Service • A
former UC San Diego graduate student
participates in the Vietnam volunteering
program at a school work site. Stephen
Darr
Volunteering
in Vietnam called ‘life changing’
By
Terran Odell
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Volunteers are needed to renovate a hospital in Vietnam during a two-week program
put on by Peacework, a non-profit organization.
Participants will travel to Nhatrang on the coast of the South China Sea to
help with renovations at the Khana Hoa Rehabilitation Hospital. The project
will run Jan. 1 to 15, 2006.
Peacework, based in Blacksburg, Va., provides humanitarian assistance to people
all over the world and fosters volunteer programs that help promote global
understanding. Peacework manages projects and works with 600 to 800 participants
each year.
Stephen Darr, executive director of Peacework, said the project is a great
opportunity because it gives people the chance to, “live and work for
a short period of time in a different culture.”
The cost of the trip is around $2,500 per participant. The actual project itself
is funded by the organization. Participants must be 18 years of age and fluent
in English.
While Vietnamese language skills are helpful, they are not required.
Participants will travel and work as a group throughout the duration of the
trip.
In the past, a variety of people have participated in volunteer work in Vietnam.
“
We’ve had students of all different types of backgrounds,” Darr
said.
He said anyone who has a strong interest in working closely with another culture
is encouraged to participate in the project.
Peacework also aims their projects in Vietnam at restoring good relations between
the United States and Vietnam. The Vietnam War left scars between the two countries
and Peacework is trying to “build bridges” by having U.S. citizens
work alongside the Vietnamese to restore and rebuild.
Peacework has been involved with this particular hospital compound for several
years, and have been financing and building new buildings there since 1997.
People who participated in the past spoke highly of the projects. One participant
actually moved to Vietnam shortly after volunteering in the country with Peacework.
“
Others have said it’s a life changing experience,” Darr said.
Thanh Ho, president of the Vietnamese Student Association at CSULB, said the
project sounded like a great opportunity and that he would be promoting the
volunteer project to his organization.
“
It’s a wonderful idea, and I am glad that an independent organization
is doing this,” Ho said.
Jessica Thayer, an Asian and Asian American studies major, was also interested
in the project.
“
I would be a little scared because I haven’t traveled that much,” she
said. But she supports what Peacework is doing.
“
I think the world needs to come together,” she said.
A former volunteer wrote of the satisfaction of volunteering with Peacework.
Since 1989, Peacework’s presence has been seen all over the globe in
places like Zimbabwe, Bolivia, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Ghana, Russia
and many other countries where humanitarian assistance is needed.
Those interested in participating are encouraged to call Peacework as soon
as possible at (800) 272-5519 or e-mail them at mail@peacework.org.
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