Volunteers in Asia

We have been around for more than fifty years and have a proven track record of personal transformation and social impact in our wide array of programs.

Our hallmark program is a service fellowship in which Americans spend one to two years working in organizations and universities in Asia, learning about the local context, and exchanging skills and knowledge with their host institutions. 

The Impact

If you are not already familiar with our work, you may be wondering what the impact is of your contribution. The VIA fellowship program has a long history and as such has a time-tested legacy of impact. Here are some key indicators to demonstrate what we mean:

• 2,000 + fellows over 50-year history
• 40+ current partners in 8 countries
• 50,000+ expected service hours in the 2016-2017 fellowship program

We intentionally place our fellows at high-impact grassroots organizations that are improving lives, one-by-one, and building stronger communities in the process. Our partners work in a wide range of fields including environmental conservation, anti-human trafficking, rural development, vocational training for young adults with physical disabiities, education in rural areas, and more.

Consider what some of our fellows and alumni have said about their experiences in the field:

Melody, BEAM, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Melody teaches migrants who fled fighting in Myanmar so they can get a high school diploma and apply to college, one of the few chances for advancement open to refugees.

 "While my main role is to teach writing, I familiarized myself with migrant issues and spearheaded an online fundraiser for exam and university application fees. I found a visiting photographer to make a mini-documentary to help BEAM expand its social media presence. This experience has shown me that working in the humanitarian sector in Asia is the kind of work that I want to do."

Aspasea, Yayasan Dian Desa (YDD), Yogyakarta, Indonesia (Community developement with a focus on developing appropriate technology)

Aspasea supports a project promoting cookstoves that create less smoke so they are better for the health of women and children.

"My second year in Indonesia has only strengthened the notion that I want to continue preserving the place that Indonesia holds in my heart and in my life. Returning to the U.S. I hope to connect to the Indonesian community and continue my studies, and eventually return to Indonesia to conduct research.

 Working in the energy department of a local NGO has opened my eyes to access to energy-related issues on health, gender and the environment. These experiences have contributed to my decision to continue on to grad school in September, where I hope to focus my studies on renewable energy development in regions that don't currently have access to the energy grid."

Deb, China, 2009-2011

“My experience with VIA in China was an unfinished lesson in appreciating my place in a vast, complex world. I had the privilege of meeting people from previously inconceivable (to me) walks of life. My time with VIA shaped the best parts of who I am today." 

 

CALL TO ACTION

Our campaign is simple. On November 29, 2016, we need to raise $10,000 to help support these important programs and open the door for a life-changing experience to rising stars who would otherwise miss this opportunity.

Your donation will keep our programs thriving so that we can continue connecting the U.S. and Asia through positive partnerships that empower individuals and strengthen community on both sides of the Pacific.

Here are some of the ways your donation helps:

$1,000 - two weeks of leadership and professional development training

$500 - local language language study grant

$250 - transportation to VIA's annual mid-year conference

$135 - passport scholarship for a first-time traveler from a low-income family

$50 - leadership development training materials

Thank you so much for your support of VIA. We look forward to engaging with you further on our campaign!