Nate Berg ’27 Through the Global Citizens Fellowship, Nate Berg worked with as an English teacher in Thailand. Volunteer English Bangkok is an NGO dedicated to serving underserved and rural communities across Thailand, and Nate was incredibly fortunate to travel to Bangkok, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, and Ayutthaya while teaching in schools and monasteries. Nate immersed himself in Thai culture and Buddhism while teaching, and worked teaching students ranging in age from three to sixteen. Nate is so grateful to have been awarded the Global Citizens Fellowship, and Thailand has a special place in his heart.
“My summer in Thailand was the experience of a lifetime. Seeing students improve day after day, week after week, was incredibly affirming, and left me with a renewed sense of commitment to the common good. In a completely different culture, kindness and compassion stand out as constants that bind people from all walks of life together. My summer taught me how two people separated by language, customs, and culture, can become friends simply by sharing a meal and a hug.”
Mila Bonometti ’26 spent her summer working with ) in the small town of El Porvenir, Honduras. She spent her days teaching children aged 6-12 at one of the three community locations, providing free lessons to students in a town where public school operates for only half the day. Alongside local interns and other international volunteers, Mila taught English and led activities in other subjects such as Spanish, art, and science. She also spent time teaching English to an evening Adult Class and was involved in HCA’s Healthy Snack Program, Healthy Pet Program, and community outreach activities.
“I felt that building relationships with the people I met, including students, everyone I worked with, and community members, was the most impactful part of my summer. I feel so lucky to have connected with and learned from so many incredible people and I am so fortunate to have a new place in the world that feels like home.”
Lex Davis ’26 worked with an organization in Cusco, Peru. She taught English to 5- and 6-year-olds at the local public school to help them learn basic English vocabulary. She utilized a lot of songs such as Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. She also worked as a teacher’s assistant at another school, playing with kids and helping prepare material as the teacher taught. Lex was the assistant volleyball coach for young girls in the community. Along with teaching Lex did construction work for the organization to help get a school ready for children to come.
“Just as the kids were learning I was learning alongside them. I feel like this experience helped me gain independence and be able to advocate for my needs better. I will never forget when one of the kids jumped for joy when he found out I was teaching that day, all the hugs, or how much the kids improved each day. It was an amazing experience to immerse myself in a new culture and want to call it home.”
Jimmy Netherton ’26 worked at the with over one hundred children from the Mustang region of Tibet. His days were spent on small projects around the hostel. Some of those small projects were improving the garden, weeding, peeling potatoes, doing dishes, and helping staff with cleaning. When he wasn’t working around the hostel he would help with the kids, whether that be walking with them to and from school, serving them meals, helping them with their homework, or playing with them during their free time. Connecting with the kids and learning about their culture was the highlight of his summer.
“My summer in Nepal was not at all what I originally expected it to be. I learned so much about myself and what really matters to me this summer. I am leaving Nepal with a new outlook on the world around me and a new sense of gratitude for all that I have had the privilege to do in my life.”
This summer, Luisa Wolcott-Breen ’25 interned at the (NaDEET). The organization works to educate students in primary and secondary schools as well as offering youth programs, creating environmental literacy publications, and training teachers to implement lessons in sustainability. She worked for two weeks at the Desert Centre, where she met secondary school students and participated in activities such as a biodiversity dune walk, star gazing, and solar cooking. She spent the rest of her summer working at NaDEET’s Urban Centre on projects ranging from installing activities in a simulated eco-conscious household to writing a game that challenges participants to make decisions about a sustainable development project.
“My love for environmental education has been reignited through working with NaDEET. I learned alongside students about sustainability in action, and we worked together to think through issues affecting Namibia and the United States. The people working for NaDEET are incredibly knowledgeable about Namibia’s natural resources and sustainable education. I have loved meeting folks who dedicate their lives to helping students learn and making sustainability accessible and fun!”
Astrid Braun ’24 (Philosophy) taught and tutored at , an educational nonprofit in Huaraz, Peru. During the week, Astrid assisted students in completing homework assignments in all subjects before and after school. She spent her afternoons teaching younger students new mathematical concepts, and when students completed all of their coursework, she helped them learn guitar. During both morning and afternoon sessions, Astrid also prepared food for students as part of Seeds of Hope's efforts to provide holistic support to students. Her favorite work with Seeds of Hope was leading field trips — one of which was an overnight camping trip in the Andes mountains!
Sapphire Hall ’25 went to Ngor, Senegal to teach young black girls and boys English and surfing skills. Throughout the summer she worked with students three times a week teaching English, and basic French grammar and speaking. During this time, she built strong connections with the students and learned some of their native language, Wollof. Sapphire did group surf sessions with older and younger girls. She monitored them in the water, gave them advice, pushed them while in the water, and worked on their popup skills. While teaching surf lessons she was able to learn a lot about her surfing.
Sabrina Kearney ’26 spent the summer in Dharamsala, India working for 
Phincho Sherpa ’25 worked with 
Pranav Vadlamudi ’26 (Neuroscience and Philosophy) worked with (HCDP Ghana) - a grassroots NGO based in Akrofu Agorve dedicated to partnering with local leaders to execute rural community health projects. Pranav assisted with some of HCDP Ghana’s projects in partnership with the Ho Teaching Hospital, such as BLS training in a local school and mobile clinics in local rural communities. He also had the opportunity to intern with the Akrofu Health Center and learn more about rural healthcare and disparities abroad following training at HTH, as he worked within the clinic’s OPD, conducted patient intake, and assisted with the clinic’s outreach efforts. Pranav also assisted with English classes at a local school in Gbogame, and he looks forward to grant writing for the organization to initiate more projects.
Sophia Karris '23 (Sociology) interned with (
Alexandria Pizzino '23 (Sociology) 
Jay Sayler '23 (Government and Legal Studies) 
Jack Selig '24 (Government and Legal Studies) 
Song Eraou ’23 (Economics and History) interned at , an organization based in Malaysia that works to close the education gap between rural and urban communities by installing technology in rural areas for educational purposes. Her role involved managing the Indigenous Digital Outreach Program (iDOP), a project to build a library in Kuala Tatau, Sarawak. For this, she collected and analyzed data from previous site visits and outreach programs, planned for the subsequent outreach program, wrote reports for the nonprofit’s stakeholders, and acted as a communication liaison between the nonprofit and the community. She also worked as a social media intern which involved her managing the nonprofit’s website and social media pages.
Arturo Linan-Martinez ’23 (Biology) worked as a research intern for , an organization that focuses on advancing cures and [preventing] childhood diseases through clinical excellence, research, and innovation. His role involved him preparing clinical trials with the research team, maintaining the consistency of incoming and existing inventory, updating the Cancer/Patient Registry, and using the registry to conduct reports in order to filter potential subjects for specific studies. He also reviewed consent forms, translated for families, shipped medical samples after going through International Air Transport Association (IATA) training, and tracked the results and patient consistency of ongoing trials.
Annika Moore ’23 (English) worked at , an organization created by and for immigrant women in Maine. IHP’s primary goal is to empower immigrant women and families through language acquisition classes, networking opportunities, and educational and career development programming. During her time at IHP, Annika focused on grant writing, brochure design and research in support IHP’s emerging cultural brokering initiatives. One of her projects included designing a booklet outlining IHP’s cultural brokering services for potential partners and funders.
Margot Ngo ’23 (Anthropology and English) worked at two organizations: and . ProsperityME empowers members of refugee and immigrant communities to invest in themselves to build financial stability, careers, and wealth through education and counseling. Margot’s work there primarily centered around researching, compiling, and creating documents to increase accessibility amongst staff members. Year Up is an organization that aims to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education. At YearUp, Margot contributed to the Knowledge Management System to increase accessibility to the historic and overall knowledge of the organization.
Edwardo Perez ’23 (Government and Economics) worked at , a community center that provides squash, wellness, and education in Portland, ME to unite neighbors of all ages and backgrounds and to support youth on their journeys from elementary school into adulthood. His responsibilities included operating front desk shifts, shadowing PCS’ executive director, coaching squash while obtaining a Level One US squash coaching certification, and helping shoot a video promoting the Community Squash model in coordination with US Squash.
Lily Poppen ’22 worked for , an organization that mobilizes hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward
John Soeder ’24 (Computer Science) worked with , a national non-profit that works to bridge the digital divide by providing affordable technology and wireless internet to individuals with low incomes. He worked on multiple computer distribution projects and helped with donation processing. This involved him assisting the Community Impact Manager by approving and fulfilling orders in the online order management database, coordinating several in-person distributions events and helping the warehouse crew track and sort donated electronic equipment.
Roman Parajon ’22 (Government and Economics) worked at , an organization in South Los Angeles that provides a myriad of vital services to adults and youth for free, including ESL classes, employment assistance, financial literacy classes, supplemental food, and much more. His primary role was supporting the Center’s response to the impacts of COVID-19 on the residents of South LA. He worked on expanding the capacity of the Center’s Supplemental Food Program, enrolling new clients in the Homelessness Prevention Program, processing clients for emergency financial and rental assistance, and assessing the needs of families and vulnerable populations in the community.
Over the summer, Julia Rohde '20 (Neuroscience and Religion) volunteered with the in Amman, Jordan teaching English and working with children at a summer camp. Her English classes were attended by women who were eager to learn the English language, add structure to their days, and orient themselves toward a tangible goal. The summer camp in CRP’s downtown center served largely Sudanese refugees and low-income Jordanians. Julia taught Zumba and English and demonstrated creative ways to use cheap, household objects to create beautiful arts and crafts.
Morgan Edwards ’22 (Government and History) worked for , an organization in Northern Ireland that uses basketball as a tool to bring youth together and break down prejudices in the historically divided community. His role included implementing PeacePlayers’ cross-community reconciliation and peacebuilding programming by acting as a coach, mentor, demonstrator, and educator for over 300 youth from some of Belfast’s most notorious interface areas. He also directed “twinnings” (a program that pairs a Catholic and Protestant school for basketball, team-building, and community relations conversations), handled communications, and monitored social media analytics.
Liana Harrington ’21 (Psychology and English) worked at , an organization in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, which serves rural beach communities in and around Playa Sámara by offering daily after-school English and art classes to the local youth. Her role as a Strategic Development and Operations intern involved her developing criteria used to evaluate potential grants for the nonprofit to pursue and recommending which grants to pursue based on these criteria. She also collaborated on grant applications to fund the organization’s environmental education program. Moreover, she planned and co-ran a two-week long summer camp and facilitated 1-week-long community service projects for visiting groups of volunteers.
Marina MacKinnon ’20 (Biology and Sociology) volunteered for , an organization that helps children in the Guatemala City garbage dump community— one of the most impoverished communities of Guatemala —break the cycle of poverty through education, emphasizing life skills and perseverance in order to thrive in work and contribute to their community. Her role as a volunteer included assisting in third grade classes, supporting teenagers in English classes and providing homework assistance to students. She also tutored women and mothers who were part of the social entrepreneurship program and the adult education program.
Arein Nguyen ’21 (Sociology and Latin American Studies) interned at , an organization that strives to connect people along the San Diego/Tijuana border region by fostering relationships through community service, education collaboration and cultural exchange. Arein’s main role was to manage the office support center which involved him interacting with local shelters to find spaces for migrants and recent deportees for their stay.
Aliya-Begum Jessa ‘19 (Sociology and Psychology) 
Erin Morrissey ‘19 (Neuroscience) 
Jacob Dexter-Muldrum ‘21 
Lexi Gray ‘19 (Psychology and Italian Studies) 
Leah Howard '18 (Neuroscience) spent her summer in Sangolquí, Ecuador working with (MPI). MPI is a nonprofit that offers English classes, nutrition classes, and other various classes for the community, while also partnering with local public schools and shelters. In addition to teaching classes at the MPI center, Leah spent a majority of her time working with their partner organization, Hogar de la Madre, a shelter for teenage girls who have children as a result of sexual assault.
Theodora Hurley '20 (Environmental Studies) partnered with , a language and cultural organization in Urubamba, Peru, to teach English for ten weeks. She provided basic, intermediate, and advanced English classes to students aged 14 – 40. Her students came from Spanish- and Quechua-speaking backgrounds and were primarily motivated to learn English in order to obtain jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries.
Morgan Rielly '18 (Government & Legal Studies and Religion) spent the summer working for the in the Hashemi Shemali neighborhood of East Amman, Jordan. CRP works with Syrian, Iraqi, and Sudanese refugees by creating a community center for them and providing food vouchers. Morgan worked as an intern at CRP where he took over their social media accounts and led a four-week Awareness Campaign that helped get hundreds of new followers for CRP. He also volunteered at the summer camp club where he taught English, math, and health to Syrian and Iraqi children ages 6 to 12.
Sophie Sadovnikoff '19 (Government & Legal Studies and Sociology) spent her summer at , a residential community in Johannesburg, South Africa, for women with HIV, their children, and children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Nkosi’s Haven provides food and permanent housing, as well as funding for school and other opportunities for their residents. Sophie’s primary responsibility was running the on-site daycare center for the children living at the Haven who are too young to be enrolled in school.
Jing Xie '18 (Neuroscience) split her time between and Shanyin Psychiatric Hospital in Beijing and Shanyin, China. Beijing Tiantan Hospital provides healthcare to China's capital through neurological surgeries and psychiatric support. Shanyin Psychiatric Hospital serves a very small, rural community of Shanyin by using traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture to treat psychiatric disorders. Jing worked alongside two doctors at each respective hospitals and helped in a variety of ways, such as obtaining and storing blood samples to psychiatric patient care. Her main project consisted of introducing the rural communities that had limited access to healthcare to new medicine that would treat psychiatric disorders.
This summer, Mariely Garcia '17 (Neuroscience) worked with , a small grassroots organization in Gorubathan, India. In the mornings, she split her time between teaching English to first graders and leading mental health awareness programs at schools in and around Gorubathan. In the afternoons she assisted at a daycare center operated by HMWS and in the evening, she led women’s empowerment workshops focused on human trafficking, domestic violence, rape, and the laws that protect women against these offenses.
Ryan Herman '17 (Biochemistry) spent his summer in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India volunteering with , a center and school for homeless boys. The center aims to provide food and accommodation, educational facilities, and health and AIDS awareness while also attempting to locate and reunite the children’s families. His daily tasks consisted of instructing English, Hindi, and Mathematics classes. Additional responsibilities ranged from leading yoga exercises to facilitating conversations around alcohol and drugs. Ryan, seeking to extend the center’s ability to emotionally support its students in their transition home, crafted and implemented workshops surrounding issues of grief, suffering, and loss.
Sam Kenney '19 (Francophone Studies) spent his Freshman summer in Saint-Louis, Senegal with , a private non-profit which serves begging street children, locally called talibés. Maison de la Gare offers educational programs, basic health care, sanitation, food, and emergency shelter for the talibé children, who range in age from four to twenty. Above all the organization aims to create a safe environment for educational and social development. Sam devoted most of his time to the task of registering the talibés who came into the center. He also held a daily language course for the English-speaking talibés.
Liam Nicoll '18 (Government & Legal Studies and Religion) worked as a volunteer with the in Amman, Jordan, with their summer programs for refugee youth. These programs worked to create educational experiences, social exposure and fun for the refugee youth of East Amman. Liam ran the summer programs under his advisor and with his peers in order to provide an educational experience to the kids. Activities consisted of Elementary Education, English, Arts and Crafts, Music and Physical Education. During his experience in Amman, he was able to see the stress that massive influxes of people and the lack of natural resources put on a government and on a country. He experienced water shortages, food voucher programs, and poor living conditions. This however, did not defined his experience. As he discovered that the generosity and hospitality of Jordan are stronger than any political structure, any government, or any war.
Dhivya Singaram '17 (Anthropology) worked with , an NGO in Madurai, India that works with lower caste children and spreads awareness of child rights. She assisted with and facilitated programming including their Seniors’ Meet, Science Forum, holiday celebrations, and festivals. A crucial part of her work involved conducting field visits to different slum areas and Vidiyal centers in Madurai. The knowledge and context she gained from these field visits gave her the foundation to conduct research on representation of children in Tamil Nadu media. Lastly, she collaborated with Vidiyal children to create a documentary short on child rights.
This summer, Katherine Coleman '16 implemented an art curriculum at at the Tramneak Pagoda in Siem Reap, Cambodia. With her students - primarily Buddhist monks and local children from the nearby village – she explored self-expression and the potential of art to be everywhere. They focused on what became a sort of class motto: "There is no right answer, and everything can be beautiful."
Rubi Duran '16 spent her time working with , a non-profit in Pacullpa, Peru that seeks to provide educational, nutritional, and social support the local Shipibo people. Rubi worked with mothers and their children through a program called Grow & Cook, which was created in response to the poor diet and growing nutritional deficiencies and illnesses present in Shipibo and indigenous communities across the Amazon. Together they discussed basic nutrition, cooked together, and helped start a permaculture site where fruits and veggies were planted for the community to share in the future.
Sarah Frankl '16 worked at in Chimbote, Peru. She spent time working with a nutritionist to develop an educational pamphlet for pregnant women. In addition, she assisted in the outpatient clinic, well-child measurements, and home visits. However, the majority of her time was spent at the Maternidad's orphanage, which was the home to 16 children, all under five. Her best Peruvian friend was two and named Kenlli.
June Guo '16 spent her summer in Lukwambe Village in Tanzania, working with Ngerengere River Eco Camp. The Eco Camp aims to promote environmental sustainability through education, job training, and eco-conservation projects. During her time there, June developed and taught classes on food culture, agriculture, and first aid for local children and teens. She also led daily exercise classes, which included running, stretching, and laughter yoga. One of June’s favorite projects was establishing experimental organic gardens using recycled materials, local seeds, and water-efficient techniques.
Through the non-profit organization (CNH), Chris Gys '17 worked with children in communities around Huaraz, Peru. Of CNH's three main emphases – multivitamin distribution, creative expression, and the "Do the right thing" campaign – Chris devoted most of his time to the last of these. He led activities that focused on applying this principle to situations the children would encounter on a daily basis, and he started a soccer program that taught goal-setting and teamwork through practices and games.
Erin McKissick '16 worked as a journalist at the social work nonprofit in Dharamsala, a Tibetan refugee community in northern India. She wrote for their free monthly publication, Contact Magazine, and was their primary news reporter for the upcoming Tibetan parliamentary election. She also volunteered part-time as a childcare assistant at Rogpa, a free daycare for the children of Tibetan refugees.
Lauren Nguyen '17 spent her summer in Rabat, Morocco working with physically and/or mentally handicapped children at the Lalla Meryem Center orphanage through the . She helped with daily tasks such as bathing, changing, feeding, as well as assisting in educational activities. The Lalla Meryem Center also houses newborns, toddlers, and children of all ages.
Liem Tu '18 spent the summer in Senegal working for , a shelter for street boys in the city of Saint-Louis. MDG seeks to improve living conditions by providing water, clothes, food, health care, and education to the boys. Liem taught daily language classes in French and English and organized sports activities at the center.
Lily Woodward '17 spent 10 weeks in Moshi, Tanzania as an English teacher for an adult women's school, . This school provides English language, business, and vocational education to local women, catering to those who are single mothers, from minority ethnic groups, or make little to no income. While there, Lily helped develop a recreation program for local children, organized home visits with students, and helped recent grads further develop their businesses.
Meghan Bellerose '17 spent the summer of 2014 working with , a community based non-profit that provides healthcare resources and education to children and young adults in Kpando, Ghana. In the mornings, Meghan led discussion groups for teenagers and young adults on health topics such as family planning, HIV/AIDS, condom use, blood contact, and female empowerment. She also worked closely with pregnant women in Kpando and nearby villages, providing information on the signs of a healthy pregnancy and discussing the health and financial resources available to the women and their children. In the afternoons, Meghan worked at HardtHaven Children's home, UNITED's shelter for children who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS or suffer from the disease themselves, helping with homework, daily activities, and health monitoring. 
Juliet Eyraud '16 spent the beginning of her summer in Phnom Penh, Cambodia working for Children for Change Cambodia (CCC) as an English Teacher and Social Action Intern. CCC serves children living in a red-light district of the city, offering them supplementary academic classes, school scholarships, emergency housing, and a supportive network of students and teachers. She also instituted a curriculum she had developed in independent work at Bowdoin. Juliet will return to Phnom Penh in the summer of 2015 to continue her work. 
Oriana Farnham '15 spent the summer in Ho Chi Minh City (but most people she met there called it Saigon), Vietnam. Oriana volunteered at Little Rose Shelter, one of Saigon's few non-profit organizations, which is a home for girls who have been or are at risk of being sexually abused or trafficked. The girls were on summer break, so they spent the days doing crafts, singing, and learning to play ukulele. The shelter is a place where the girls can relax, but they also work on outreach in their community to educate young people about sexual health and raise awareness around the issues of domestic and sexual abuse. 
Jesse Ortiz '16 spent the summer of 2014 in Kathmandu, Nepal volunteering with Social Development Center Nepal (SDCN). SDCN is a children’s home, currently caring for fifteen children whose parents are unable to support them. The organization provides the food, housing, education and medical care that otherwise may not have been available to the children. Jesse also taught classes at Little Blossoms School, which most of the chilren of SDCN attended. 
Meredith Outterson '17 worked this summer in the local school of a rural community in San Juan de la Concepcion, Nicaragua as part of 's community development programs. Meredith lived with a host family and tutored kids in the mornings. She also ran after-school enrichment activities, and facilitated long-term school improvement projects such as revamping the pre-school classroom and launching a program with educational tablets. 
David Silverman '15 spent the summer of 2014 working with the , a nonprofit that runs after-school programs to educate and empower youth living in the challenged and vulnerable townships outside of Cape Town, South Africa. With the Literacy (ELL) program, he created and implemented daily lesson plans for a class of 4th-7th grader, and while working with the HIV/AIDS Peer Education and Prevention program, David worked to create and implement student evaluation surveys and establish a system of lesson plan creation and standardization. Lastly, David worked with the Environmental program to assess and institute potential improvements to the Amy Biehl school overnight camps, to lead hikes around the area, and to create a guide for how to lead outdoor outings safely.
Alex Thomas '16 lived and worked in Lusaka, Zambia this summer. He volunteered for the , an organization that works with the Zambian and Rwandan governments to build HIV treatment capacity in their national healthcare systems. Alexander specifically focused on the acceptability and uptake of medical male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy in sero-discordant couples visiting Zambian government clinics.
Maggie Acosta '16 traveled to a developing city named Huancayo in the heart of the Andes of Peru. She worked for a grassroots organization that focuses on healthcare and education. Maggie eventually began her own project working for a neurologist in the regional Es Salud Hospital and opened an after-school program for kids ages 6-13.
Evan Bulman '16 spent June and July of 2013 in Kabala, Sierra Leone working hand in hand with Nar Sarah Medical Clinic through . As a fulltime volunteer with this organization, he worked chiefly to expand their financial sustainability projects. This work included farming, providing computer education, and tutoring English and Mathematics.
Will Horne '14 lived in the Isan region of Thailand in Plaboo Village. In this village of about 70 families, he volunteered at the Farmer Community School as an English teacher and worked with students daily to provide them opportunities to engage and become familiar with the foreign language. The Farmer Community School, provides the area's youth with schooling in English as well as Thai heritage, traditional farming techniques, sex education, and leadership skills. It serves expose and engage students in subjects often left out of traditional Thai schooling.
Marcus Karim '14 spent his summer working with , an education-based non-profit in Huaraz, Peru that seeks to provide educational, health, and social support to local children and their families. Marcus spent his mornings working in a soup kitchen, providing meals to clients in the local community, and transitioned into a teaching role in the afternoons where he instructed students in math, science, and public health education. Furthermore, Marcus conducted self-esteem building activities with students to allow them to begin to develop a deep sense of worth and integrity in themselves, allowing them to see, and hopefully realize, their innate potential in the world around them.
Marble Karuu '14 spent her summer in Iten, Kenya working with the . Since 2004, KenSAP has been assisting high achieving high school graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds apply to colleges and universities in the United States. Marble served as an instructor for the program, conducting daily classes to help prepare the students for the SAT and TOEFL exams and begin the college application process.
Julie Bender '13 spent the summer working with a medical clinic and orphanage at in Kaberamaido, Uganda. Asayo's Wish Foundation began as a home for displaced children. Since its start, it has expanded into a clinic for the rural area and a farm used to teach the children about raising animals and growing crops. Julie split her time between three projects: helping the children to care for the organization’s chickens, sheep, cows, and goats, assisting with the electronic medical record system in the medical clinic, leading daily English and Math tutoring sessions, and serving as a mentor and companion to the organization's 120 children.
Emma James '13 spent two months volunteering for , a nonprofit based in Sucre, Bolivia. BiblioWorks funds, builds, and stocks libraries in the rural areas surrounding Sucre. Emma spent half her time in the BiblioWorks office, grant writing, and the other half working in Pampa Aceituno, a small school with a brand new BiblioWorks library. She taught English, read to children, started a school garden, and did arts and crafts with the children to encourage reading.
Micah Ludwig '13 spent June and July of 2012 working with in Buea, Cameroon. SDI Cameroon seeks to help vulnerable groups of people including teenage mothers, orphans, and the elderly. Micah served as a community health volunteer with SDI and was able to work in a health clinic, give health presentations, and also prepare health education materials.
Tasha Sandoval '13 spent the summer of 2012 as an educational intern at the in Cape Town, South Africa. The District Six Museum is a community museum that seeks to collect and disseminate the memory of a once vibrant Capetonian community, District Six. Under the apartheid government’s ruthless Group Area’s Act, District Six was declared a "whites-only area" and its residents were forcibly removed to out-lying townships. Today, the museum acts as a meeting place for victims of the forced removals who continue to live with the consequences of removals' injustices. Upon arrival, Tasha learned that the museum's financial crisis would alter her role as an intern. Still Tasha was able to improvise and execute a workshop-series with high school students - explored personal narratives and history through oral, written, visual, and movement forms. She assisted with their workshop newsletters and with recording "Huis Kombuis" (Afrikaans for "Home Kitchen") - a weekly workshop where ex-resident, elderly women get together to share recipes, tell stories, and embroider their memories onto cloth. Working with these older women was most rewarding aspect of Tasha’s experience, as it allowed her to offer practical assistance with embroidery and design, get a primary historical perspective, and make strong and powerful personal connections with ex-residents themselves.
Lucy Walker '14 spent June and July of 2012 working in Nakuru, Kenya, volunteering with the , a small nonprofit that hosts a nursery school for disadvantaged children in Nakuru’s slums. Lucy worked with the Bliss teachers to design and implement a novel storybook-making curriculum at the nursery school. By the end of her stay, each of the students had narrated and illustrated his own storybook to add to "The Bliss Library", a bookshelf painted by the students and teachers. Upon completing the storybooks, the students and teachers celebrated with a storybook presentation attended by parents and members of the community. The Bliss school had previously been without any picture books, its curriculum largely devoted to rote memorization of English vocabulary. The storybook project builds upon the students' and teachers' strong sense of oral storytelling. It seeks to foster English language learning in a way that is cost-effective, fun, individualized, and personally upbuilding for the Bliss students.
Elena Crosley '13 volunteered at in Granada, Nicaragua. Casa Lupita treats the dogs, cats and work horses of Granada, Nicaragua and many spays and neuters are performed in order to reduce the number of street animals. Escuelita Yo Puedo is a school that provides children with homework help, English classes, and piano lessons.
Macy Galvan '13 spent June and July of 2011 working with in Delhi, India. AIM Abroad is a US Registered Community Interest Non Profit Company, affiliated with Global Orphanage Trust in India which provides housing in an orphanage for 10 girls as well as a tarped classroom to teach 50 local children. Global Orphanage Trust has provided the school children with clothes, school supplies, and a priceless education. Macy volunteered with the program's orphanage, working to teach the children English, performing general and special tasks and accompanying the children on outings as required by the project.
Having postponed his fall 2010 trip due to a Federal Travel Warning, Bryce Lednar '11 spent the summer of 2011 in Kisumu, Kenya at St Clare's Orphanage and working in partnership with . Joining Hearts and Hands works to improve educational, health and economic conditions for African orphans and their communities, by building schools, sponsoring health clinics, providing secondary scholarships, and nurturing sustainable development initiatives. In support of this mission, Bryce taught English and Math at St. Clare Orphanage in Kisumu, carried out business skills workshops with microenterprises, and met with scholarship students throughout western Kenya. Bryce also helped establish a rowing club in Kisumu whose athletes have ranked among Kenya's top rowers in regional and national regattas.
Ben Richmond '13 spent January and February of 2011 working with Teach Huaraz Peru in Huaraz, Peru. Teach Huaraz is a local, grassroots organization which supports the community of Huaraz by providing English lessons for children in local schools and educational programs for youth. Ben worked as an English tutor at a local language center and helped Teach Huaraz establish a 7-day pilot youth wilderness therapy program for at-risk youth. The wilderness therapy program consisted of classes about health, decision making, and outdoor skills, as well as an extended outdoor experience in the area’s surrounding mountains.
Abby Suresh '12 volunteered at for eight weeks this past summer. After one week spent in the rural town of La Paz participating in coffee planting with members of a local farmers’ cooperative, she worked the remaining seven weeks in the impoverished barrio of La Primavera in Managua, Nicaragua. In Managua, Abby worked with other members of Compas to the Women in Action Center (WIA), building a backyard vegetable garden and a composting system; teaching English classes to local school age children; and running health workshops (‘charlas’) for women on topics like personal hygiene, menopause and nutrition. In addition, she helped repair the roofs of several of the Women in Action’s members’ houses and expand the test backyard garden at the WIA center to new gardens behind the women’s houses.
Nina Scheepers '14 volunteered for the nonprofit in the Nkomazi region of South Africa. The Nkomazi is an impoverished and rural area in South Africa with a very poor educational system. ImagineScholar's mission is to provide supplemental education to the students with the most potential in the area to prepare them for university. ImagineScholar believes that education and success in university is the way to help these students pull themselves from the poverty in which they grew up in. Nina worked with the fifteen selected Imagine Scholars - planning lessons, crafting activities, individual tutoring and helping with the behind the scenes runnings of the organization.
This past summer Jamilah Gregory '11 worked with in Quito, Ecuador. Located in an underprivileged, industrial area of the city, Camp Hope provides attention, recreation, rehabilitation, education, spiritual support, and vocational resources to economically, physically, and mentally challenged children to enable them to attain their goals of independence and integration into society.
Kate Leifheit '12 spent January and February of 2011 working with in Quito, Ecuador. The Foundation supports marginalized elderly people, often living without the support of families, income of any sort, and government aid. FABC provides these people with the resources to better their own quality of life, addressing both health and social needs through programming. Kate volunteered with the center's medical staff, working in its free clinic and doing public health outreach (e.g. leading personal health workshops and making home visits).
Ruiqi Tang '13 worked with in Golok Autonomous Prefecture, China. Located in a rural Tibetan town, the SDG Home provides impoverished and disenfranchised girls with education, quality health care, and a supportive home environment. For eleven weeks, Ruiqi taught English and Geography, and coordinated connections between GSD Home and other organizations.
Sheela Turbek '13 worked with in the Intag and Pedro Moncayo regions of Ecuador. FBU is a non-profit organization that partners with the Asociación Agroartesanal de Campesinos Agroecológicos de Íntag to recover ancestral agricultural knowledge and promote sustainable development in rural Ecuadorian communities by providing instruction in natural resource management. She spent one month in the remote village of Cazarpamba, assisting her host family in daily activities on their organic farm, and teaching classes in English and environmental issues. The second month Sheela stayed in Tabacundo, an urban location closer to Quito, where she worked on and then ran an organic farm while her host family held their first official class on sustainable agricultural practices for members of the community.
Sarah Glaser '11 worked with La Escuelita de Esperanza in San José, Costa Rica. La Escuelita is an after-school arts and literacy program in the Nicaraguan neighborhood of Proyecto Cristal. The school provides pre-schooling, homework help, and exploration of the arts.
Dhaujee Kelly '11 volunteered at The Parijat Academy in Guwahati, India. The school is located in a remote village called Pamohi. The primary goal of the is to provide free, equal education opportunity to children and families that are less fortunate and underprivileged.
Lakhina Ky '11 worked with Neary Khmer in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This non-profit organization focuses on educating women in the surrounding countryside about the importance of nutrition, health, and hygiene. The organization also works with community leaders to help set up their own personal community projects and goals through microfinancing.
Rosie Laflam '11 traveled to La Esperanza in the north west of Peru. For five weeks, Rosie worked with the Horizon House, a small non-profit organization founded by Manuel Silva, a longtime resident of La Esperanza. The Horizon House serves the children of La Esperanza, who are without access to supplemental educational programs.
Sam Modest '09 taught last fall at the in Darjeeling, India. This English-medium primary school services the more impoverished families within the tea plantation district of Gorubathan.
Anirudh Sreekrishnan '12 worked with , an NGO, centered in Accra, Ghana. Heart for Humanity helps volunteers find local ways to give back to the different communities in Ghana. No matter the project, whether it is in a classroom or a hospital, the help the volunteers provide makes an impact in the community and offers an insight to a different culture.
Kyle Dempsey '11 volunteered with El Hospital Escuela Oscar Danilo Rosales de la Ciudad de Léon in Léon, Nicaragua. The hospital provides health care to Nicaragua's second largest city, Léon, as well as the surrounding rural towns and villages. In addition to direct patient care, the hospital trains doctors and other medical professionals.
Sara Holby '08 volunteered with International Community for the Relief of Starvation and Suffering (ICROSS) in Kisii Town, Kenya. ICROSS fights poverty and disease in poor and marginalized communities throughout Kenya. The organization employs the resources and capabilities of community members, thereby empowering them to take responsibility for change and development in their own lives.
Eunsung (Elisa) Kim '10 volunteered with Pemón Health in Urimán, Venezuela. The mission of Pemón Health is to demonstrate initiatives designed to provide sustainable improvements for the health of Pemón villagers.