Some Ways On How To Volunteer In Developing Countries

By Dorothy Cook


Developing countries are facing a host of challenges even as their governments strive to improve the quality of life of their citizens. The challenges exist in many sectors including healthcare, the environment and education among others. In spite of the challenges, many of these countries are growing tremendously and have a vibrant corporate sector. There are a number of things you need to know if you wish to volunteer in developing countries.

If you are passionate about volunteering, there are two ways you can use to secure a position. One of them is where you travel to the country of your choice and make applications to government and non-governmental organizations. This may be quite challenging especially if you are traveling to the country for the first time. The other option is to apply to an organization dealing with the placement of volunteers back at home and traveling only after a position has been secured.

The increased rate of globalization being witnessed in many places in the world means that we have to interact with persons from diverse backgrounds. Healthcare provision is among the areas that have been evolving quite rapidly thanks to this increased diversity. Healthcare workers from the developed countries need to have some knowledge about diseases that have traditionally affected patients in the developing countries.

The healthcare sector is among those that are most receptive to volunteers. This is because qualified healthcare professionals in the developing countries are very few and overworked. The distances that have to be covered by the sick as they travel to get medical attention are often very long. A volunteer working close to the community is likely to help in a big way.

Another important volunteer opportunity in healthcare is in the training of healthcare professionals. If you are a trainer you have an opportunity to help impart skills and knowledge in professionals working in the most remote parts of the world. Emergency trauma care, obstetric care and pediatric management are some of the areas in which regular training goes a long way in reducing mortality and morbidity rate.

Teachers are the other much needed group of professionals. While there has been an exponential increase in the number of enrollments to primary and secondary schools in these countries, the number of teachers has grown at a much slower rate. Many of the teachers are overwhelmed by the huge number of teachers that they have to instruct. As a volunteer, your help may be used in subjects such as sciences, music, mathematics and foreign languages.

There are many communities in the developing world that still live in impoverished conditions. A good number of cities have sprawling slums where disease and poverty are rampant. The sick have no access to medical care and many only get the proper treatment when their illnesses are far advanced. As a social worker, you can stand in this gap and educate the public on the need for early treatment as well as help them in accessing healthcare.

Volunteering has many benefits regardless of the duration of time involved. The most important among them is the fact that one gets an opportunity to contribute to the less fortunate and contribute to a better world in their own small way. Another benefit is that they will get international exposure in their level of specialization which will help them become even better at what they do.




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