Below are three top tips that have impacted us as a charity, and have shaped what we do.

You will learn more than you can give.

It is common for volunteers to view these humanitarian trips as an opportunity to give of all that they have, and not expect anything in return. Volunteers set aside a week of their vacation, and pay to work. We are so grateful for these selfless volunteers, and their efforts.

One of the most special parts of volunteering is how much you learn as you give of yourself. No matter the age, or the reason for volunteering with Color My World, all volunteers leave learning more from the community that they will be working alongside than they could ever give.

Learn the value of community and family.

With the development of technology and devices, we seem to have become more recluse, spending less and less time with those we love. Whilst volunteering, you will fill your time by interacting with the community. Here you will learn first-hand the value of strong communities and families.

One simple thing that always surprises me each year, is how connected everyone is. One morning each week we will say to one of the local teenagers that we want to play a baseball or soccer game that evening. A few hours later, we have a whole community with us. At these times I wonder, if I had to get my neighbours to join me in a game, how many would I know well enough to get to join me?

Address the real needs of the community

Our views on service develop and change with each passing year. When we began visiting Central America, the most important thing we could do was plan a project months in advance that we could properly prepare for, advertise and work on.

This last year however, we learned a real lesson during our humanitarian trips that has really shaped how we have approached 2017. A week before our first group joined us in Nicaragua there was an earthquake that impacted the region where we were going to be working. In that moment, the needs of the community completely shifted, and our plans as a charity changed. Within a few days, we planned to help an orphanage in a nearby city, donating funds and effort to help them recover from the earthquake.

As a charity, we now joke around that our slogan is “subject to change,” because we have learnt that lives and needs can change in a moment, and we are there to work with a community, not for ourselves.

During your time volunteering, you will have many personal moments. These are just a few that we are a charity have cherished, and have helped shape what we do. Take some time now to evaluate your reasons for volunteering, and how you are preparing yourself for the experience.

The post What you can learn from volunteering with Color My World appeared first on Color My World.

Volunteers are eager to prepare for their time in Central America, by creating hygiene kits, donating money, and making outfits for the locals and families.

One of our volunteers this year has decided to go above and beyond in her dedication to serving the people of Nicaragua. For the last 3 months Alison Taylor, and a team of helpers have made dresses and shorts for the children of Nicaragua.

The decision to make the outfits originated from wanting to do something for the orphanage that Color My World works with each year, the idea was to make an outfit for each of the children in the orphanage. This original project was sponsored by Ashley Grange Nursing Home in Downton, where Alison was employed. After Alison began making the dresses for the orphanage, others wanted to get involved. Soon what began as a single volunteer and a sewing machine became a team of eager sewers.

With just 2 weeks until Alison goes to Nicaragua to deliver the outfits, the last outfit has just been finished making the total 80! Many of these dresses are yet to be sponsored by donations.This number of outfits well exceed the goal of dressing the orphanage, it enables new dresses and shorts to be given to the children and families of the Villa Esperanza house building project.

When Alison reflects upon the project she says :

“I have enjoyed sitting up late in the night sewing away on my machine picturing in my mind the children that will wear the clothes that I am making, I know that this is the feeling of my friends too, there have been many emails and calls from people eager to help that i do not know, the excitement in doing this project has been just wonderful”

The value of these outfits will not be lost on the children of Nicaragua. To enable the Nicaraguan people to take pride in themselves by what they wear, the Nicaraguan Government has asked that humanitarian charities do not give away second hand clothing. The vision behind this is that no child or family feels second class through what they wear.

The outfits that Alison and her friends have made encapsulates the Nicaraguan vision. No outfit has ever been worn before, but instead made completely from scratch. Emails have been sent back and forth from England to Nicaragua to discover the different sizes of the children, and their favourite colours and designs. What started off as a nice idea and good intentions has flourished into a project that will make a difference in many children lives.

When planning sustainable projects, the first hurdle to overcome is to ensure that the impact will remain long after the volunteer leaves. Just as snow disappears in the spring, and fills the earth with much needed nutrients, so too should any volunteers effort that is given. The name of the volunteer may be forgotten, but the difference made remains.

As a charity, we are overjoyed by the efforts and dedication of our volunteers in looking for ways that they can help make a difference.

If you would like to donate towards an outfit for the children of Nicaragua, then fill out the form below, and help us make a difference in Central America.

[give_form id=”2722″]

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