The essence of our liberty

Happy 4th of July!

As we celebrate Independence Day in the US, Winrock’s Volunteer Programs team is thinking about one of the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans: the freedom to give back.

Volunteerism is not a requirement, yet many Americans actively choose to serve in their own communities, by tutoring local schoolchildren, participating in city clean-ups, mentoring young professionals, volunteering at community events, delivering food to the elderly, and much more. Volunteer service brings people together. Some US citizens even employ their skills to volunteer in other countries, lending their technical expertise to a variety of beneficiaries, from smallholder farmers to agricultural training centers, women’s cooperatives, and youth groups.

In addition to promoting sustainable economic growth and agricultural development worldwide, the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program that Winrock very proudly implements also encourages people-to-people exchange. So far this year, Winrock has sent 108 F2F volunteers to Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. By connecting with people across borders, F2F volunteers have the opportunity to promote international goodwill and spread American values like liberty, equality, and determination.

“In the end, service binds us to each other — and to our communities and our country — in a way that nothing else can. That’s how we become more fully American. That’s what it means to be American. That’s the essence of our liberty — that we give back, freely.”  –Barack Obama

We are grateful to all of our volunteers, including those who have chosen to spend this 4th of July giving back around the world.