Volunteer Post
Happy Fourth of July!
Jen Snow, Associate Director, Agriculture & Volunteer Programs
As many of us in the U.S. will be BBQing and watching fireworks with friends and family on this 4th of July holiday, I’d first like to give a big THANK YOU to four of our volunteers who will spend the holiday volunteering in Guinea, Ghana, and Senegal. We appreciate you!
The USAID Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program enables thousands of skilled Americans to volunteer abroad each year – a prime opportunity to share expertise, learn about other cultures, engage in rich professional and personal experiences, forge connections, and generally serve as an example of American values. It can be a life-changing experience for both the volunteers and their training participants.
This year, Winrock (and other Farmer-to-Farmer implementing organizations) launched a new five-year cycle of Farmer-to-Farmer. Winrock’s program operates in West Africa – with a focus on strengthening agriculture education and training; enabling the sale of safe, quality food products; and increasing incomes of rural farmers. Over the next five years, we will have volunteer opportunities on a wide variety of topics – including agriculture and livestock production, food safety, product diversification, marketing, financial management, business planning, entrepreneurship, organizational development, grant writing, and pedagogy/teaching skills. Check out our website for more information on the volunteer experience and current opportunities: www.winrock.org/volunteer!
I can’t think of a better way to mirror the American appreciation of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness than to “pay it forward” and contribute to improving the lives of others.
Happy 4th of July!