Visions In Action manages relief and development programs in Uganda and Liberia and also places volunteers in Mexico, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda for periods of six to twelve months. Typically, volunteers browse a list of organizations which have requested VIA volunteers, and after they give their preferences, VIA takes this into consideration when matching volunteer skills and experience to organization needs. Volunteers pay a placement fee (about $5900 for the full-year programs) which covers accommodation, support, and a small monthly stipend but not airfare; You can read about the breakdown of the fee as well as about the organizations financial information here. Volunteers often live in a house together, though homestays are possible to some extent as well.

In Oaxaca, Mexico, the four main areas volunteers work in are agriculture, education, human rights, and reproductive health. Volunteers need to be over 20 and proficient in Spanish; cross cultural experience is ideal and a college degree or equivalent experience is required.

There are even more possibilities in South Africa, from democracy to “People Opposing Women Abuse”, to youth development, and “Lawyers for Human Rights.”

In Uganda, projects include a refugee law project, and others relating to the environment as well as in journalism and photography; possibilities in Tanzania range from volunteering in a children’s home to assisting in poverty reduction.

Keep in mind that there is a yearly starting date for each of these projects – while exceptions may be possible, it’s best to apply by the recommended date; check the details for each country to find this date.

A hat tip to the website for the book How To Live Your Dream Of Volunteering Overseas for pointing me in the direction of the VIA site. For more information, including a write up of some returned volunteer feedback, see the monthly profile there.