ACDI/VOCA's Volunteer Consultant Program
The volunteer consultants are the lifeblood of our organization. Their generous contribution of time and expertise enables ACDI/VOCA to provide cost-effective technology to Bolivian producers, enterprises, and institutions. They have a unique human quality and a genuine commitment to the improvement of quality of life of the Bolivian people. Glenn Blumhorst, Bolivia Country Director
More than three decades of service in Bolivia have established ACDI/VOCA’s reputation as an important agent for the country’s development. A significant part of our work in Bolivia involves a demand-based volunteer program. Since 1972 ACDI/VOCA has provided technical assistance to over 100 organizations thru more than 500 volunteer consultancies. The program has had positive impact in areas ranging from institutional development and productive chain competitiveness to natural resource management.
The volunteer program strategy calls for short-term interventions that support regional development initiatives and ACDI/VOCA project objectives. Volunteer consultancies are selected for their impact potential and for the sustainability of their accomplishments. As a demand-driven program, each consultancy responds to local needs and is designed in collaboration with regional and national organizations. These counterpart organizations are typically 2nd and 3rd tier; they may include regional cooperatives, agricultural organizations, or local chambers of commerce.Given the nature of these umbrella organizations, volunteer program activities have the potential to reach large groups of beneficiaries.
A main objective of ACDI/VOCA’s volunteer program is the promotion of sustainable development. The program’s broad reach allows it to forward development initiatives by giving it room to work in many areas. In the past, field efforts concentrated on institutional strengthening, technology transfer, product development and marketing strategies. Volunteer consultancies in these areas have helped improve efficiency, productivity and competitiveness at every level of the market chain. As a result, in many industries the quality and diversity of products and services have become more attractive for national and international markets. In Bolivia success stories include the opening of markets for hand-knit products, leather products, non-timber forest products, onions, certified seed and solid molasses.
In addition to their important work in the field, ACDI/VOCA volunteers have demonstrated a long-term commitment to Bolivian development initiatives. Many volunteers have continued to support ACDI/VOCA’s beneficiary organizations with important donations. Dr. Jay Hughes, for example, provided a $3,000 scholarship for an IBTA technician to participate in U.S.-based training in strategic planning methodologies. Ted Norquist donated an industrial soybean mill valued at $6,000 to Asociacion Santa Fe in the department of Santa Cruz. Volunteer Aimee Lesuitre secured the donation of more than $15,000 worth of ARC/INFO software to CIDDEBENI to be used for the GIS mapping of protected areas of the Beni department.
ACDI/VOCA would like to thank its volunteers for their work and continued support for our projects in Bolivia. Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to add his or her name to our recruitment database by completing an on-line volunteer application.
