'Salakot' (native hat) arch and welcome rotunda in Clark, Pampanga signifying US and Philippine friendship

NEXTGEN: VOLUNTEER PROGRAM In the Philippines For Filipino Americans and Anyone Interested in Learning More about the Philippines and Making a Difference in the World

I would like to invite you to join the NEXTGEN: Volunteer Program in the Philippines a second look. To apply for the program, click HERE and fill the online application form.

When? June 19 – August 15, 2011

Where is the volunteer program located?

You will be volunteering with Alliance for Bases Clean Up Philippines and WeDpro near Clark, Pampanga, about 60 miles north of Manila.  Participants will stay with a host family that will offer you safe and comfortable accommodations and will help you feel welcome.

Why join NEXTGEN: Volunteer Program in the Philippines?

• Get valuable experience that could give you an edge in job and graduate school applications
• Work with reputable nongovernmental organizations (NGO) in public health and other sectors
• Learn about the Philippines and your Filipino heritage
• Travel safely with ongoing oversight and support during your entire trip
• Take advantage of a low-cost program that includes international airfare from Chicago, accommodations, most meals, two sightseeing trips, and weekly workshops
• Share your skills and make a difference in the world!

In 2007, I received a fellowship from the Chicago Community Trust and I got a rare chance to travel back to my mother’s village in Bicol, Philippines. I stayed there for six weeks where I was confronted by the poverty of my distant relatives, many of whom wanted to literally be inside my luggage and join me back in Chicago.  At that time, I was the Executive Director of the Coalition of African, Arab, Asian, European and Latino Immigrants of Illinois (CAAAELII), one of the largest immigrant led coalitions in the country.  I saw the connection between their desperation and the overwhelming number of immigrants who feel they must migrate to seek a better life.  That visit was a turning point in my life.

In 2008, I decided to encourage Filipinos in the diaspora to donate, volunteer and improve the situation in the Philippines in substantive and sustainable ways.

I hope that the NEXTGEN Volunteer program will also provide you the unique opportunity to experience the Philippines firsthand, learn, share your knowledge and make a difference in the world.  But most of all, I hope that this volunteer program will foster your continued connection with the Philippines and that you become a long-term partner for change.

For more detailed information about the program click HERE