International Voluntary Service Projects - Volunteers for Peace

The 2009 Scholarship deadline has passed! The scholarship opportunities for 2010 will be announced in January of 2010.

Volunteers For Peace Scholarships are made possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. We appreciate their support of Volunteers For Peace and international voluntary service.

VFP Scholarships are available to volunteers who would like to participate in either a US or an international voluntary service project.

VFP scholarships are intended for volunteers who are not normally able to participate in international voluntary service projects. We encourage underrepresented social and economic groups to apply. Please be advised that we do not award scholarships to students simply because they are "poor.” Every year, approximately 85% of the volunteers we send fit this description.

2009 Scholarship Requirements

1. Applicants must be a United States citizen and reside in the United States of America.

2. Volunteers For Peace REQUIRES that the volunteer MUST register for a VFP Project by the end of April or within 30 days of being awarded the scholarship (if after April 1) or the scholarship will be forfeited.

3. Scholarship recipients must purchase a VFP Membership ($30 annual contribution) before or at the time they register.

4. Cancellation by the volunteer after confirmation in a project causes forfeiture of the scholarship.

5. Volunteers For Peace REQUIRES that scholarship recipients write and submit a project report including photos, if possible, within 30 days of return from the International Voluntary Service Project. Report refunds, if applicable, will not be granted for scholarship recipients.

7. Scholarship applications must be submitted by the application deadline (MARCH 16th, 2009). Award decisions will be announced within one week of the deadline.

2009 Basic Scholarship

In 2009, VFP has five Basic Scholarships available. This scholarship includes a waiver of the $300 Volunteers For Peace Registration Fee. To apply for this scholarship please download and complete the Basic Scholarship Form then forward it VFP via email, fax or surface mail BEFORE March 16th, 2009.

This scholarship requires applicants to answer three questions in a short essay. These questions are:

1. In what ways do you think that your presence will help create diversity at an international volunteer project?

2. If awarded the scholarship where would you like to volunteer and what would you like to be doing?

Please make sure that you read and fully understand the Scholarship Requirements prior to sending in your scholarship form.

2009 Pierre Ceresole Memorial Scholarship

In 2009, VFP has three Pierre Ceresole Memorial Scholarships available. This scholarship includes a waiver of the $300 Volunteers For Peace Registration Fee as well as a $500 travel stipend. To apply for this scholarship please download and complete the Pierre Ceresole Memorial Scholarship Form then forward it VFP via email, fax or surface mail BEFORE March 16th, 2009.

This scholarship requires applicants to answer three questions in a short essay. These questions are:

1. Cultural differences can create misunderstandings and seemingly intractable situations, such as the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Please explain what you know about cultural differences and suggest some ways that understanding them might both prevent and resolve conflict.

3. In what ways do you think that your presence will help create diversity at an international volunteer project?

Please make sure that you read and fully understand the Scholarship Requirements prior to sending in your scholarship form.

2009 Scholarship Recipients

Pierre Ceresole Scholarship Volunteers

Nicholas Chang is an aspiring broadcast journalist studying Economic and Political Development with a focus in International Media at Columbia University in New York. He has participated on a total of three VFP Projects: two in 2005 in Germany and Thailand and one in 2006 in Russia. This May he will volunteer at a project that aims to create a public awareness of a clean environment in the south east regions of Turkey.

Excerpt From essay: QUESTION #1. Cultural differences can create misunderstandings and seemingly intractable situations, such as the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Please explain what you know about cultural differences and suggest some ways that understanding them might both prevent and resolve conflict.

At the root of international relations, cultural exchange, and travel in general is the dynamic interplay between the varying cultures in our world. Global society defines the vast array of settings, activities, and interests that are found across lands and communities in terms of all the differences we see between them. Whether in terms of physical features, religious practices, hobbies, sports, languages, delicacies, or social life, cultural differences define our respective societies by effectively drawing a line—a border, if you will—between groups.

The result of this constant delineation can lead to negative connotations, and conflict often arises through the lens of cultural differentiation. Think about how much pain our world has endured simply due to exacerbating the differences between whites versus blacks, Israel versus Palestine, Hutu versus Tutsi, and even Yankees versus Red Sox. The solution to this discriminating view of cultural differences that I uncovered through my experiences in international travel and volunteer workcamps is to discover how much our “differences” reveal about our similarities.

Korean and Chinese government officials certainly behave differently in regards to abiding by international laws and standards, but their joint actions demonstrate their shared desire to politically and economically outgrow the rest of the world. Europeans and Americans may be passionate about different types of sports, but the Olympic Games and World Cup prove they are all part of one community of athletes and fans. Dutch colonists may have observed physical differences between the facial features of Hutu and Tutsi and segregated them into two ethnic classifications; but, at the end of the day, it is clear both of these tribes are fighting for survival against civil war, hunger, and disease, they both need access to education and jobs, and they are all Africans.

Brett Heinemann is a 34 year old 5th grade social studies teacher. He has two small children and lives in Snoqualmie, Washington. Brett would like to volunteer in Tanzania this summer.

Excerpt from essay: QUESTION #3: In what ways do you think that your presence will help create diversity at an international volunteer project?

My hope is that I can be representative of the United States in Africa in a time when many parts of the world are unsure of our position on a number of matters. I think that there are many images that people have of Americans, and I am very interested in showing those of differing cultures (both of host countries and cooperating volunteer countries) that despite the sometimes negative messages that may be delivered, that we are a country of people that want to help. As a teacher, I often feel “stuck.” I can talk about other places, and we can talk about their problems, but I have often felt that to be more effective I need to have more firsthand knowledge about a place or I am really just teaching my kids from a textbook. For example, right now my Student Council is raising money for bed nets in Africa through the “Nothing But Nets” organization. They are so excited, and have raised so much money, and we’ve managed to involve our new Seattle Sounders soccer team and the national UN organization in our effort, and still I feel a bit of a disconnect. I have talked with the NBN folks about perhaps being part of the malaria net distribution process, which I would do before or after a trip to Africa as part of a VFP work camp. They are open to the idea, and I can see that this is the type of thing that REALLY teaches kids; the real world. I am always looking to bring this “real world” to my students.

Krystle Epum is a 21 year old recent college graduate who is an inspiring journalist living in Tucson, Arizona. Krystle will be volunteering in Nigeria this spring to assist the attendants at a child care center in Nigeria.

Growing up with two different cultures to be apart of, fit into, and understand, I know exactly how cultural differences can create conflict. My parents are from Nigeria and I, along with three other siblings, am first generation American. It is always difficult for me to admit to my deeply embedded ties to American society, as my dad has always said, “It might be America outside, but in this house…this is Nigeria.” And with that, created the battle of two cultures within me. A sort of identity crisis perhaps. However, it wasn’t until my dad started sitting us down and telling us unbelievable stories of his childhood back home when I really started to understand the damages that cultural conflicts can cause. I put my own conflicts aside, to listen intently and understand situations beyond what my mind could grasp. He told my two older brothers, little sister, and me about his survival during the Nigerian civil war from 1967-1970. My mom came and sat next to my dad and they told us about living in the bushes for two and a half years. They had to scrounge for food. The war began when they were only nine and seven. When my mom started talking about being separated from her grandmother, who raised her, she began to weep. And my dad wept with her. That was the moment when I truly understood the dangers of cultural differences. All those years later, the memories of living as civilians during war still hurt like a fresh wound. I wished that I could have recorded that moment in order to allow everyone around the world to know that cultural differences should not be a cause for fighting, but instead, the need for embrace. It is crucial for people to understand this because of the unnecessary results of war. Once people are able to understand why a cultural group practices traditions in a certain way, believes what they do, or speaks in the manner in which they do, then they might understand that those people are simply different—and there is nothing wrong with being different. Not everyone can be the same. Not everyone should practice the same religion, believe in a particular way of life, or certain political practices. That is exactly what makes the world so beautifully diverse. And once people understand that this is good, not evil, then the world may finally begin its quest towards peace.

Basic Scholarship Volunteers

Cassandra Shamey is a 19 year old student from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Cassandra will be volunteering in Turkey this summer on an organic farm.

Excerpt From essay: QUESTION #1. In what ways do you think that your presence will help create diversity at an international volunteer project?

Diversity, as an abstract concept, means different things to different people. To me, diversity not only comes from a person’s ethnic make-up, but also his or her individual experience. I personally come from a Lebanese-American background, which is a feature of my being that I feel is unique in today’s post-911 American society. My ethnicity, however, does not define my character, or what I contribute to people in a group setting. Instead, I feel like my life experiences would be a better indication of what I could contribute to a group at an international volunteer project. First of all, I have been fortunate enough to be the daughter of an airline employee, which has allowed me to see many parts of the world, and learn about various world cultures. My interest and curiosity in world culture and social justice, rooted in my travels prior to college, only blossomed once I entered the University of Michigan. The city of Ann Arbor and campus have allowed me to live closely and interact with people from far reaching areas of the world. Prior to coming to the University, for example, I had never had any real personal interaction with a person of Jewish background.

In my first semester, I lived across from and quickly became friends with a girl who was Jewish and strongly aligned herself with Zionist beliefs. Although some of her ideology challenged the political beliefs I had been raised with, I greatly appreciated the different perspective, and how it allowed me to see conflict as something much more complex than a battle between good and evil. My friend and I enjoyed our dialog so much, that we decided to form a club called Shalom Alaykum (A combination of peaceful greetings in Arabic and Hebrew), as a space where Jews and Arabs could come together and talk about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Amen Ismail is a 20 year old student at the University of Arkansas. Amen will leading two short-term projects in Peru this winter.

Excerpt From essay: QUESTION #1. In what ways do you think that your presence will help create diversity at an international volunteer project?

The fall 2008 semester I spent in Spain and visited nine European countries and over twenty cities in the time that I studied there. I learned that every community holds stereotypes that hinder it from befriending members of another. I now understand that this issue is not always apparent in warfare seen across the world; it is seen in the mother that will not let her child play from a member of the Catholic community, in the teacher that never smiles at the small Moroccan immigrant student in her classroom…it is occurring everywhere and it is through our own experiences and ability to understand the fact that similarities out weight our differences that we can bring such groups together. This is why I want to engage in international volunteering.

Zach Withers is a 23 year old student at Tennessee Tech University and will be volunteering in Kenya this spring. This project is taking place in the Mwambirwa area that is mainly a Man-made forest that has been mostly destroyed by the forest fires and other human activities like lumbering. The volunteers will mainly work with the community bordering this forest and the main objective is to raise awareness on importance of forest conservation and restoration to old state. The participants will also help the community to understand community development by appreciating the natural environment and also having a sense of responsibility for their resources.

Excerpt From essay: QUESTION #3. Describe a past positive learning and/or voluntary service experience.

During the last ten years, I have experienced many elements of mature life. At the age of thirteen,
my father was diagnosed with a life threatening illness that drastically reshaped our family’s future. Five
years later, I witnessed my mother lose her grip on life to cancer, followed shortly after by the inevitable
fate of my father’s incurable sickness. Together, these events shaped my early life, forcing my maturity and
wit to grow at an early age. Over the next six years, I assumed legal guardianship of my younger sister and
eventually took responsibility over my ailing eighty-nine-year-old grandmother, after her many years of
self-reliance finally came to an end. Throughout these trials, I have strived hard to maintain a high GPA
during my college career, while working full-time in a professional position. During my studies at
Tennessee Tech University, I have accompanied my curriculum in International Business with volunteer
projects including the Habitat For Humanity, community park and recreation programs, local food drives,
and assisting the development of the Windows on the World International Festival at my university.

Brett Miller is a 17 year old high school student at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School. He lives in Potsdam, New York. He will be attending a project in “Fjarðabyggð", Iceland in July. They are an association of different communities in the Eastfjords of Iceland.

Excerpt From essay: QUESTION #2. If awarded the scholarship where would you like to volunteer and what would you like to be doing?

Being an international volunteer has always been a dream of mine, whether it be for making a summer vacation fulfilling, or spending two years of my life with the Peace Corps. I have always been excited about the prospect of being able to travel overseas to a different coutnry and experience a culture unlike America. More importantly, I would get the chance to meet people who share similar interests in volunteering, and team up with them to help tackle the needs at hand.


M. Lohr / Greece ~ 2008	E. Kenney / Haiti ~ 2008	J. Moses / Germany ~ 2008

In 2008, VFP was able to grant scholarships to a total of nine volunteers. Through the generous donations of our members these volunteers participated in teaching, renovation and social projects throughout the world in Germany, Georgia, Japan, Greece, Slovakia, Haiti, Thailand, and Ecuador.