Volunteers Around the World (VAW) was founded by Mark and Rebecca Stanley. Both Mark and Rebecca have worked in some volunteering capacity or another since 1996. In fact, it was while working on a project in Peru during the summer of 2004 that Mark and Rebecca met for the first time.

During the spring of 2006 Volunteers Around the World partnered up with Mynor Cortez and Lorenzo Chavajay. Mynor and Lorenzo met while working as teachers at a school in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Mynor and Lorenzo later began a co-op that generated funds by teaching Spanish to tourists. The purpose of the co-op was to create opportunities for them to give back to their community. They took on charity initiatives like helping the poorest local families by providing them food and clothing.

Now, by our joint efforts, we work to establish projects that are self–sustaining and beneficial to the entire community. Our objectives are to improve the region’s access to health care, education, and economic opportunity. We also strive to provide the individuals who volunteer and intern with VAW the best possible Spanish language training and cultural immersion. All of which, we hope, becomes an experience you will never forget.

Volunteers Around the World Photographs

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