Volunteer Posts
“My life is forever changed”
April 18, 2014
One of the most rewarding things about the USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program is the relationships that are formed between the volunteers, host organizations, and community members… but also between the volunteers and F2F staff. Sometimes we don’t even realize how deep these connections go, and how profoundly the program can affect someone’s life. A true […]
Presidential Service Awards for Winrock Volunteers
April 9, 2014
This week is National Volunteer Week! In 2013, Winrock volunteers dedicated more than 17,000 pro-bono hours to helping poor and disadvantaged populations around the world. That is impressive! This week, we would especially like to honor 108 of these volunteers, who recently earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award. This includes: 90 “bronze” award recipients with […]
More Than a Decade of F2F in El Salvador
March 31, 2014
This month, we wrap up 10 1/2 years of Farmer-to-Farmer activities in El Salvador. While we are disappointed to close our operations there, we are proud of what we have achieved, including
Bangladesh: An interesting place to visit
March 21, 2014
This week’s blog entry comes from Dan Miller, who just completed his Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer assignment in Bangladesh. Below, he describes some of the sights and scenes that intrigued him during his time in country.
Training Key to Empowering People
March 14, 2014
Dr. Thomas DeGomez, from the University of Arizona, recently returned from his volunteer assignment with Winrock’s Farmer-to-Farmer program in Nepal. He shares his thoughts after spending two weeks training faculty at Nepal’s Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU): “This assignment renewed my commitment to do whatever I can to help developing countries solve agricultural problems on […]
F2F-Supported Organization Receives Award in Bangladesh
March 7, 2014
In September 2012, Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, waste management and compost expert, worked with a Bangladeshi organization, Rural Unfortunates Safety Talisman Illumination Cottage (RUSTIC), to improve and expand its compost production.
Visits with U.S. Universities through the Eyes of Asia F2F, Part 2
February 21, 2014
Following last week’s blog entry (with thoughts from our Bangladesh F2F Country Director), Winrock’s Myanmar and Nepal F2F Country Directors also share their thoughts on their visits with U.S. universities: Dr. Ai Thanda Kyaw, F2F Myanmar Country Director, notes:
Visits with U.S. Universities through the Eyes of Asia F2F Staff, Part 1
February 14, 2014
Winrock’s Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) country directors from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar (Burma) came to the US at the end of January for training at Winrock’s headquarters and visits with several U.S. universities across the country. The visits were intended to strengthen connections, recruit potential volunteers, and provide an opportunity for the Asia staff to see the […]
The Next Five Years for F2F: Thoughts from our Africa Country Directors
February 13, 2014
In January, all of the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) implementers got together in Morocco for a lively four days of program planning, training, and discussions. It was a great way for new and old F2F staff to share lessons, insights, and goals as we all embark upon the current five-year phase of the program. Reflecting on […]
Opening Doors For Burmese Coffee Farmers
January 31, 2014
Last month, we had a blog post about Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer Rick Peyser and his assignment working with coffee farmers in Burma (also known as Myanmar). Since then, Rick has not ceased his efforts to raise awareness and share information about his trip, in hopes of opening more doors for Burmese coffee farmers. This week, USA […]