentrated for couple of hours and taking in as much information as we can. However we forgot that it is more important to encourage creativity in children. Many of them may not be good at following instructions, especially after a full school day, but they are eager for opportunities to show their individuality. In a collectivist country like Indonesia with strict cultural and religious constraints on personal choices, the small projects we create might give the kids the best moment in their day.

More than everything, I am deeply touched by some kids’ eager for knowledge and passion for English learning under an incomplete and shockingly corrupt public education system. This makes me realize that the free education provided by IHF Bali is working against the social norm and that we have a long way to go to prove our legitimacy and credibility. When we talk about NGOs and volunteering work in the US and other developed nations, we focus on the generosity of the donors and the sophisticated process of recruiting qualified volunteers, yet we have often forgotten the importance of reaching out to the locals and working our way best into the cultural and religious traditions in the area we work in. These traditions, however little merit they may have, are far more powerful in a country like Indonesia than our optimistic western ideology of free education, democracy, equality, and individual merits.

Many NGOs like IHF are great international efforts to relieve poverty and provide education opportunities, nevertheless we all need to realize that the overarching goal of our work is to serve the ‘local’ community, to benefit the ‘locals’, and through a long and hard time to influence the ‘local’ values in a positive way. And this is the hard part: to establish our trustworthiness in a remote Indonesian village and to get them to welcome our good intentions, however unrealistic they might seem to an Indonesian person. I am yet to reach this goal, but this one month experience at IHF Bali has definitely made the picture clear to me. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.

I’m 24 years old, from England and a professional ESL teacher. I am interested in volunteering and NGO work because I like to ‘give something back’ and I would like to work for NGOs full time in the future.

Firstly, a bit of information about where I volunteered: the IHF center in Aceh is primarily an Educational center, although they are currently looking for orphans to live in-center. It holds free English, Maths and Computer lessons six days a week for students from the first year of Junior school to college level. It has many local volunteers who teach and help with the daily running of the center and two full-time local volunteers; the director, Philippe, and the co-director, Joko.

While I was at the center I taught English classes to all ages five days a week as well as helping with things such as recruitment campaigns in local underpriveliged areas and the running of events such as workshops. Teaching these kids was great fun because they really want to learn, they have a motivation which is really different to the children I have taught before and they are always up for a laugh. The recruitment campaigns were eye-opening for me because we generally visited slum areas of the city and it made me realise all the stuff that I take for granted back home.

I was also involved in a project where we visit a school in an area far away from the center twice a week to teach English and maths. These classes were crazy because sometimes there were over 25 kids in one class but awesome because they spent the whole time laughing and smiling. I made them run around a lot which might have added to the craziness but they were still pretty well-behaved when I asked them to be quiet or when I was trying to teach them something new. These were my favourite classes here because there is so much energy bouncing around and I’d always finish the two hours sweaty and exhausted but with a big grin on my face!

As the center is small it is a great place for your own ideas and input. Whilst I was there I spearheaded a project where I created a yearly curriculum for all the English classes for the center to use. I also organised putting on a charity fundraising concert which was stressful but really easy in a lot of ways. I had the idea for it on a Monday evening and by the Saturday night the concert had started! People here are really helpful and businesses and the media are easy to reach so it is comparatively simple for your ideas to come to life when you look at all the red tape you would have to go through in many other countries.

I wanted to volunteer with IHF because they offered a varied volunteering experience and the chance to learn about NGOs by doing international tasks daily online. I was involved in the fundraising, volunteer recruitment, media and university relations teams. I have learned a lot about these different aspects of the running of NGOs and it has been a great experience. It was cool to see the results of my work, for example in the fundraising team I was given a lot of freedom and was able to create an email template with photos etc for volunteers to use when contacting their friends and family about IHF.

I chose the Aceh center particularly because I wanted to experience a vastly different culture to my own. It has been fascinating learning about the 2004 tsunami as there is a museum and there are many monuments in the city. I was initially a little nervous about going to volunteer in a predominintely Muslim community as I thought that I might do something wrong or offend someone. However, it has been very enlightening, the Acehnese people that I have met have been extremely friendly and have been keen to explain their religion and culture to me. I have made lots of friends and I love the taste of Acehnese coffee! The scenery here is gorgeous as well, they have loads of white sand beaches and towering tree-covered mountains. On days off local volunteers usually come to the center on their motorbikes and drive us round the city or to the beach.

In general I have had a great time at the Aceh center and I can’t believe that it’s almost time for me to go! I have learned a lot about the running of NGOs and the processes involved in keeping a education center like this open. It requires a lot of hard work and long hours but is also very rewarding. Through my online international work I have gained experience in other areas apart from teaching. I have also learned about the pressures of organising an event and how to use them as a fundraising tool. If you come here I reckon you will have an awesome time and come away with a new set of friends and experiences just like me!

As I wanted to do something meaningful during my trip through SE Asia, I decided to teach English at the IHF center during a couple of weeks.
It was great to get an insight in the Indonesian education system, to get to know the kids and other volunteers, .. I decided to teach mostly the younger kids; it was a bit hard because their level is still low and I didn't know their language either so giving instructions, explaining games,.. wasn't always easy. Once you get used to this and you find ways to deal with this, the teaching is very rewarding because the kids are so enthusiastic and grateful for what you are doing.
I think IHF is a good organisation because it provides new, necessary opportunities for kids so they can hopefully enjoy a brighter future.