“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Gandhi
Are you looking for a more meaningful vacation? Maybe you want to give back or find another way to help nature, other cultures and wildlife. To leave the world better than how you found it. There are lots of options out there, touting that they are helping the environment or an endangered species, but is this true? Sometimes you must take a step back and ask yourself if this seems like a legit cause. Or is the group just pushing their ideals onto another country. Is it truly helping them or just wasting donor money?
There are, however, fantastic volunteer opportunities out there that do make a difference. There are some that will help you get closer to nature, help wildlife, and provide sustainable living to others. Some of the suggestions below are for veterinarians and vet students because that’s kind of my wheelhouse, but most do not require an advanced degree to make a difference.
Vets Without Borders
A perfect example of teaching others to benefit their livelihood is Vets Without Borders. There are several different “chapters” of this organization around the world. The group in the US, of which I am most familiar with, teaches people in Uganda how to recognize disease and other health issues in their herds. This way they can provide preventative medicine to their animals. Uganda has a significant amount of animal diseases, and some are what is called zoonotic, meaning they can affect humans. In order to recognize these diseases, people need to be trained. They need to learn what they need to do to eliminate the risk to their animals and their people.
The US branch looks for volunteers to come for a month at a time to help train the animal technicians in Uganda. Through this work they have seen changes in herd and human health. It has also led to other research activities geared towards addressing the malnutrition issues in the people of this area.
Wwoofing (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms)
In terms of sustainable living, this program takes the cake. This gives people the opportunity to volunteer on organic farms throughout the world. If you want to explore a new country and also give back, having a more authentic experience this is it. On their website you select the country you are interested in, which then lists the opportunities available in that region. From there you apply to volunteer.
Most of these experiences provide you with a place to stay and food and of course some free time to explore. It’s a great way to not only travel on a budget but to also learn new skills, improve your language skills, and meet people you wouldn’t normally get to know on a typical tourist vacation.
VIDA Volunteer
I participated in this program while I was a vet student. VIDA volunteer is for those interested in veterinary medicine, human medicine, and dentistry. You do not have to be in any of those fields to participate, but it is encouraged. Once you arrive in the country the various disciplines are split up, off to do their own thing.
You can participate in places like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras spaying and neutering animals over a two-week period. There is also some livestock work available but it depends on the trip and the needs of the people. On the medical and dental side, you work with underserved communities providing them with basic medical needs and dental care.
There is also some adventure built into this trip, with excursions to go ziplining, on beautiful hikes, and a visit to the beach. Depending on the trip you will either be housed in hotels or in a home stay. You have some say over this, but it depends on what is available at the time.
For more information on this opportunity see my post on “Giving Back in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.”
WildlifeACT
This organization provides you with volunteer opportunities that contribute to wildlife conservation in Africa. As a non-profit, their mission is to save the planets’ endangered wildlife and wild places from extinction. They believe that this is the only chance we have of saving ourselves. Their dedicated research team of biologists, veterinarians and epidemiologists work to positively impact endangered and threatened species.
They have several different volunteer opportunities depending on your interest. Each listing includes information on the skill levels need for a particular project. They are Fair Trade Tourism Certified, supported by the World Wildlife Foundation, and winners of the Responsible Tourism award.
Mission Rabies
This program is run by various veterinarians, but you do not need to be a veterinarian to participate. They are very specific on their site who is best suited for each of the projects.
It’s not an easy volunteer opportunity, there is a lot of walking involved and it’s physical. But the goal is to vaccinate as many dogs and cats against rabies as possible during a two-week span. Rabies, for those of you that don’t know, is a deadly disease spread by the bite of an infected animal. It can be carried by both bats and several terrestrial mammals, including skunks and raccoons. If you are bitten by a rabid animal and you do not seek post exposure prophylaxis (or PEP) immediately, it’s game over. You will die from rabies if you do not get the PEP. One person has survived this disease in the history of humanity, you can find her story here.
Rabies is a big problem in underdeveloped countries because they do not have the infrastructure to provide PEP to those who are bit. Therefore, you need other ways to control this disease. This is where vaccinating pets, strays, and even wildlife comes in. Not only are you saving the lives of the animals you are vaccinating, you are also saving the lives of the people closely associated with them. Rabies is not a disease I would wish on anyone, check out this video to see what I mean (warning: it’s a bit graphic).
Vaccinating stray dogs and cats as well as pets also has another positive impact. In places like Ethiopia, you will find populations of the endangered wild dog. But it’s not just climate change or human encroachment that is impacting this species, it’s also rabies spread from stray dogs to these beautiful creatures. Their population numbers took a serious hit in recent years due to rabies exposure. But with a significant push to vaccinate these stray animals, as well as the wild dogs, we might be able to turn things around.
Conclusion
There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities out there to choose from. When looking for opportunities, sometimes you can find some interesting opportunities that may not have crossed your mind before. For example, opportunities can sometimes be found on the Wildlife Disease Association site that has nothing to do with tourism and everything to do with helping wildlife. It gives you the opportunity to see a part of the world that maybe you wouldn’t have given a second glance, to experience a different way of living, a different culture, push your boundaries, and the best part help a threatened species.
