Anne Eichmeyer on Meaningful Volunteering

June 30th, 2010

Hello! I am thrilled to be starting with Meaningful Volunteer. I have volunteered in many capacities, before, including a volunteer stint abroad in Ghana, through another volunteer agency. Although the experience of going abroad and meeting like-minded people changed my life, there were specific criticisms I had about the volunteer agency.

Having met Malcolm through this volunteer stint and knowing that he was also frustrated with some of the same aspects, I was ecstatic to hear that Malcolm was beginning a new volunteer agency: Meaningful Volunteer! Meaningful Volunteer, with its incredible staff and important projects improves upon and exceeds what I had previously known as a volunteer abroad agency.

Here are the three main ways I feel that Meaningful Volunteer improves upon my previous experience with a volunteer agency:

1. Preparation: Other than a couple quick emails about where I’d be picked up at the airport and what items it was suggested I bring, I really did not feel prepared in going to Ghana. If I would have known ahead of time, the curriculum of the students I would encounter, I probably would have been more effective in tutoring them.
Meaningful Volunteer provides individualized care as you prepare to leave to your project abroad. Although nothing and no one can completely prepare you for the dynamic experience you are about to face, Meaningful Volunteer wants you to be successful and get what you want out of your volunteer experience, so Meaningful Volunteer believes your project starts the minute you decide you want to volunteer.

2. Corruption: The local organization I was working for had a corrupt leader; in fact, he bought (another) car with the money from the volunteers. I remember participating in a camp clean-up day and he drove by slowly, yelling through a megaphone at the volunteers and other members of the organization to keep working!
Meaningful Volunteer has a No Corruption Policy. Not only are all financial statements broken down for each volunteer to see (you will know EXACTLY where your money is going), Meaningful Volunteer doesn’t partner with local organizations that have their own policies and procedures- it hires locals to be the staff of Meaningful Volunteer. This means that first and foremost, all staff must adhere by the “No Corruption Policy.”

3. My talents not being utilized: When I volunteered in Ghana, I was never asked, “What are your talents? What makes you special and unique? What can you bring to the table?” Instead, I just tried to fit in with the already-existing projects... Although I felt a big impact was had on me as a volunteer, I’m not sure any impact was had on the people on the camp.
Meaningful Volunteer thinks you have something unique to offer. We won’t just fill spaces, we’ll ask you about interests, values, and talents, and help you align those with the opportunities of Meaningful Volunteer. You have ideas and suggestions? Great! We want to hear them.

I encourage you to challenge yourself and do something different. I believe that traveling abroad and experiencing new ideas and cultures is an amazing way to grow as an individual. I joined this organization because I have thought long and hard about the act of volunteering abroad; from experience, this act needs to be done carefully. Meaningful Volunteer prioritizes making the most out of each volunteer interaction; for your next learning opportunity, adventure, and project, consider Meaningful Volunteer!

Until next time-
Cheers!
Anne Eichmeyer

Speaking Engagement Override

One of the great things about being based here in South Korea is the opportunity I have to engage in speaking events.  In the last couple of months I've talked at the Amnesty International G48 group (Facebook link here), the Seoul Global Study Group (Facebook link here), and be the keynote speaker at the Model United Nations conference at Indianhead International School.

The message at all three events were similar. They told of my time in trenches during 2009 and the successes and failures of Meaningful Volunteer during that time.  I also talked about how hard it can be to actually do "good".

Take Grassroots Uganda as an example.  Grassroots Uganda is a collective of approximately 100 women making paper based jewelry.  The products are sold all around the world and through the Meaningful Shop.  On the one hand, Grassroots Uganda has been a huge success.  A whopping $US40,000 was raised in 2009 and we are hoping for more in 2010.  So many Ugandan women have been empowered by this project.  Alasia Nandudu's - one of our beaders - has had great success and has built a house with her Grassroots Uganda money. Check out her story here.

Even within the success of Grassroots Uganda there have been some serious problems. Take the case of Flavia Anyang. Flavia Anyang is another one of our beaders. She was brutally attacked by her husband with a machete.  The reasons for the attack were multiple, but Flavia's success within Grassroots Uganda was a contributing factor.  You can check out more about Flavia's story here.  The good news for Flavia is that she is well on the road to recovery thanks to some generous donations through individuals and Meaningful Volunteer.  Here is a recent picture of Flavia and her wounds (be warned, it is a little gruesome).

I also talked about the successes we have made with many of our projects. Project Lifecycle was given extra attention and the success we've had with it. To date, approximately 15 villages have had the product rolled out and dozens of healthcare workers have been trained in its use.  One of the keys things with Project Lifecycle is that we didn't do anything clever!  We merely followed the best practices as set out by the Institute of Reproductive Health^* (the creators of the product based out of Georgetown University in Washington DC).

One important factor that I emphasized at the talks was the importance of looking after oneself when you're in the field. This is something I am very bad at.  There are the obvious things - like my recent brush with death at the hands of malaria, but also the mental side of things.  All up in 2009, I think I took 2 days off for R and R.  The rest of the time was getting stuff done in the Philippines and Uganda.  As a previous sufferer of clinical depression, this is not a recipe for good health!

It is so hard to have good mental health and take care of yourself, especially in places like Buyaya where you're surrounded by so much misery and there is so much that you can see that needs to be done.  As we all know, a broken activist is not really an activist, but just another problem.  Hopefully the budding young activists can learn from my mistakes.

At the two of the three events, money was donated to the Malaria Operation mosquito net fund.  The Model United Nations conference had a t-shirt fundraiser where a whooping $US1,000 was donated to the fund!

2011 will see me head back into Africa.  One thing that I'll no doubt miss from Korea is the amazing opportunities I get to speak to groups of amazing people.

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^* Meaningful Volunteer gets a mention on the IRH homepage!

Burma Night June 2010

Meaningful Volunteer is a way of life and how to live your life to the fullest.

Visiting different countries has always been exciting and fun. I've realized that the places I have visited have meaning not simply because of the location but mostly because of the people.

Although l have never been to Burma, the Burmese people I have met here in Vancouver, are so proud of the beauty of their country, with rolling hills and vast amounts of green space, that their country seems amazing to me. You can almost feel the serenity while some elders talk about where they grew up.

Elders often speak of such things as the spirit of kindness and dedication, the spirit of fortitude, as well as loyalty and family values. They stress the importance of passing these values on to the next generation.

They dedicate their lives to serve others, especially their family. They will put their lives on the line, creating a better future for their sons or daughters. One feels their palpable kindness wrap around you like a warm blanket.

The parents will often go without, in order for their children to have a better life. The happiness of parents is based on fulfilling their children’s happiness and ensuring a successful future.

The adage to find something more meaningful than yourself, to dedicate your life to it, is something Burmese people demonstrate on a regular basis, in how they care for their families and their country.

Last night, preparations for ‘Burma Night For Aung San Suu Kyi’ started off chaotic, just like any other fundraiser event. Lots of “things” to be done before the guests arrived. One can feel the pressure of “too many things to do with so little time” but somehow, this time, it was different. It was peaceful, even though things didn’t go exactly according to plan. Some people were late. Some items that should have arrived didn’t make it. It didn't matter though because everyone just moved forward and did what needed to be done.

Once everything was decorated and in place, the guests started to arrive one by one. A few opening speeches were made by Burmese representatives followed by various performances. The food was delicious. There were varieties of vegetarian dishes but also some food for non-vegetarians.

Most of the songs were sung in a different language. That didn’t matter. Their passion and expressions on the faces of the singers along with their body language conveyed how proud the Burmese performers are of their heritage and nationality. Through their music & expression, they helped me envision what Burma must be like. Burmese people seem to understand how to live their life to the fullest, with kindness and compassion, which is a reminder of what Burma’s Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was all about.

I feel so fortunate that Meaningful Volunteer was there for Burma Night, because as our organization grows, this is exactly the kind of ideology, principles, and direction that we are striving toward. Meaningful Volunteer is not just about a unique travel experience, it’s about making a difference in the way we live our lives to the fullest. It’s about having shared beliefs that bring us together and help us care for each other in a meaningful way.

Meaningful Volunteer at the Filipino Independence Day Festival

The day started out sunny and hot just like in the Philippines, but today we are in Coquitlam, British Columbia getting ready to participate in the Filipino Independence Day festival.

I set up a booth for our Meaningful Volunteer Organization which was really easy. It consists of a table, my banner bamboo stand and my face painting kit. As I looked around, I saw the other booths setting up with piles of “stuff” – free stuff! Filipinos sure love receiving free “stuff” and today was jack pot day of freeness!

There were all sorts of free food: Lichon (roast pig), Filipino barbeque stick, sticky sweet rice, smokies, and hot dogs, and there was even a cotton candy machine! The different venues gave away free water bottles, key chains, pens, note pads, Filipino style spaghetti sauce, pancit noodles, and pineapple juice. There were also free prizes such as pots and pans, air conditioners, and concert tickets. The generosity of the businesses that participated in the Independence Day Festival was amazing.

Meaningful Volunteer didn’t have any physical items to distribute, some would call me korepot (thrifty), but we did offer something just as fun and maybe even more meaningful. I spent time with the kids, painting their tiny Filipino/Filipina faces and just talking. They asked me to draw Dora, Thomas the Tank Engine and Spider Man but I told them I would draw something better. I drew and painted red hearts and drew the flag of the Philippines. And while coloring their tiny faces I asked them “do you know why I am drawing a heart and painting the flag of the Philippines?” Some kids said “it’s because it’s Filipino Day” but most others said “it’s because we love being Filipino”. I was really pleasantly surprised by their answers and quite touched that they were proud of their roots. I was really waiting for one of them to say “because you suck at face painting, you don’t know how to draw!” That didn’t happen because Filipino children are quite respectful!

“Love being Filipino” was one of the main reasons I wanted to set up Meaningful Volunteer at the Filipino festival, as a reminder that even though we were born here or were raised here in Canada, we still are Filipinos and we owe it to ourselves and our children to keep our heritage and culture alive by staying connected and having meaningful connection with other Filipinos. The whole day was spent doing just that; talking, eating and visiting with each other. It was a hot sunny day just like in the Philippines but today we were in Coquitlam, BC.

Meaningful Volunteer may not have had physical “stuff” to give away but we did make lots of friends and I think they all walked away with meaningful smiles.