Meaningful Volunteer - Meaningful Shop

  Philippines

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: Come volunteer with the Meaningful Shop! By volunteering with this program you'll have to chance to work at the grassroot level with local ladies.

Highlights: The Meaningful Shop is the umbrella organization for Meaningful Volunteer that coordinates all the various craft groups and sponsorship opportunities across Meaningful Volunteer placement countries.

By volunteering in the Philippines, you'll get to work with the wonderful ladies who are part of the Payawpao Orchids craft group. Mt. Payawpao (Pa-ya-pow) is a local mountain that dominates the local landscape. It is important that you bring some new craft ideas with you when you volunteer with the programs. Just "hanging out" with the ladies is not encouraged.

By volunteering with this program you will:
* Introduce new crafts to the group
* Crafts that use recycled items are best.
* Help market the crafts
* Experience living and working in a developing community

So far, the Payawpao Orchids have learned how to make jewelry and various other items from paper-based beads. The have a logo designed and are already planning many activities to market their craft.

Qualifications: Be over the age of 18

Cost in US$: 747

Experience Required: no

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

Age Range: 18+

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

Participants Travel to Philippines Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or 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