Volunteer Abroad in Visayas Region, Philippines: Volunteering Opportunities
Volunteering Abroad in Visayas Region, Philippines: Volunteering Opportunities Tacloban City, located 360 miles southeast of Manila, is the capital of the large island of Leyte in the Visayas region of the Philippines.
The island is known for the landing of the American General MacArthur, during World War II, which liberated the Philippines from Japan.
With a population of 300,000, the Filipinos in Tacloban speak the Waray-Waray dialect, as well as Tagalog (the national language), English, and Cebuano.
The people of the Philippines are highly educated. The literacy rate of Tacloban City is 97.3%.
Despite the high literacy rate, the unemployment rate is 8.4%. Although the literacy rate is high, the quality of education in the rural areas is very poor.
With minimal resources, it is a challenge for the local teachers to instruct the basic subjects in school. It is common for children in rural communities to drop out of school early to help out on the rice farms and provide additional income for their family.
Both in the cities and the rural areas, the people are suffering from the country's struggling economy. The average family income is only 134,183 Pesos (approximately $2400) per year. The people in the rural communities have little access to health care and rely on religion and natural remedies to get them through the tough times.
Tacloban City, is not a tourist destination, so it is a great opportunity for our volunteers to be immersed in a unique Asian culture. Our volunteer programs support the local orphanages and education of disadvantaged children in the community.
With our volunteer program in Tacloban we allow you to discover the wonders of the Leyte area, while doing meaningful and rewarding community work.
Volunteering in the Philippines is a great opportunity to explore life in a friendly third world country, live and work amongst the locals and realize one person can make a difference.
We offer the following programs in Tacloban City:
Program Length: 1 - 24 weeks
Accommodations: Local Host Family
Meals: Breakfast and dinner daily, including farewell dinner Program Date: Flexible Start & End Date
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 35-40 hours per week.
Requirements: 18 years and up, open-mindedness to new adventures
Orphanage/Child Care Assistance
Our projects are located in orphanages within Tacloban and the surrounding towns. Each orphanage has over 50 children, some with 100 abandoned and unwanted orphans. All these children have come from poor families and many have suffered from malnutrition or neglect. The children thrive on the attention and love our volunteers can share with them.
Volunteers are free to tutor the children, organize arts and crafts or sports activities, and help out with basic chores such as feeding the kids, and folding laundry. This is a meaningful way to learn first hand the hardship most children in the world face, and give back to the underprivileged children growing up in a Third World country. Prior experience not necessary, volunteers should have a lot of patience and come prepared with creative ideas and games to share with the kids.
Teaching English:
Volunteers support local primary and secondary schools throughout Tacloban City that provides free education to orphans and vulnerable children. Native English speakers are needed to assist the local teachers in teaching English and other subjects. The classes are conducted five days a week, in morning and afternoon sessions. The school year runs from the beginning of June through the end of March (school is closed April and May, and three weeks in December) Prior experience is not required, guidance will be provided as to what subjects to cover, but volunteer teachers will be expected to help prepare lessons. Bringing teaching aids (flash cards, picture books, alphabet and number games, maps) with you is highly recommended, and needed.
Street Kids/Youth Program:
Volunteer at a shelter/rehabilitation center for street kids and disadvantaged youth. Most children who have settled on the streets have families of their own but turn to the streets in search of food. Glue sniffing, known as "rugby" is a common addiction amongst the street children who turn to this drug to suppress their hunger pains.
Volunteers can assist the social welfare office in helping to give the simple things these children lack in life, such as compassion, trust, love, education and food. This project aims to take these youth off the streets by training them to be self-reliant or self-employed through education, support and counseling. The project addresses social and physical issues affecting youth, such as gender, reproductive health, and drug abuse through counseling and education. Volunteers help initiate talks about the existence of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Prior experience not required, just a caring heart for these disadvantaged children.
Health Care Program
Volunteers with medical experience are placed in local community health clinic around Tacloban City.Most clinics are very busy, understaffed; with limited medical supplies.
There is a wide variety of cases but disease such as malaria, HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and syphilis, as well as childbirth/maternity needs are most common.
Some time may be spent in home visits.
Volunteers with medical training; doctors, nurses, paramedics, lab technicians participate in direct patient care such as diagnosing, injections, IV starts and lab work..
Nursing and medical students are welcome and assist with tasks like dressing wounds, record and immunization chart keeping, helping dispense medications, helping to screen and organize patients and assisting with administrative needs or seminars. *Medical volunteers must submit a copy of their credentials or nursing certificate.
Program Includes:
Accommodation with a local host family, private bedroom, shared bathroom. Breakfast and dinner daily. Airport pick up and drop off in Tacloban City. Our local Project Coordinators will provide full orientation, including basic language and cultural classes and tour of Tacloban City. Two organized weekend excursions to local sites, and a farewell dinner.
The project coordinator is available 24/7 in case of emergency, health-related or otherwise. They can assist in arranging sightseeing excursion before, during or after the volunteer program.
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