MANILA, Philippines - A year ago, a farmer from the Republic of Malawi in southeast Africa named Hesco Banda was struggling to provide for his family.
“There were times I couldn’t send my children to school, and buy food or clothes for the family,” he recalls.
Like many other farmers in his city of Mzuzu, Hesco would sell his milk, normally at a very low price, to the regional dairy cooperative where milk is processed, packaged and sold, often at prices beyond the reach of the majority.
But today, Hesco owns a thriving business venture that enables him to provide food, education, and shelter for his family.
How Hesco is connected to the Philippines is through Rona Ramos, an international volunteer sent through VSO Bahaginan. Rona stayed in Malawi for two years as a marketing adviser to improve the entire dairy value chain in Mzuzu.
Since 2000, VSO Bahaginan has been sending Filipino professionals to over 30 countries worldwide as international volunteers. Each individual is called on to work in his or her capacity as a professional in a different community for extended periods.
Hesco’s community in Malawi is only one of 60,000 impoverished communities worldwide that was chosen for volunteer aid and support by VSO International, of which VSO Bahaginan is a federation member.
The organization is looking to add more Filipino volunteers in the next months. VSO is looking for Filipino volunteers in numerous fields, including Education, Health (specifically pediatricians and pediatric nurses), Communications, Agriculture, Textile Design, Healthcare, and Education.
“Filipinos have a strong sense of community and are incredibly resourceful individuals. We saw this in how the nation helped in the recovery efforts for Yolanda. We want to share this same spirit with the rest of the world,” shared Ailene Ponce, marketing and communication officer.
The goal of VSO is to bring people together for positive social change. With this, VSO is set to launch its #StepForward campaign in January, which will engage Filipinos into joining the international volunteering community.