Meaningful Volunteer - Project Mangrove

  Philippines

Romblon

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months

Description: The province of Romblon in the Philippines has been subject to large scale deforestation. Many of the mangrove trees have been cut for use either as firewood or to make way for shrimp ponds. The shrimp ponds provided some short term financial gains for the islanders, but the long term prospects have been disastrous.

The local fish life used the mangrove as both as place to lay their eggs and to provide protection for the young fish. The fish numbers have plummeted once the mangroves were removed.

Replanting mangrove forests is hard.

We have come up with a project plan. This plan is constantly update with information about how the project is progressing. We're interested in results, not just keeping volunteer amused.

We have also come up with a detailed map of the coast. This map is being constantly updated as new information come to hand.

If you want to do some volunteer tourism and get your photos taken in the mud planting mangroves, then do another program. If you want to make stand for the environment and actually do some good, then do this program.

Highlights:
* Come and get dirty for the environment!
* Come and experience an island lifestyle and help fight the environmental battle.
* Project Mangrove aims to replenish the depleted mud-dwelling mangrove population around the Romblon Islands.
* Mangroves are a carbon-sink, provide a place for fish to lay their eggs and help protect the shore line from tsunamis.
* Unfortunately, most of the mangroves have been removed for use as charcoal or to make way for now fetid fish farms.
* By volunteering with Project Mangrove, you'll have the chance to make a stand for the environment and have the experience of a lifetime.

Qualifications: Be over the age of 18.

Cost in US$: 852

4 weeks       852 USD
6 weeks    1,108 USD
8 weeks    1,364 USD
10 weeks   1,620 USD
12 weeks   1,876 USD
14 weeks   2,132 USD
16 weeks   2,388 USD
18 weeks   2,644 USD

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A typical volunteer with Meaningful Volunteer is a North American student. All demographics are welcomed.

Age Range: 18 above.

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Philippines Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2 - 3

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Meaningful Volunteer's Mission Statement: Meaningfulness: Every project that Meaningful Volunteer undertakes must be meaningful. Accurate records must be kept to ensure that a project continues to be meaningful. Financial: Meaningful Volunteer is first and foremost an organization that enables volunteers to have a meaningful impact on developing communities. It is not a charity and will not be run as such. MeaningfulVolunteer will be run like a for-profit business. However, any profits that Meaningful Volunteer does make will be reinvested back into the communities it is trying to help in the forms of educational supplies, medical supplies and so on. Meaningful Volunteer finances will be 100% transparent. All financial statements and a breakdown of volunteer fees will be available on-line. Local Investment: Meaningful Volunteer believes that people in developing countries are an untapped goldmine of talent! As a result, Meaningful Volunteer will only employ local staff and pay them 200% of market rate. Local folk must also invest in some way to the projects they are participants in. Nothing in Meaningful Volunteer is free! An investment in a project means a project is much more likely to succeed. Sustainable Solutions: Any income generating projects that Meaningful Volunteer engages in must be self-sustaining. Meaningful Volunteer may provide some start-up capital, but the project must self-sustain without financial input from additional financial input. All projects must submit budgets and a business plan as a minimum. Corruption: Corruption is a large problem in developing communities. Meaningful Volunteer has a policy of: * No corruption means no corruption no corruption. * We will not deal with any corrupt organization and any staff member found to be accepting bribes will be summarily dismissed

Year Founded: 2008