Saluting volunteers everywhere on December 5

On December 5, 2010, United Planet will join the chorus in singing the praises of volunteers everywhere in celebration of International Volunteer Day, designated by the United Nations in 1985 to recognize the immeasurable contribution volunteers make to communities throughout the world.

The organization cites the ripple effect that each volunteer causes:

• The volunteer is transformed, and brings home the spirit of new understanding and relationships.
• The community benefits from the efforts and spirit of the volunteer.
• The volunteer acts as an ambassador for cross-cultural understanding, and helps to lay the groundwork for a “community beyond borders.”

“Each time a volunteer returns from their time in another country and another community, we get to hear the story,” says David Santulli, Executive Director of United Planet. “The person is grateful to have been welcomed into the community and to have forged important relationships. The community is proud to have supported the volunteer, and thankful for their efforts. And the spirit of understanding really does emanate from all involved.” United Planet has place thousands of volunteers in projects in over 40 countries around the world.

“It’s important to recognize that it’s not easy for anyone in the process,” Santulli says. “The volunteer travels and lives in rustic conditions, and pays for their accommodations. The projects have to find ways to tap into the skills and energies of the volunteers, while retaining their integrity and sustainability. And the organizations that coordinate these efforts have to take great care in ensuring the safety and dignity of everyone involved. But in the end, the benefits to everyone far outweigh the costs.”

“United Planet is Padrino General of the Aldea” in Cusco, Peru.

Examples of great volunteer experiences abound, and the benefits last.

First: The volunteer learns from the experience, and brings home a lifelong commitment to change, and new understanding about the world. United Planet volunteers have returned home to start new organizations aimed at supporting their projects, to raise money for new equipment and materials for schools and orphanages – and much more.

Michelle Haywood, who recently returned from Cambodia, says:  “I feel like my life is going to be so much more different now that I’ve done this – it has undoubtedly been the best decision I’ve ever made. Tonight showed me how much of a difference that I and all the other guests and volunteers make… This is really an experience that has to be personally lived for one to truly understand the magnitude of realization, appreciation and gratitude that it instills in someone.”

Second: The volunteers offer valuable services in the communities where they work. United Planet takes great care to find projects that tap into the energy and skills of the volunteers, without disrupting their essential work. These range from a Cancer Hospital in Tanzania to an orphanage in Romania to a school in rural China – and so much more.

In Cusco, Peru, many volunteers have worked at Aldea Infantil Juan Pablo 2, an orphanage that houses over 60 children. The director says “United Planet is Padrino General of the Aldea.” (Roughly translated, General Sponsor.) United Planet recently donated money to enable staff and volunteers to restore and update the buildings by painting and installing new tiles in the kitchens. “The kids, more than 60, will have a better and more cheerful environment to stay in. The local government did not repaint and maintained the houses for the 20 years that they are constructed, so you can imagine how they look like,” says Amelia Collantes Gonzales of the Aldea.

Elizabeth McKay, a medical volunteer in Peru, says:  “I volunteered in a free clinic in Cusco, where I joined the doctors and nurses in community outreach and Hepatitis B vaccinations… The friends that I made and the experiences I am taking with me will stay with me forever.”

Third: The volunteers bring the best spirit of their country into other countries and cultures. While they struggle to find words and forge bonds, they are the best kind of ambassador for the idea of a “community beyond borders.”

“In an age where so much of our international strategy involves markets and weapons, it’s essential that we remember that we are all living on the same small planet,” says Santulli. “These citizen diplomats are forging bonds that can make a real difference in our world.”

Says Carolyn Rao, a returned United Planet Volunteer: “United Planet provides an invaluable service to both the Quest countries and the U.S. The friendships fostered on the Quest leave a lasting impact. On my Quest I was welcomed to help at the hospital and assisted as a mid-wife. The experience I gained in the medical field would never have been possible in the U.S. and I was able to help people while I learned.”