By Harry Kent, Programme Advisor - UK

As another year comes to a close it makes us look back on Projects Abroad staff and how they have changed since their early volunteering days.

For those of you who are unaware many of the staff members for Projects Abroad began as volunteers themselves.

The two prime examples being Richard Clowes (Deputy Director) and Greg Thomson (Operations Director)

Here’s Greg in India on his gap year, as you can see sporting a baggy tartan shirt.

Things took a turn in 2008 with the purchase of a leather jacket, he’s now a little more grease and a little less little house on the prairie…minus the hair of course.

The two following pictures are of Richard Clowes our Deputy Director.

and

Richard Clowes has spent the last 10 years with Projects Abroad, but still we have many pictures from his early days. I myself cannot see too many differences, although there is certainly an attempt to be cool with that cap.

And finally a classic from Director Peter Slowe. Has he changed, I will leave it to you to decide??

I think I’ve got myself into enough trouble for one day, although all of this talking about how people have changed, I dread to think what is in store for my future.

Earlier this year we were approached by the British Safety Council to work together on a major programme to introduce Health and Safety Education to children in schools and care centres around the world. UK Volunteers are able to join a free course in London where they will be able to gain the Level 1 Certificate in Health and Safety at Work. They will then be given a briefing on how to deliver the programme when they are overseas.

The course is available to all UK volunteers joining Teaching and Care placements overseas. The British Safety Council will pay for all transport costs of volunteers, accommodation (where necessary) as well as providing lunch. If you want to join one of these programmes have a look at the attached document and email examinations@britsafe.org. The first course is on Friday 16th January 2009.

Ian Birbeck, our Recruitment Director said “It is an exciting partnership. We are hoping that lots of our volunteers will take up this great offer from the British Safety Council not just to get a qualification but also be able to deliver Health and Safety Work Education to children that don’t get that opportunity otherwise.”

By Ian Birback, UK Recruitment Director

Projects Abroad have become a popular source of photos for Crimson publishing. They produce a range of books covering all aspects of gap years and volunteering abroad.

On the front of their World Volunteers book they have taken one of our front of brochure images with Nicoline Laman Trip from Holland as the cover girl.

One of our very own volunteers Guy Hobbs was one of the first volunteers on the programme in Guadalajara, Mexico has written a book called Hands on Holidays. He has used Projects Abroad photos as a montage on the front cover.

On Teaching English Abroad we have supplied all of the cover photos. We even have a photo on the front of Work Your Way Around The World.

Watch out for the new edition of Archaeo-Volunteers where we have supplied pictures for the front cover again.

Well done to all the photographers!

Louis Berger-Mole on set

Louis Berger-Mole, a sports volunteer in Ghana, recently found himself a lead part in a Nigerian movie. Louis was on his normal walk to work in Teshie Nungua when he was spotted by the film’s director. He was then asked if he could attend an audition where he was instantly given the job despite having no acting experience.

Nollywood (Nigerian Hollywood) films seem to be fast moving so Louis found himself filming only two weeks later. Beforehand he was told that he would be put up in a nice hotel and have all of his expenses paid for, but there was no Hollywood budget here as he found himself sharing his bed with two Nigerian men in a budget hotel.

Louis plays a 30 year old English pastor called William who came to Africa in the 1990’s to spread the message of Christianity. All was going well until William came across a little village called Nsawa where there was an evil goddess who wanted to kill him. It ended up with them falling in love and William successfully converting the village to Christianity.

While filming Louis had many comical situations to deal with, if anyone out there has ever seen a Nollywood film of this sort they would understand that it is built up of lots of shouting and a strange array of special effects.

Louis best moment was when handed a loud speaker in front of 200 locals and being asked to quote verses from the bible in tongues!!

We are yet to hear the official release date of the film, and are all intrigued to what the title may be.

Hats of to Louis and we wish him all the best for his future acting career.

Projects Abroad is a proud member of the Building Bridges Coalition, a consortium of leading international volunteer organizations, colleges, corporations and government agencies. The Coalition passed along these helpful hints on how to celebrate International Volunteer Day this upcoming December 5th. How are you planning to celebrate?

Frank at Machu Picchu

By Frank Seidel, Director - Projects Abroad France

Yesterday was a special day for me. Basically: I have the privilege of saving somebody else’s life. I have been identified as a donor of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) for a patient suffering from a live threatening disease like leukaemia and the donation process started yesterday. Such donations are more commonly known as bone marrow donations. You can maybe save somebody’s life as well, by joining your national stem cell donor registry (list at the end of this post).

Maybe you are already registered, but the fact is that too many potential donors aren’t. The worldwide database of donors has currently only a bit more than 12.6 Mill entries, which IMHO is simply ridiculous given the population of at least the developed world. Because there are so few donors, not all patients needing stem cells find appropriate donors and therefore die. So if you are not registered yet, please join your national registry. You may be able to give someone a future, a new life.

To be precise, my donation process really started more than 16 years ago, when I registered with ZKRD, the German stem cell donor organisation. At first, they took only a small blood sample to determine roughly my tissue type. Then, over the years I was contacted two or three times because my tissue type was similar to the one of a patient and additional tests were made to check a potential compatibility. But it never went further. When I moved to France, where I currently head the French office of Projects Abroad, my data was already available to the French organisation ESF because they are part of a global network.

Then, this October, ESF called again. Some more tests were made that indicated that I was the most appropriate donor and finally I got a very thorough health check to make sure that my own health wouldn’t be threatened by the donation.

The process identified for me is the collection of peripheral blood stem cells through a procedure called apheresis, which some might know from their blood plasma or platelets donations. During the three days prior to the apheresis I receive injections of so called stimulating factors that make HSC migrate from my bone marrow to the blood. Yesterday, I entered the final donation phase as I received my first stimulating factor injections.

I’d like to thank Will, the administrator of this blog, who agreed that I use Projects Abroad’s blog to do my small share in promoting stem cell donations. I will report in the next few days how the donation process continues.

Although volunteering abroad is not exactly the same as donating stem cells, I do think that there is a link between my motivation to volunteer as potential donor many years ago and my motivation to work for Projects Abroad today. Both are about making a very reasonable effort to brighten the perspectives of somebody else. If you are considering volunteering with Projects Abroad, you should also consider joining a stem cell donor registry.

The website of the global network is Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide.

Further direct links to some national registries are below. Joining is easy.

Australia: Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Austria: Österreichische Knochenmarkspendezentrale
Belgium: Belgisch register voor beenmergdonoren/Registre belge des donneurs de moelle osseuse
Canada: OneMatch stem cell and marrow network
Denmark: Danske Knoglemarvsdonorregister
France: Registre France Greffe de Moelle
Germany: Zentrales Knochenmarkspender-Register Deutschland
Ireland: Irish Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry
Italy: Registro Italiano Donatori Midollo Osseo
Japan: Japan Marrow Donor Program
Netherlands: Stichting Europdonor
New Zealand: New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Switzerland: Stiftung Blut-Stammzellen/Fondation Cellules Souches de Sang/Fondazione Cellule Staminali del Sangue
UK: British Bone Marrow Registry
US: National Marrow Donor Program

By Ian Birbeck - Recruitment Director, UK

The bachelors of Worthing have been crying into their beer this week on hearing the news that most eligible of catches Serena Mitchell has settled down. The Company Accounts Manager has got engaged to Damian Wingate. Romance blossomed as Projects Abroad relocated to Goring. Damian or Shaggy as he is known to his friends was quietly going about his business managing the local off licence around the corner from the office when Miss Mitchell appeared on the scene and before he knew it his life was to change.

Congratulations to Serena and Damian. It has been difficult to speak to Serena this week as her office has been overtaken by flowers. Through the rainforest of flowers you can just about see a permanent smile.

Well done! Looking forward to the party!