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.

This Sunday at 6pm EST, Color My World will be holding a humanitarian trips webinar for anyone interested in learning more about humanitarian trips in 2017. Below are 3 reasons why YOU should join us this Sunday.

Discover A New Culture

Humanitarian work can happen wherever you stand, at home or abroad. Often times however we have to experience a new culture to discover what should be done at home. Throughout the webinar you will hear personal stories and experiences of friends of Color My World in Central America. Hear about how our volunteers have changed from the trip and experiences that they have been a part of.

Uncover The Purpose of Humanitarian Work

From day one every volunteer uncovers the reality of humanitarian work. Rarely is humanitarian work placing the final brick on the house. In every activity though is the human bond between those working hand in hand together. After only moments of working together, the labels of giver and receiver loses its title, as each learns from one another in equal measure.

Find Out How To Get Involved

With 2017 just around the corner, individuals and families are looking to plan their summer vacations right away. By joining the webinar, you will learn about the opportunities available for you next year. With Color My World travelling to three different countries over 7 weeks in the summer of 2017, find the perfect week for you to discover the true meaning of humanitarian work.

Be a part of the webinar this Sunday by clicking here to register online. Don’t miss out on a life changing experience next summer.

The post 3 Reasons Why You Should Join Our Humanitarian Trips Webinar appeared first on Color My World.

Central to everything that we do as a charity is the volunteers that work with us.

Our volunteers have come from all over the US, and even England to give of themselves, and sacrifice their time and efforts for those less fortunate.

With the growth that Color My World has experienced over recent years, and the good that it has consistently been able to deliver, we are now looking for volunteers to help support our programs.

Become a Color My World Volunteer Team Leader for our Nicaragua 2017 sessions, running from June 26th to July 24th 2017, and be a part of a team that works alongside the communities in Nicaragua to make a real difference in the world.

How to apply

Applications for becoming a Color My World Nicaragua Team Leader open Monday October 10th 2016 and close Monday December 10th 2016. Applicants have to be 21 or older and complete the following two steps:

1. Complete our Volunteer Team Leader Questionnaire.
2. Create a 3 minute video telling us why you would be a great Color My World Nicaragua Volunteer Team Leader, and share it on our social media pages with the hashtag #CMWteamleader.  Submit your video to dantaylor@colormyworldkids.org

What we are looking for?

Over the four week period, we will be having 120 volunteers joining us in Nicaragua. We need someone that is able to connect with our volunteers, and the community that we will be working in.

We need you to;

• Speak Spanish (preferred)
• Set an example
• Have an outgoing personality
• Take responsibility

What do you get from being a Volunteer Team Leader?

As a volunteer team leader, we will cover your airfare for travelling to and from Nicaragua, and the cost of staying each week, allowing you to focus on being the best Volunteer Team Leader that you can be.

The post Become a Color My World Volunteer Team Leader appeared first on Color My World.

With the 2017 season just around the corner, we wanted to share some great fundraising that has happened in previous years, and some top tips for your fundraising.

Selling baked goods

Friends, family, work colleagues, just about everyone loves to eat cakes, cookies and treats… especially if they are homemade! Last year, we had one volunteer raise all of the funds to volunteer in Nicaragua for one week by just selling cookies. We had another group of girls from Utah raise funds by making cakes and selling them in their neighbourhood.

Arts & Crafts And Dress Making

With all fundraising ideas, the best projects come when volunteers use their unique skills and talents. This summer a volunteer from England made dresses and outfits for children in Central America, and sold them to people in her community to raise funds for volunteering in Nicaragua.

Valentines flower delivery

One great way to fundraise is by providing gifts and treats during the holidays. On valentine’s day we had one of our volunteers in Baltimore deliver flowers and other gifts. With all of the upcoming holidays throughout Christmas and New Year’s, there are plenty of opportunities to fundraise.

Gofundme pages

Every volunteer who raises funds for Central America makes a fundraising page online. It is now easier than ever, find the best fundraising page that works for you, fill out your details, share an emotional video and story of why you want to volunteer, and share with your friends and family. Frequent updates, and sharing online are the key principles of successful fundraising campaigns.

As a charity, we encourage everyone to consider volunteering, to give of their time to work alongside others in need. With the fundraising opportunities now available through the internet there is no better opportunity to raise funds to volunteer.

The post Fundraising For Volunteering With Color My World appeared first on Color My World.

Since the beginning, Color My World has sought out opportunities to connect with likeminded companies to assist in humanitarian efforts throughout the world. These connections have brought skills, expertise and funding to much needed projects.

For 2016 Color My World set a new standard for corporate sponsors, with the likes of DôTERRA, Wright & Associates Family Healthcare, and The Lantos Foundation supporting our projects.

DôTERRA ran a match funding campaign with Color My World throughout the month of May, resulting in a $20,000 sponsorship for the homes in Jiquilillo. By working with DôTERRA to reach the financial target, and putting the Color My World volunteers to work in Nicaragua, eight families were able to move into a safe, sustainable home in August.

Wright & Associates Family Healthcare have sponsored Color My World for several years now, through the funding at the El Limonal Dump Feeding Project. Each week volunteers join a community living in the dump of Chinandega to deliver basic hygiene necessities, and lunch for the day. While the feeding project does not provide long term sustainability, our project coordinator, Gerry Caceres, states that:

“The feeding project provides hope for a community forgotten by the government.”

Since the uprising of the Taliban and extremist  groups in the Middle East, communities have been displaced or worse. One such group that came to Color My World’s attention was a Pakistan Christian community who had been displaced, and had their lives and liberty threatened from the religious practices that they chose to follow. In the past Color My World has sponsored Christmas lunches for the community, and a sewing co-op for the women. This year however, the community set out to build a school for the children, so they could learn, and prepare for their future. Through the support of The Lantos Foundation, we were able to financially support the building of the school, enabling the children of the community to be in school, just like many other children throughout the world.

2016 has been an incredible year for sponsorships, where Color My World has been able to make a real change through the support  of likeminded businesses. With 2 new programs opening in 2017 though, the need for more sponsorships has never been greater. With a mission to relieve human suffering, Color My World needs your support to continually make an impact.

To learn of how you can get involved, and find out the benefits for your business sponsoring Color My World email dan@colormyworldkids.org

The post Making A Difference Through Corporate Sponsors 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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