Over the past 50 years, thousands of VSO volunteers have made a lasting impact in poor countries. Here are just three stories:
Sarah Barnett - Monitoring & Evaluation Adviser, Bangladesh
Sarah Barnett left her job in the City of London to work as a Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) adviser in Bangladesh. Rupantar is an NGO based in Khulna City in the South West and its objective is to raise awareness of social issues, such as domestic violence, local governance, and environmental conservation amongst poor and marginalised people throughout the region.
Patricia Flynn - Occupational Therapist, Namibia
VSO volunteer Patricia Flynn has helped hundreds of national volunteers who deliver vital community-based rehabilitation services in remote communities across Namibia to come together and strengthen their capacity to advocate for and promote the rights of people with disabilities.
Vester Chisale - Trainee Nurse, Malawi
Vester Chisale is a trainee nurse at the Malawi College of Health Sciences in Zomba. Now in her third year, Vester has been taught by VSO volunteer Pam Wilson since she arrived at the college. The number of Malawian nurses being trained has doubled because of volunteers like Pam. But in a country where one nurse attends to 100 patients, there's still a critical need for more. Vester urges more UK nurses to volunteer so that the next generation of Malawian nurses are equipped with the vital skills to save more lives.