Par Marti Barsoom, Sophie Zimmel and Margaux Maxwell                                       Traduction par Jeremy Guérin

Bernadette Hoste est une professeur de français pour enfants et adultes en Angleterre. Bernadette, est en fait bein plus qu'une professeur, c'est une bénévole de Voluntario Global de longue date; depuis sa création Bernadette y consacre 2mois chaque année. En observant et en participant au développement de Voluntario Global, elle a enrichi ses sentiments envers la communauté et la vie – elle affirme que VG a changé son système de valeurs. C'est l'histoire de Bernadette, une femme qui enseigne et apprend des enfants.

Bernadette a entendu parler de VG en 2006, durant sa visite à Buenos Aires alors qu'elle essayait d'apprendre une troisième langue et poursuivait sa passion pour le voyage. Durant son séjour, l'affiche de VG a attiré son regard “Voulez vous découvrir un autre Buenos Aires”?

“J'ai pensé qu'il serait intéressant de rencontrer des locaux, des enfants du pays et d'échanger quelques idées. J'aime beaucoup enseigner et je me suis dit que je pourrais les aider en leur apprenant l'Anglais et qu'en échange ils partageraient un peu de leurs vies avec moi.” Elle a eu raison de suivre son instinct, elle travaillera ensuite dans les projets de jardins d'enfants, “Pim Pom” et “Travesuras” où elle fera des merveilles.

“Il y a trop de souvenirs préférés pour en choisir un! Des enfants qui me grimpent dessus pour me poser des questions ou me faire un bisou, voir les changements dans la garderie grâce à l'argent récolté parmi mes amis et ma famille, réaliser que les gens avec qui je travaille me considère comme “une part de leur communauté”, être capable de soudainement comprendre ce qu'ils me disent en espagnole, puis pour eux de comprendre ma réponse en “frangnole...”

Avec l'affection et l'enthousiasme de son premier séjour en Argentine, Bernadette a décidé de faire du volontariat une partie intégrante de sa vie. Elle y retourne chaque année pour prendre part à un nouveau projet. “J'aime les gens, j'aime la langue.”

Quelque chose a commencé à arriver à Bernadette depuis qu'elle a commencé le volontariat: “J'ai mis les choses plus en perspective. Les choses qui avant me semblaient importantes, d'une certaine manière le sont un peu moins aujourd'hui. J'ai découvert une autre façon de vivre, j'ai fait partie d'une autre communauté, très différente de ce que j'en savais jusque là.”

Bernadette a vu l'organisation se développer – de nouveaux projets ont vu le jour, des personnes sont venus du monde entier pour participer, son effet sur la communauté est devenu plus grand. “ Lorsque j'ai commencé avec eux, VG était une très petite organisation. Je les ai vu se développer et devenir la grande organisation qu'elle est aujourd'hui. Il y a maintenant plus de projets, plus de possibilités.”

Durant son temps à VG cette professeur a appris beaucoup sur ce que veut dire être volontaire et faire partie d'une communauté. Elle offre un dernier mot, un dernier avis pour les prochains volontaires: “Je pense que la première chose [que je recommanderais] est d'avoir l'esprit ouvert. Les choses sont très différentes de ce que vous pensez. Elles ne sont pas pires, juste différentes. Il faut l'accepter et voir comment on peut aider, sans penser “ce que nous faisons est mieux”. Il faut aussi réaliser que nous tirerons probablement plus de cette expérience qu'eux mêmes. C'est un échange, nous apportons quelque chose à partager avec les gens, et ils nous apprennent des choses sur eux, sur leurs vies, leur communauté, leur langue et leur culture. Nous devons entrer dans cette expérience en pensant que nous allons passer du bon temps, que nous allons adorer ce que nous ferons et apprendrons avec le sentiment que ce que nous faisons peu changer le monde, un petit peu.”

Voluntario Global is building an Ambassador Community with a group of selected former volunteers who have previously given of their time, knowledge, and  effort to help the organisation to support and develop its sustainable development initiatives and collaborations with different projects in South America. We are more than happy to introduce our first ambassadors around the world!        

Soon we will have a special page with their information, activities and contact details of them in our website.

Michael Mekhael  Michael is an exuberant friendly volunteer from the United Kingdom. When working for Voluntario Global he volunteered in the extra-curricular English school in the rural town of Pablo Nogués on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. After his Argentine adventures, Michael returned to England to study Biochemistry at the University of Birmingham and is enjoying himself greatly! In his spare time Michael enjoys watching (a lot) of films and drawing.

Plymouth  / Birmingham, UK

Arpine Hovasapian  Arpi is a doctoral student at University of California, Irvine and is studying towards a PhD in Psychology. She does research on emotions and memory and plans to be a college professor one day. Arpi spent a summer in Argentina teaching English with Voluntario Global, which strengthened her interest in the non-profit sector. On her spare time, she likes to travel, dance tango, and practice her Spanish. Irvine, California USA

Ana de Velde Harsenhorst Ana Lucinda de Velde Harsenhorst is a 22 year old Dutch student that volunteered for VG in 2012. She greatly enjoyed the work and would like to continue contributing by being an ambassador. Right now she is doing a master in International Development Studies at the University of Amsterdam, where she also finished her bachelor's degree in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Andrew Furness  Andrew volunteered with VG in 2011-2012 in the communications team. He is currently back in University of Liverpool studying Spanish & Politics graduating in 2013. A keen Tennis Player and a huge interest in music. Andrew also enjoys writing as a result of his work on the VG blog and you can see some of his recent articles at www.aceliverpool.co.uk Liverpool, UK

Bernadette Hoste

Bernadette is a French teacher for children and adults. She studied Social Sciences at University in Brussels. She loves teaching, travelling, meeting friends, going to the cinema, learning languages. She has a passion for dogs. She is the volunteer who keeps coming back every year to volunteer in different projects in Buenos Aires.

London, UK

  Ryan Long  Ryan graduated from the University of Minnesota in May of 2013 with a degree in Spanish Studies and Applied Economics (focused on the environment). In his spare time he enjoys playing guitar, exploring the Midwestern USA, hanging out with friends, fishing, reading, and traveling. From teaching english in Buenos Aires with Voluntario Global, to his travels throughout Central America and Europe, Ryan relishes the opportunity to speak with others about his experience with voluntourism through Voluntario Global. Minneapolis, MN, USA

Lisa Andersen Lisa loves the diversity of South America, and after traveling throughout the continent, she decided it was time to spend some time exploring a smaller area. This decision brought her to work on the Voluntario Global's communications team for four months in 2011. She graduated from university in 2012 with a masters degree in Culture, Communication and Globalization and currently works as a language specialist with Booking.com in Copenhagen where she lives

Copenhagen, Denmark

    Tessa McLean  Tessa is a Chicago native with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. After graduating from the University of Iowa she ventured to Buenos Aires, Argentina to pursue her love of the Spanish language and further her experience in communications work. She spent five months working with Voluntario Global, volunteering and working with the communications team. She now works as Editor at GirlsGuideTo.com and is excited to be with another dynamic and rapidly growing company. Chicago, Illinois, USA

Steven Page Steve studied Spanish and French at university and worked in advertising and market research before gaining a post-graduate teaching qualification. He has been teaching Spanish for 16 years to students aged 11 to 18. Steve has supported VG since 2007 and has volunteered three times in 2008 09 10. Some of his students have returned on their own to volunteer in 2010, 20 11 and 2012.

Portsmouth, UK

Angela Nuhn                                             Angela  is an Art Director, Web Designer and Multimedia Artist. She studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design where she obtained a Bachelors in Design and majored in Advertising, Branding and Communication Design. Her passions include travel, dance, fashion and health. She actively supports and promotes women's and children's rights and opportunities. Angela is currently the graphic designer for Voluntario Global.

Ontario, Canada

By Max Brenssell

The popularity of volunteering Nowadays, there are many explanations as to why volunteering is so popular. One important aspect is the role of the media. In today’s globalised World, it is very easy to obtain lots of information. For example, we read daily of the poverty in South America, famine in Africa or war in the Middle East. This rising social awareness results in the readers’ urge to try their hand and reform. But volunteering may not only be motivated by altruism, its advantages are multifaceted. Doing volunteer work has, for example, become an important election criteria for universities and is generally considered helpful to improve your CV. Also, as for the majority of university courses you will have to complete an internship, many students consider applying in NGOs. Jeremy, for example, a student from Paris who is currently volunteering at VG, says that he enjoys diversifying his compulsory internship by simultaneously helping other people. A further reason for the popularity of volunteering could be the rising youth unemployment in developed countries. Due to the recession and economic decline in many countries around the world, many young and motivated people are unable to find a job. Therefore, the young population has the enticing possibility of volunteering at their fingertips. 70% of volunteers are female 

According to a recent data gathered by Voluntario Global, it is possible to confirm the long-term persistence of this trend. In 2011, 72% of volunteers were female and in 2012, 84% of the volunteer applicants were female. Approximately 70% of volunteering women are between 18 and 25 years of age, indicating that they have recently, or almost, completed their academic education and are likely to be unemployed, or generally uncommitted. Is volunteering a female activity? But why do women seem to prefer volunteering? Again, there are various possible reasons. Do women generally have more spare time than men? In Western societies, unemployment among women is not usually higher than among men. The only exception is in Arab states, where on average only 28% of the workforce is female. This means indicating that women do not generally have more spare time. Is it possible that women prefer it because they have a greater sensibility towards the needs of others? From a historical point of view, it is possible to argue that, in most societies, women have had the task to raise and care for the children. Therefore one could conclude that women have more of a natural tendency towards helping others than men do. 

Furthermore, education has only in recent years been standardized for boys and girls. In systems that offer gender-specific education, girls may still be taught more towards working in the service sector. This consequently affects the employment in the educational sector, resulting in the majority of employees being female. This is especially true for nursery and primary schools, or more generally jobs involving the supervision of very young children. In this period of early childhood we absorb all impressions we receive from our environment, as our personality just starts developing. Thus, it can be argued that at an early age we already learn to recognize helping others as a female attribute. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to pinpoint the reason why there are more female volunteers than men. Maybe this issue needs to be evaluated from a different point of view. Instead of asking why women seem to prefer volunteering, one might wonder why men seem to prefer not to volunteer. Once more, there is no simple answer to these questions on gender in the social structure of society.

However, an important aspect might be the conservatism of our societies. Argentina, for example, is frequently described as a “macho-society”, but this expression can equally be applied to many other countries. According to volunteers interviewed, men will usually be expected to work and provide for their family in their home country. This may put pressure on young men to start a career rapidly, so as to begin earning money. This thesis is supported by the fact that almost 70% of volunteering women are between 18 and 25 years old, an age distinctive for laying the foundations of a successful career. Ironically, as previously mentioned, volunteering is likely to help you improve your CV, enter a good university and ultimately benefit your career. Overall, it is not possible to determine one specific reason for female predominance in volunteering. A symbiosis of human history, our education and the structure of our society all contribute to why the large majority of volunteers are women. Perhaps the final question is, why do so many men do not appreciate or recognize the long-term benefits and advantages they might receive from volunteering?

By Margaux Maxwell and Suezy Marins Last Wednesday we interviewed two women from "Los Pibes," a community center in La Boca, on behalf of International Women's Day. The center provides food, job opportunities and educational activities for its families, as well as providing a voice to its community with its newly launched radio station, Radio Riachuelo. We asked the ladies about womanhood - its struggles and its joys, its lessons and universal meanings. They told us their stories: Community Center Elizabeth, a mother of 7 children, is from the province of Salta. She moved to “La Boca” and began working at “Los Pibes” 9 years ago. We sat down with her last week to ask about her life as a woman. In telling her story she revealed what it means to be a woman in La Boca, a tale of how the struggle of being a teen mother taught her the meaning of parenthood, and her dreams for the future. “Women and men are not equal. A woman’s life is very hard, and her sacrifice goes unnoticed under the shadow of men – who treat a woman as a slave”. This is Elizabeth’s description of womanhood in La Boca. She is a single parent, acting as both the mother and the father in her family. Despite these feelings, however, it is this struggle led to her understanding of what it means to be a parent: “I had my children when I was very young. I left Salta for them, so they could have a better life. Working at “Los Pibes,” I could feed myself and my children. I didn’t have a mother to help me, so it was difficult, I had no one by my side. “La Boca” was a very different place back then, this building was an Engine Factory – our shoes were always covered in grease. I’m proud to see what it is now, it is a better place. Growing up here with my sons was difficult, I was a mother but I was still a girl, so I didn’t understand what motherhood meant. I never neglected my children, but I was with my friends a lot. It was not until I was older, until I had lived, that I understood. It is a gift that God gave me and I am proud to be a woman, and to have my sons.” Even with her story at her back, or perhaps because of it, she carries a very relaxed demeanor. She never stops dreaming of and hoping for the future, as she shared with us on Wednesday: “My wish is that one day we will all own proper homes, myself and my peers. That is my dream. If we find good jobs, and make good money, this dream can become a reality.”

Elsa Ocampo. Age 71. Textiles at “Los Pibes” Community Center A woman overflowing with joy sits down to talk with us. She is sewing and listening to the radio with her co-workers when we enter. This lady is Alfonsa Ocampo, who at the age of 71 is still working in the textile cooperative at Los Pibes, a social and political organization located in La Boca neighborhood. In addition to her position in the textiles, Alfonsa is a mother and grandmother. During her interview, she tells us her story and speaks of the challenges of being a working woman and single mother. She was born in the city of Misiones, northeastern Argentina. She moved to Buenos Aires in 1993, caring for her nine children by herself. When asked what it means to be a mother, she told us, “I am not just a mother but a father, working as a both a man and a woman, I was the one who took care of everything. As all of these things, I feel very proud.” The friendly woman gets emotional when recalling the hard life she endured after separating from her husband and coming to Buenos Aires to find work. When her sister whom she was living with at this time passed away, she was alone in the world and without a place to live. "I had nothing and I was completely alone. I rented a small house in La Boca, but found no work. I came to Los Pibes with one hand in front of me and one hand behind me. I opened the door and talked to the boys, and to my joy they offered me a job. That was that, I began.” Alfonsa likes her job and calls it her second home, although it has been a struggle for her. She describes this when we ask her what her deepest joys and sorrows in life have been. "My daily battle has always been working, I started working when I was very young. It is my fight. And my joy is my family: my daughters, my grandson and my coworkers. Los Pibes is my second home.” Elizabeth’s and Alfonsa’s stories are a testament to the strength possessed by the women at “Los Pibes” Community Center in La Boca, Buenos Aires.