Cuso International West

Sharon and Ken decided to volunteer with CUSO to do something for the world. Ken worked in the agriculture mechanization division. He supervised the maintenance of the project's equipment to help the mechanization of the agriculture in Uganda. At the same time he was doing capacity building training. Sharon was a primary school teacher. They served during Idi Amins time as President. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

Roy taught in High school in a little town in the North of Lagos. After volunteering he worked with international students at the University of Toronto. Roy wanted to go back to work overseas. He was the field staff officer in Uganda for several years. He was networking with the government and local non-profit to find good placement for CUSO-VSO cooperant. Roy had to close the office because of the challenges faced during Idi Amin's reign of terror. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

Melvin met his wife Philipa in Guyana. They were both teaching mathematics in the same school. Melvin remembers the warmness of Caribbean people. After this experience they went to New York. Philippa finished her PhD and Melvin worked at Wall Street. They may volunteer again in Guyana with CUSO-VSO. Another CUSO-VSO match in the field. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

John, graduated in economics, was recruited to work for the City of Maputo and was implementing a local sanitation project. At this time, Mozambique was in the middle of a civil war. John saw the history of the country being written, from the war to the Peace Treaty with South-Africa. Even if it was a hard time for the population, people never felt hopeless. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

Brenda taught English and French and John worked in the Ministry of Works, especially on water supply issues. They were living in a small town in a rural area. They really enjoyed the people, the land and the wildlife. Brenda was amazed at how people were so happy with so few things. To see this simplicity changed their way of seeing life.

Hugh was served in one of the first groups of CUSO volunteer. He served in Tanzania at a period of great change in the country. He was at the first anniversary of the independence of Zanzibar. Hugh was working in information and tourism as a teacher and was the advisor of the tourist centre Director. He helped to launch a new magazine and a new independent press office. After that, he made his career in journalism and is now a well respected journalist at the Global Mail. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

Interviewed by Christine Messier and is in FrenchGuy a enseigné le français dans une école anglaise au Ghana et en tant que canadien il était responsable de l'entrainement des équipes de Hockey ! Il se souvient de l'honnêteté et du sens de la solidarité dans les campagnes ghanéennes. Il a récemment réalisé un album photo sur le Ghana des années 1960 qui illustre les aventures des premiers cooperants de l'époque. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

George first taught western history in Ghana with the foreign affairs agency. So when he volunteered in Tanzania with CUSO, he chose to teach African History and Politics, far from the colonialism state of mind at the time. He faced a lot of barriers to do so. Later in Nairobi, he worked to write and teach the Abagusii tribe history. He was arrested for that work but later it was used as a good example of documenting a tribe's history. CUSO-VSOVolunteer for a better world! Share Skills volunteers in 43 Countries-Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guatemala, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra, Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Support our workwww.cuso-vso.org

George taught mathematics in the Aga Khan secondary school in Kampala, where 60% of the students were Asian. So, when the Indians were expelled by Idi Amin in 1972 all classes were cancelled. George never taught in this school again, but he met a good number of his old refugee's students later in Canada. He didn't give up and continued to teach in Botswana for one more year. Umeeda knew George and was a student at Aga Khan secondary school. This was quite a special reunion. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

Even if she was on this beautiful island which is known as a vacation spot, Diane worked hard to teach cookery in a secondary school. She prepared students for their O levels exams. She learned to cook the local food which involved many more spices. Diane worked in the agriculture team of CUSO as a staff member and finally join the East African office. She is a perfect example of the many RV's that went onto working in International development. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

David went in Nairobi and Kampala as a practical engineer. He was supervising the installation of the electric system in the post office and telecommunication office. He remembers how he used to enjoy the East African way of life. Dave you helped wire up essential services, thanks. CUSO-VSOVolunteer for a better world! Share Skills volunteers in 43 Countries-Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guatemala, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra, Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Support our workwww.cuso-vso.org

A Graduate in anthropology and sociology at 19, Andria went to Kenya with CUSO-VSO with a strong taste for adventure. She taught in a secondary school for Tubu-tubu girls in the bush in the North of Nairobi. When she came back she worked in social development in BC. She is now the ED of March of Dimes. I very much enjoyed meeting Andria and learning about her brave hitch hiking trips in East Africa. CUSO-VSOVolunteer for a better world! Share Skills volunteers in 43 Countries-Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guatemala, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra, Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Support our workwww.cuso-vso.org

Pierre worked in a Primary Health care centre in North Niger. As an Obstetrician, he faced a lot of challenges to practice medicine there. The lack of water and the difficult conditions in the Sahara taught him a different way of living. This experience changed his view on the world and the way he worked for the rest of his life. Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org

Lisa worked with the National Women Farmers' Association in The Gambia. She was inspired by the hard working, regal, and beautiful Gambian women. She was amazed with how happy they were even in their simple lives. Her volunteering experience gave Lisa a new career from banking to travel writer. CUSO-VSOVolunteer for a better world! Share Skills volunteers in 40 Countries-Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guatemala, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra, Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Support our workwww.cuso-vso.org

Gudrun Ley served as Special Program Assistant with CUSO-VSO in Vanuatu in 1988-1990. She established various furniture factories and trained factory managers in Vanuatu. Including her volunteering stint, she stayed in Vanuatu for 20 years. This podcast was recorded during CUSO-VSO's 50th Anniversary Kick-off celebrations in Victoria, B.C. CUSO-VSO is proud to honor 15,000 volunteers and 35 million service hours in over 40 countries. The views expressed in these podcasts do not necessarily reflect the views of CUSO-VSO or its supporters. At CUSO-VSO, we believe we are changing the world, one volunteer at a time.