Why I did it
Posted by Malaz on July 2nd, 2008
I am an MBA student at the John Molson School of Business in Montreal, Canada. I am specializing in management and nonprofit administration. I do a lot of local community work but am now looking to make a difference overseas.
I have had the opportunity to work with many nonprofits and what I learnt is that a small dedication of my time paid off huge dividends to them; a few moments of my life to help change someone else’s.
Currently I am attempting to develop a volunteering program at my business school. My research has led me to one conclusion; that very few opportunities exist for highly skilled and experienced graduate business students to apply their skills to help organizations in developing nations. Simply put, there is a gap that exists in volunteerism overseas that I and my fellow students would like to fill.
This summer I have chosen to work with San Arts and Crafts as an assistant manager. They are located in rural Botswana and cater to the indigenous communities there. I am expected to fill a managerial role that will be taken over by an incoming staff manager upon my departure. The tasks are numerous encompassing many different business capacities such as accounting, finance, human resources, operations management, administration, and governance. I chose this project because of the diversity of tasks needed which will give me the grass roots experience I hope to gain in working with developing communities in the future.
In volunteering abroad this summer, I am looking for an opportunity to continue applying my skills and build on my experiences all the while making a significant impact for those in greatest need. They deserve nothing less than the aid promised to them from first world countries for far too long. I believe we can deliver on that promise, even if it is one project or one person at a time.
