World Volunteer Web: Germany launches new volunteer programme for foreign aid projects

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Germany launches new volunteer programme for foreign aid projects

04 September 2007

Berlin, Germany: Germany launched yesterday a government-funded program aimed at encouraging up to 10,000 young people a year to work as volunteers in developing countries.

The project — titled "weltwaerts," which translates roughly as "toward the world" — will start work next year, and will allow for volunteers aged between 18 and 28 to spend between six months and two years doing aid work abroad.

The government will provide funding of some €70 million (US$95 million) per year.

"We don't want international engagement to depend on the family wallet," said Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. "We want it to be open to a broad circle of young people."

Wieczorek-Zeul said several thousand people have already expressed interest in the program.

Weltwaerts plans to send volunteers to Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. The program will cooperate with more than 200 nonprofit aid organizations and private sponsors, and those backers will choose the volunteers.

The Development Ministry will cover the costs of accommodation, travel, training and a small allowance.

From: International Herald Tribune, France
© IHT

More about: Germany Youth

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Posted by: sawi Date: 17 September 2007 14:40 From: kenema,sierra leone

This is a new innovative from the German government and i belief it will make young volunteers to understand the big gap in living standards between people in western world and especially in Africa /Latin America. Hence, they will easily crises in these countries when they happen to hold future international positions of trust.

Posted by: Hemanta Naik Date: 01 October 2007 22:31 From: Bangalore, India

Good Initiative. Most of the G-8 nation owe to the developing countries. Africa and Asia are exploited by the western counterpart to great extent. Now it is time for them to repair the damage which has been inflicted on the people and environment of Africa and Asia. But I appreciate the government's participation and funding the volunteers. But the project should be completely monitored and evaluated by the third party rather than German itself, please note. Allow global volunteers to participate in the program rather than only Germans as volunteers.

Posted by: Sunny amas Date: 01 October 2007 23:30 From: Abidjan, lvory Coast

This laudable initiative is highly welcome,this will create enabling environment for interaction between the youth of Africa and the youth coming from the western world, it is also a way of encouraging African leaders to follow suit, in youth development, the youth from the western world are coming for self development as well as doing the volunteer assignment.

Posted by: steven Date: 06 October 2007 18:25 From: indonesia

This is a good start if we wants to empowered the youth. There are so many barriers that become a burden for the youth to develop connections in so many aspect. Hopefully the program will make a good achievement.

Posted by: Anna Bea Date: 14 October 2007 00:15 From: London, United Kingdom

I also agree that this is a great initiative: financial barriers should not be a limit and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are generally less likely to use these schemes as an opportunity.

However, please be aware that other organisations have already delivered these schemes and are therefore struggling to survive. So my questions is, whether the German government should not directly fund these organisations to improve the quality of their services?

I am also intrigued to see the development and progress of a possible debate about participants and the criteria for selection. Should one need a German passport? Would it be enough just to live in Germany and experience a socio-economic disadvantage? Should other participants from abroad benefit from this by being paid to go to Germany, so that it is a genuine exchange?

Posted by: juliano Date: 30 March 2008 05:19 From: Ho, GHANA

I see the German government's idea as wonderful. It will help tremendously towards the development of local communitiessince volunteerism has been for long an engine for African local communities' developement.

Posted by: NDUWAYEZU Emmanuel Date: 06 April 2008 02:10 From: Rwanda

I am interested in this action because the World needs youth to help people, as a nurse I can contribute a lot and I'm in that range of age you need I will be interested to receive from you.

Posted by: koster Date: 01 May 2008 23:26 From: Bonn, Germany

It is another joke. Do you really want to fight poverty and end hunger. Poverty and war is great business and everybody talks about it but no body is interested to solve it.

If you are serious, did you analyze the causes of the failure of the 1974 world food deliberation that by the year 2000 nobody should go to bed with an empty stomach. The situation is worse but not better since then and now you have what you call MDG, I know that you are not serious about it and it will fail as usual.

How can you talk of development when you are at the same time promoting state terrorism as is the case in Ethiopia. The PM as a YARA prize winner is interested to sell fertilizer but not Ethiopians food need.

If you are really interested to solve poverty among blacks start from the USA and in Africa fight tyranny and poverty simultaneously.

I am writing this with a false name even living in a foreign country I am afraid of the Ethiopian Governments`state terror.

Posted by: Belayhun Date: 02 May 2008 15:17 From: Ethiopia

It is a very great leap towards developmental support towards developing countries. Thinking to share the benefits of peace that I observed in Ethiopia during 15 years, I am also applying for volunteer service in Afghanistan- showing solidarity. Thanks.

Posted by: vai Date: 02 May 2008 22:32 From: Guinea

I am liberian refugee seeking refuge in Guinea.I want to work for the Lutheran world Service

Wilson K Vai

P O Box 174

Nzerekore Guinea, West Africa

Posted by: Belayhun Hailu Date: 09 May 2008 18:50 From: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Hi, Germany people. It is very good idea for promoting societies solidarity, globalization apart from socio-economic development of developing countries, Thanks for all of you.

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