"Barzakh Falah was established in June of 2008, to address the pressing needs of abused, abandoned and at-risk children living in Belize. An important component in this is the ongoing development of a sustainable and self-sufficient organic farm and its integration into each child's education and maturation."
(From the Village Volunteers website)
I will be going to Barzakh Falah primarily to assess, treat and counsel the children with speech/language problems and help them with whatever other projects they have going on at the time, which include "Earth bag construction" (infrastructure for the children's home) and sustainable farming projects.
Village Volunteers (VV) had already been supporting Kenya, India, Ghana and Nepal when they decided to add Belize recently. It's such a new addition that I will be the first official VV volunteer going there! I'll be able to scope things out for VV and help smooth out any kinks along the way. Barzakh Falah, though, has already been a functioning NGO hosting volunteers from other organizations, so my arrival will not be novel to them.
I'm so excited to volunteer again; this will be my 4th time through VV. It helps remind me of what being a speech therapist is all about, and it's definitely nothing to do with paperwork, insurance, or meetings. Remember when you first left school thinking you'll go out and change the world? Then taking your first job and realizing that all you're doing is charging people or the government for your time and spending that time documenting it?
Volunteering is pure, unadulterated therapy. Therapy that works both ways. I recommend everyone give it a try.
Neuroplasticity: changes that occur in the brain as the result of experience
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