In a world where everything goes fast, very fast, too fast... We can miss the essential.
To give meaning to their existence, young and old alike take on the challenge of going abroad for a few months, or even several years, to undertake a humanitarian mission .
Thus, each year, thousands of French people decide to get involved with an NGO or an association offering various projects.
Becoming a volunteer is a wonderful opportunity to combine humanitarian aid and travel around the world.
Discovering new cultures allows for personal enrichment through encounters with others. Everyone can bring their own life experiences and skills to serve the interests of a common mission.
Define what a humanitarian trip is
854 million people are undernourished, 1.6 billion people do not have access to clean water ... These few figures alone demonstrate the immensity of the task that remains to be accomplished.
To respond to emergency situations and provide on-site assistance, organizations have been created. These include NGOs ( non-governmental organizations) , which are non-profit public-interest associations that are not affiliated with the state or international institutions. Consequently, their independence guarantees the impartiality of their actions and allows them to intervene despite economic instability between two countries.
To function, NGOs need volunteers. Their role is to ensure the smooth running of projects, whether humanitarian, development, or charitable.
They generally offer to pay people through a paid humanitarian mission in order to attract the best profiles and increase the attractiveness of foreign aid projects.
For those who do not wish to be part of an organization, it is entirely possible to prepare a humanitarian trip on your own while seeking private donors to finance your project.
5 good reasons to take a humanitarian trip
1 - Discover the world
Most humanitarian missions take place abroad. These include Africa and Asia, two troubled regions with populations that often suffer from a lack of government intervention. You must therefore have a certain appetite for travel and be prepared to spend several months abroad.
One of the great advantages of humanitarian action is that everyone can participate. Regardless of educational background or professional experience, the need is such that all backgrounds are welcome.
Whether you're a student, a job seeker, or someone looking for a career change, volunteering abroad is an opportunity to discover a new culture and new landscapes while performing tasks that are meaningful to you and others. Reinventing yourself.
2 - Reinvent yourself
The daily grind can be overwhelming. Volunteering is a way to temporarily change your life and perhaps even start a permanent career in humanitarian aid .
By meeting others, their difficulties, their challenges, we learn to put our own existence into perspective. A mission allows us to grow through contact with the most disadvantaged.
While the decision to leave everything behind overnight isn't always easy, it won't be a difficult one to make. It's about growing personally and professionally, while learning new things and developing new skills that will be assets once you return to France.
3 - Make yourself useful
Working in the humanitarian sector allows you to use what you've learned to pass it on to others. Needs in education, construction, health, and other areas offer a wide enough range to give everyone the opportunity to identify with a project and contribute value.
How to find a humanitarian mission abroad?
Humanitarian civic service
Civic service allows you to volunteer abroad for a period of 6 to 12 months, offering your time to those in need. The advantage is that you can benefit from a structured framework by engaging with recognized public-interest organizations.
Applicants must be between 16 and 25 years old (up to 30 for people with disabilities). No specific qualifications or experience will be required from prospective volunteers.
The civic service allowance is financed by the State to the tune of 473.04 euros per month, to which the sending organization adds an amount of 107.58 euros.
International Solidarity Volunteering (VSI)
The VSI is another solution for going on humanitarian missions for various projects such as education, emergency action or public health missions.
The only requirement is that you be 18 years of age or older. Unlike other commitments, the VSI does not impose a maximum age for becoming a volunteer.
The VSI allowance is a minimum of 100 euros and varies depending on the sending organizations, missions, number of years on site, etc.
The mission cannot exceed 2 years but the possibility of renewing your volunteer contract several times allows you to accumulate up to 6 years.
European Voluntary Service (EVS)
Because everyone should be given the opportunity to contribute to an important mission, EVS offers humanitarian missions for young people aged 17 to 30, again without any conditions. The contract duration ranges from 2 to 12 months. The projects are located primarily in Europe, with a list of approximately 50 countries, enough to find the perfect destination and the right humanitarian program.
It is also possible to find a humanitarian project by going to the website of the NGOs that interest you and applying for available offers.
Humanitarian travel can be life-changing, provide new perspectives, and contribute to the world. It's important to remember that beyond the discovery and exploration aspect, it's a real commitment. Volunteers are bound by a contract that they must adhere to, or risk being asked to reimburse the expenses incurred during their trip.
