beautiful things of a different kind 2.

So. Volunteering. I'm into it. When I was 18 I took a break between moving countries and tried some others in between. I lived in South Africa for 4 months working at TLC an orphanage in Johannesburg that cares for abandoned babies. As much as I went because I wanted to make a difference, the biggest difference was probably in me - as cliched as I know it sounds..

While my angel and I are in Uganda in Jan and Feb we will be doing some volunteer work, so I have been hunting around the web. Whilst I won't be going to all of these, there are some amazing places and people doing beautiful work. Here is a sneak peek of just a few that are beautiful:
Run by locals with a board in Australia that seeks grants and fundraises Toro is about helping people to help themselves. They set up small loan groups, teach skills that can bring income, do theatre for development and improve health and sanitry knowledge among the community.
I came across this orphanage just today and love their work. It is the longest running orphanage in Uganda (which incidently has the highest amount of orphans of any African country). Check out their latest newsletter here at The Sanya Babies Home.
This organisation World Wide Helpers catalogues not for profits that need vollies and connects them. Its got stacks on the website and all the right information to get you started and find the right place for you. Type in the country you're after or even just the continent and away you go. I found this place which might suit us in Uganda...
Then there is WWOOFering! world wide oppurtunities on organic farms. A huge global organisation, with stacks of places that you can work (almost always with food and board) and learn. A lot of places are just farms and a lot of places are a lot more than that. They are a linch pin to a thriving community. Often with crisi shelters, schools, orphanages attached to them too - well this is often the case in Africa... In Australia it's probably a bit diferent, and here it stands for Willing workers on organic farms... but hey... but still an amazing experience. I've never done it but I am keen (I like getting my hands dirty and gardening!) and I have a friend who is hooked and is going off to WWOOFA all the time!

There are so many more too, amazing people doing work all over the world. The holiday of a lifetime I reckon.

picture of my bestie lizzie at TLC this year.