Woohoo! International Women’s Day is next Sunday, March 8th. The majority of our volunteer travelers are women, and we also make every effort to hire women abroad. Case in point: our lovely cooks in the Dominican Republic, whom you got to meet a few months ago. In other words, we support women all the way!
And we truly believe that volunteer vacations lead to women’s empowerment — both for our travelers and the women in the communities we visit.
4 Ways Volunteering Abroad Can Empower Women
1. Independence
Women’s travel has peaked in the past two to three years and female travelers are seeking exciting — and rewarding — experiences in abundance. Simply choosing to go on a volunteer vacation gives you a feeling of independence and adventure.
As for the women in the communities we visit, there’s no doubt that having jobs gives them independence. Earning their own money allows them to support themselves and their families, which gives them more freedom to make their own decisions. In that same vein, learning English (from volunteers like you!) gives young girls many more opportunities to find their own independence.
2. Connection
Meeting a woman of a completely different background is incredibly empowering. You can learn from each other, inspire each other, and discover each other’s strengths. Whether you share a common language or not, simply seeing how another woman supports her family or cooks food or teaches the children in her village demonstrates the resilience of women worldwide.
For the women in the communities we visit, your desire to help others is inspiring. Your kindness and independence can show the younger generations that anything is possible through education.
3. Strength
Acclimating to a volunteer vacation means you have the strength to endure rustic conditions and foreign languages — or even physical labor if you’re helping to build a structure in a village.
Being a strong, self-reliant woman is not restricted to what you learn, but also extends to what you give to others. Your work directly influences communities and individual women through infrastructure projects or job creation.
4. Confidence
Half of doing anything is believing it can be done. The girls and women in the communities we volunteer in gain self-confidence as they meet and speak to foreign volunteers. The encouragement and support you give them is vital to their exploration of new possibilities for their future.
As for you, the volunteer, your adaptive skills will astound you. “Did I just impulsively fly to Guatemala, teach English to a packed classroom of children, and help build a new school?” Yes! Welcome to empowerment.
Until all women have equal rights, access to proper healthcare, and balanced opportunities, volunteering abroad is an important way to uplift women across borders and cultures.
Are you a woman whose life or outlook has been changed by volunteering?