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Volunteer in Latin America

The Aftermath of Mitch: What You Can Do to Help

By Dianne Brause

Last November we were all appalled by the stories and the graphic scenes of devastation and suffering caused by Hurricane Mitch. Over 10,000 people were killed within a few days--mostly in the Central American countries of Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Whole towns were wiped out and families drowned or covered by landslides. With the holiday season coming on, people around the world donated money, provisions, and even their blood so that the refugees might have a little comfort in the midst of their suffering and loss. Perhaps your own gifts helped save lives.

But just because the waters receded and the bodies that were found have been buried, life has not returned to normal. So the question is, what can one person do to help relieve this suffering and hasten the rebuilding of lives massively disrupted? In addition to money and supplies, groups are asking for volunteers--either here or in the countries themselves--to provide extra hands, bodies, skills, and creative leadership. Some are looking for short-term and relatively unskilled help while others seek volunteers or extra paid staff who can actively direct the re-establishment of the working infrastructure which was lost in this disaster.

The Center for Global Education (Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454; 612-330-1159 or 800-299-8889; globaled@augsburg.edu, www.augsburg.edu/global), runs both travel seminars and a sustainable development and social change semester in Nicaragua. While the trips continue this spring, the sustainability semester was canceled because of the impact of the hurricane. However, one student, Phoebe Haupt, came back with a plan to make a difference: Her goal is to enlist 2,000 students from across the U.S. to join forces for a summer relief project in Central America. Students will raise enough money for their own costs, plus $1,000 for the supplies needed for the projects. If you have energy and flexibility, you may want to apply as a volunteer. If you have the money, any gift will change the lives of young Americans and the poor of Central America. Contact: Phoebe Haupt, Charlottesville Latin American Solidarity Committee/Hurricane Mitch Relief Effort, P.O. Box 3102, Charlottesville, VA 22903.

Meanwhile, the 600 Peace Corps volunteers in Central America continue to provide invaluable support to the people and governments. Returned peace corps volunteers are now being asked to take part in a program called the Crisis Corps, which places volunteers for up to six months in areas across the world that are suffering from the effects of disasters. Those with skills in water sanitation, agroforestry, construction, and healthcare are especially needed in Central America and the Dominican Republic (still rebuilding from hurricane Georges). Contact: Peace Corps Crisis Corps, 1111 20th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20526; (800) 424-8580 ext 2250 or (202) 692-2250, fax (202) 692-2251; crisiscorps@peacecorps.gov, www.peacecorps.gov.

Also open to returned Peace Corps volunteers and those who want to become members of the National Peace Corps Association, the Emergency Response Network is currently registering individuals who are Spanish-speaking and are skilled in water and sanitation, health and medicine, infrastructure and housing repair, and distributing food and supplies. The NPCA connects candidates with agencies needing skilled people. Contact: NPCA, ERN, 1900 L St., NW, Suite 205, Washington, DC 20036; Tel./fax (202) 293-7728; rpcvern@aol.com, www.rpcv.org.

The Peace Corps Hotline, www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.former.hotline, suggests that you contact the following agencies directly about their specific needs and programs:

World Neighbors, www.wn.org, an organization working in various parts of the world, including Central America, addresses the root causes of hunger, disease, and poverty through providing access to increased knowledge and training. Local people are the facilitators. In Honduras, they have had to provide emergency relief as well as more long-term assistance.

Jo Luck from Heifer Project International (P.O. Box 808, Little Rock, AZ 72203; 800-698-2511; www.heifer.org) writes asking for support in their emergency recovery work. They too support the long-term self-reliance of people around the world through the simple act of giving them an animal (or animals)--that then provides offspring which are in turn passed on to others in their community. Hurricane Mitch killed thousands of Heifer Project animals that need to be replaced now. Within the next two years the organization also plans to extend integrated hillside farming projects with goats and cows, create additional soil conservation projects, replant crops and pasture land, and pay special attention to the nutritional needs of children. Call them for a catalog of gift animal donation ideas.

Airline Ambassadors International, www.airlineamb.org, is a nonprofit membership organization of airline employees and their friends who want to use their international connections to promote "caring and sharing for each other and the earth." If you can help AAI locate supplies that can be donated to hospitals, orphanages, and other places of need, of if you know an airline employee willing to escort shipments, please contact: Airline Ambassadors International, P.O. Box 117321, Burlingame, CA 94011-7321.

Oxfam America is also asking for support in their work in Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala (as well as other parts of the world). After the initial relief operations, they will continue to support grassroots groups who commit to carry out well-planned innovative projects involving community participation in the ongoing fight against poverty and hunger. Donations should be sent to them at: Oxfam America, 26 West St., Boston, MA 02111; (800) 77OXFAM; www.oxfamamerica.org.

IDEX (International Development Exchange, www.idex.org; idex@igc.org) is another organization supporting grassroots initiatives in Africa, Asia, and Latin America which address the immediate practical needs of marginalized communities and supports their efforts to lead self-sufficient lives. IDEX support builds local leadership, organizational strength, and networks which lead to long-term change. For example, in Chiapas, Mexico they work with DESMI (Economic & Social Development of Mexico Indigenous People). In Nicaragua they are creating a partnership with the Movimiento Maria Elena Cuadra, a group that organizes women workers in the maquiladoras in order to record human rights abuses.

FINCA (Foundation for International Community Assistance) is another organization helping people who want to help themselves. Their village banking programs provide small loans to poor women to start or expand a small business within collectively-run credit and savings groups of 20 to 50 women. The women support and encourage one another as they learn to keep their books, invest their savings, and pay back their loans--thus moving slowly but surely towards financial security for themselves and their families. From original loans of $50, a total of 86,000 families are now living more secure lives. Contact: Rupert W. Scofield, FINCA International, Inc., 1101 14th St., NW, 11th Fl., Washington, DC 20005; (202) 682-1510, fax (202) 682-1535; www.villagebanking.org.

The Global Citizens Network sends teams of volunteers to rural communities around the world. Volunteers immerse themselves in the community during their one- to three-week stays as they join in projects such as setting up a library, teaching basic business skills, or building a community or health center. They live in local homes or in a community center. Trips are now running to Belize, Guatemala, St. Vincent, and the Yucatan. Contact: Global Citizens Network, 130 N. Howell St., St. Paul, MN 55104; (651) 644-0960 or (800) 644-9292; info@globalcitizens.org, www.globalcitizens.org.

The Seva Foundation is a well-known organization in the field of sight restoration in India, Nepal, and Tibet as well as among Native Americans in the U.S. and the Mayan people of Guatemala. Among other projects, donations support the Council of Elders working towards the renewal of Mayan spirit, culture, and everyday life; the Mayan Women's Council, which assists Mayan women economically, culturally, and politically, and the Thirteen Holy Mountain Association, providing supplies and tools to rebuild communal farms after the fires of last summer. To send donations or to ask about trips or volunteer activities, contact: The Seva Foundation, 1786 5th St., Berkeley, CA 94710; (800) 223-7382 or (510) 845-7382, fax (510) 845-7410; admin@seva.org, www.seva.org.

Amizade means "friendship" in Portuguese, and the organization of that name is dedicated to promoting volunteerism and community service in short-term projects throughout the world by providing participants the opportunity to participate directly in the culture. Volunteers help in projects such as the construction of schools, clinics, and environmental centers in three locations: Santarem, Brazil; Cochabamba, Bolivia, and the Greater Yellowstone area of the U.S. Contact: Amizade, Ltd., 7612 N. Rogers Ave., 3rd Fl., Chicago, IL 60626; (773) 973-3719, fax (773) 973-3731; volunteer@amizade.org, www.amizade.org.

Meanwhile, Global Volunteers (375 E. Little Canada Rd., St. Paul, MN 55117-1628; 800-487-1074; abroad@globalvolunteers.org, www.globalvolunteers.org) provides opportunities for service-learning in many countries including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jamaica, and Mexico. Projects include providing basic conversational English classes, basic health care, business consultation, and community infrastructure support. Lodging and food are provided by the host community. Skilled and unskilled volunteers of all ages are welcome to apply.

Another organization promoting international voluntary service as an effective means of intercultural education and community service is Volunteers for Peace (43 Tiffany Rd., Belmont, VT 05730-0202; 802-259-2759, fax 802-259-2922; vfp@vfp.org, www.vfp.org). Volunteers from around the world work together to help overcome need, violence, and environmental decay and to promote global peace through sharing. The two- to three-week program costs are kept very low (around $200) to attract younger people, although anyone over 18 is invited to join. Workcamps scheduled in Latin American countries during 1999 include Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru.

CISCAP (Committee in Solidarity with the Central American People, 458 Blair Blvd., Eugene, OR 97402; 541-485-8633, fax 541-485-0257; ciscap@efn.org, www.efn.org/~ciscap) is working with a pro-Zapatista group in Chiapas, Mexico called Enlace Civil to help communities hit hard by both natural and political devastation. Contact them about upcoming delegations or other ways to be of service in Mexico or at home.

GATE (Global Awareness Through Experience), www.gate-travel.org, offers ecumenical international immersion experiences with a "preferential option for the poor." It invites the first world church to "grapple with its mission in a global faith community." GATE has programs in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador in addition to a unique program called "The Goddess GATE," a cross-cultural exploration of feminine power and divine presence, to be held in the Central Basin of Mexico.

Food First (Institute for Food and Development Policy, 398 60th St., Oakland, CA 94618; www.foodfirst.org) was begun 25 years ago by Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins to "end hunger at home and in countries around the world." Currently they are working together with Global Exchange to provide educational programs in Cuba. Contact: Global Exchange, 2017 Mission St., #303, San Francisco, CA 94110; (415) 255-7296 or (800) 497-1994, fax (415) 255-7498; realitytours@globalexchange.org, www.globalexchange.org.

Finally, Mobility International, USA offers people with and without disabilities a chance to provide a model for challenging both the system and themselves. International exchanges have taken place over the years in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Exchanges typically include such activities as living with homestay families, disability rights training workshops, teambuilding activities like river rafting, challenge courses, and intensive leadership seminars. Contact: MIUSA, P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, OR 97440; (541) 343-1284 (voice/TTD), fax (541) 343-6812, www.miusa.org.

DIANNE G. BRAUSE is the author of Forever Green: An Ecotourist's Guide to Lane County, a directory of responsible tourist resources in midwestern Oregon and a philosophical treatise on sustainable tourism.

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