2016-04-13

Working Among Superwomen

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Volunteer and teachers together Volunteer and teachers together

We walked into the daycare to sixteen babies all under the age of one, crawling over the foam flooring, sucking on eyeless, hard dolls, and falling turtle-back during frequent attempts to stand.  Our Communications team intended to stay for an hour to take pictures for Maxine’s last day volunteering; instead, we left three hours later with slobber on our clothes, applesauce in our hair, and stiffness in our backs we would only feel the next morning.  We left feeling accomplished, helpful, and happy, making plans to return the next day.

If you want a challenging but rewarding experience by making a difference for underprivileged families who can’t afford private daycare, join one of Voluntario Global’s projects working with kids.  Located on the outskirts of the city in low-income neighborhoods are daycares in constant need of an extra pair of hands from all corners of the world - hands to hold and coddle babies; to feed them the nutrients they need to grow; to ensure they can develop while getting their basic needs in a safe environment.

Work among superwomen

On a regular day at the daycare, the influx of toddlers falls on the laps of two caretakers.  I could barely put on a baby’s bib during his tantrum, and one of them saw my struggle, picked him up, put his bib on with one hand and continued to bottle-feed another on her lap, all in one swift motion. Superwoman, I tell ya.

Maxine, Voluntario Global volunteer from Australia, worked at the daycare for only two weeks, and was hailed a “god sent” as one of the caretakers put it, despite Maxine’s feelings of occasionally being a burden because of the language barrier.  It seems nurturing a crying baby doesn’t need any verbal translation, and the caretakers’ appreciation for Maxine’s help was expressed through hugs and a party for her final day.

Make a difference during babies’ critical time of development

We were five unintentional “caretakers” the day we went to the daycare, and even with only half of the babies in attendance, it was a lot of work to entertain, feed, clean, and give each one of them the attention they deserve for their healthy development.

I sat amongst the crawling lot, my legs like mountains for climbing, my shoe a foreign binky to suck (which I replaced quickly with a stuffed bunny), and my glasses a new source of entertainment for curious eyes.  Our Communications team jumped in with open arms alongside Maxine, and we left with full hearts, among happy, napping babies. We even managed to get a couple of cute snaps.  

If you are able to adapt easily, and are quick to learn —the language, the customs, the culture—  you will thrive in this environment. Maxine, Australia, Volunteer at Daycare

Learn more about this project and ask questions, here!

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Who we are

Who we are

We define ouselves as community builders. A community builder is someone who, instead of offering provisional help, gets to know a community and its people, its weaknesses and strengths. In this way, we build a strong relationship with each community. A relationship that lasts a life time.

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What we do

What we do

Our mission is to empower and connect local organizations to promote improvement for the whole community and take a unified approach to community development. We also aim to create a network between volunteers and local organizations in order to foster an exchange of culture and ideas which can help both to grow in different ways.

 

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Our Projects

The organizations and communities where we work are the main pillars of Voluntario Global. Together with local organizations, we determine our objectives and the type of volunteer we need. Put simply, Voluntario Global could not exist without the organizations, as we work together for their development and growth.

 

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Meet the Team

All coordinators play a vital part in the running of Voluntario Global. Our core of coordinators is small and each has a specific role in order to keep the organization moving forward.

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How to Apply

How to Apply

As we want to know our volunteers a little before arriving in the city, we ask them to fill in our Application Form. This only takes 2 minutes and dates can also be approximate, as we may suggest a change. If you have questions, you can always write an email to jfranco@voluntarioglobal.org before completing the form.

 

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Volunteer Ambassadors

See what our volunteers have to say about their experiences in Buenos Aires with Voluntario Global!

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