CUSO-VSO
Summary: CUSO and VSO Canada have merged to form CUSO-Voluntary Service Overseas, one of North America's largest international development organizations that works through volunteers. The two agencies joined forces to more effectively work towards our vision of a world without poverty or injustice. The act of volunteering can be transformative for both the overseas communities and the volunteers themselves. That's why CUSO-VSO believes we are changing the world, one volunteer at a time. As a strengthened CUSO-VSO, we can send more volunteers to work in solidarity with more partner groups in more countries. CUSO was founded in 1961, and VSO Canada started in 1995. Combined, they placed over 12,000 volunteers who contributed to a world of solutions in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Americas and the Caribbean.
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- Artist: Umeeda Switlo
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I met Juan Carlos Pirir ( Melvin) who had come from Guatemala to attend conferences and meetings in Canada with Jaques Carriere- The program Director for Latin America and Carribean. He has been with CUSO now CUSO-VSO since 1988. A wealth of knowledge and trilingual. He speaks to me about the work in the region in Spanish, French and English for you trilinual people out there. From work on the environment to youth CUSO-VSO, its volunteers and partners like Melvin truly are making a diffrence.
I met Juan Carlos Pirir ( Melvin) who had come from Guatemala to attend conferences and meetings in Canada with Jaques Carriere- The program Director for Latin America and Carribean. He has been with CUSO now CUSO-VSO since 1988. A wealth of knowledge and trilingual. He speaks to me about the work in the region in Spanish, French and English for you trilinual people out there. From work on the environment to youth CUSO-VSO, its volunteers and partners like Melvin truly are making a diffrence.
Robert Akester- Served in Philipines 2005-2007 Elections can be a very challenging time. Robert tells how politics permeates life and friendships in the region. Wrap up an dthanks to all who attended. We shall do this again.
Robert Akester- Served in Philipines 2005-2007 Elections can be a very challenging time. Robert tells how politics permeates life and friendships in the region. Wrap up an dthanks to all who attended. We shall do this again.
• Nancy van Euw – a Peacecorps Returned volunteers talks about meeting her husband Ed Van Euw who is a cUSO RV 1986-1987 Volunteers from many organizations often are working together . They meet and start their journeys and in this case it was a journey of a lifetime. They are married with 3 children. Wonderful story! • Bill Raikes was in Sierra Leone 1975-1977 . Teaching O levels Geography and like many volunteers really begin to become a part of a community and learn about issues facing the community. Bill tells the story of rice and stones and how a small project he helped with is still there and can be seen on Google. Thanks Bill for taking the initiative and finding even more to do on your assignment. • Juanita Tupper Uganda 1967-1969 Uganda has just become independent and Juanita is teaching. She tells the story of Idi Amin and her encounter with him. Thanks Juanita for your service and for serving on the CUSO Board for many years. • Tony Akester- VSO not only once but twice! Tells of Presidents and encounters. • Arzena Turner ( both her and Neil Turner - husband) served in Thailand 1993-1995 She tells a great story about beginning your work in a new country, the languages to learn! Great story of starting out and the funny things that can happen. Thanks for the story and for your service!
• Nancy van Euw – a Peacecorps Returned volunteers talks about meeting her husband Ed Van Euw who is a cUSO RV 1986-1987 Volunteers from many organizations often are working together . They meet and start their journeys and in this case it was a journey of a lifetime. They are married with 3 children. Wonderful story! • Bill Raikes was in Sierra Leone 1975-1977 . Teaching O levels Geography and like many volunteers really begin to become a part of a community and learn about issues facing the community. Bill tells the story of rice and stones and how a small project he helped with is still there and can be seen on Google. Thanks Bill for taking the initiative and finding even more to do on your assignment. • Juanita Tupper Uganda 1967-1969 Uganda has just become independent and Juanita is teaching. She tells the story of Idi Amin and her encounter with him. Thanks Juanita for your service and for serving on the CUSO Board for many years. • Tony Akester- VSO not only once but twice! Tells of Presidents and encounters. • Arzena Turner ( both her and Neil Turner - husband) served in Thailand 1993-1995 She tells a great story about beginning your work in a new country, the languages to learn! Great story of starting out and the funny things that can happen. Thanks for the story and for your service!
Umeeda Switlo- welcomes everyone and thanks Nancy Garrett- CUSO RV India 1968-1970 (wife of the Late Lewis Perinbam), Juanita Tupper (ex CUSO Board member) and Tanis Clarke (CUSO-VSO Circle member, donor, RV and ex staffer) for attending. * Umeeda tells the story about meeting a volunteer in Ukunda on the South Coast of Kenya. * Judy Storr- RV Maldives 1997-1999. Taught English and tells the story of a graduation weekend on an Island. Thank you Judy for your service. * Patrick Lewis- RV Laos 2005-2007 In a town of 7,000in the far north of Laos Patrick serves the partner in Science, Technology and Environment agency. The story is about a business cooperative selling sand filters. Thank you Patrick for your service.
Umeeda Switlo- welcomes everyone and thanks Nancy Garrett- CUSO RV India 1968-1970 (wife of the Late Lewis Perinbam), Juanita Tupper (ex CUSO Board member) and Tanis Clarke (CUSO-VSO Circle member, donor, RV and ex staffer) for attending. * Umeeda tells the story about meeting a volunteer in Ukunda on the South Coast of Kenya. * Judy Storr- RV Maldives 1997-1999. Taught English and tells the story of a graduation weekend on an Island. Thank you Judy for your service. * Patrick Lewis- RV Laos 2005-2007 In a town of 7,000in the far north of Laos Patrick serves the partner in Science, Technology and Environment agency. The story is about a business cooperative selling sand filters. Thank you Patrick for your service.
CUSO and VSO returned volunteers got together in Vancouver to talk about their experiences. Listen to 2 returned volunteers and a Board memeber tell us about their service. *Sigit Murdawa served in Indonesia from 2006-2008 He tells us about his work in Ecotourism and Community based tourism. He helped form a marketing network in the region. Thanks Sigit for you service. * Robert Akester served in the Philippines from 2005-2007 He tells us about how he got involved with VSO (Through his father Tony who served in 1961) Robert served in Cultural Resource capacity building. Thanks Robert for you service * Wayne Robertson volunteered over 30 years ago with Crossroads. He now services on the CUSO-VSO Board. He talks about the merger and the leadership role we will play in Environment and Natural Resource Management and Participation and Governance within the VSO International federation. Please go to www.cuso-vso.org to learn more about our work.
CUSO and VSO returned volunteers got together in Vancouver to talk about their experiences. Listen to 2 returned volunteers and a Board memeber tell us about their service. *Sigit Murdawa served in Indonesia from 2006-2008 He tells us about his work in Ecotourism and Community based tourism. He helped form a marketing network in the region. Thanks Sigit for you service. * Robert Akester served in the Philippines from 2005-2007 He tells us about how he got involved with VSO (Through his father Tony who served in 1961) Robert served in Cultural Resource capacity building. Thanks Robert for you service * Wayne Robertson volunteered over 30 years ago with Crossroads. He now services on the CUSO-VSO Board. He talks about the merger and the leadership role we will play in Environment and Natural Resource Management and Participation and Governance within the VSO International federation. Please go to www.cuso-vso.org to learn more about our work.
Umeeda Switlo answers questions about volunteering overseas with Cuso-VSO. I am always impressed to know how many people want to make a difference in the world. I meet people interested in serving who have questions about working with us. At UBC the other day I went with Paul Watts who served with VSO and he described this NGO very well. We are a professional capacity building NGO. Our volunteers are catalysts for change. We link skills with needs. Our volunteers receieve a professional appointment at an in country rate. Thanks Paul!
Umeeda Switlo answers questions about volunteering overseas with Cuso-VSO. I am always impressed to know how many people want to make a difference in the world. I meet people interested in serving who have questions about working with us. At UBC the other day I went with Paul Watts who served with VSO and he described this NGO very well. We are a professional capacity building NGO. Our volunteers are catalysts for change. We link skills with needs. Our volunteers receieve a professional appointment at an in country rate. Thanks Paul!
Janneke tells me about her work and her VSO- Jitloee assignment. She loves Africa and is making a difference. I cant help but think she will continue to serve in Africa for a long time.
Janneke tells me about her work and her VSO- Jitloee assignment. She loves Africa and is making a difference. I cant help but think she will continue to serve in Africa for a long time.
They tell me about how they and Janneke are helping small farmers diversify, feed their families and educated their children. Sunflower oil and oil from seeds from trees in the forest. They use natural resources from the forest floor. Listen to how they do their work.
