Volunteers Around the World (VAW) was founded by Mark and Rebecca Stanley in 2006. Mark and Becky met in Peru, where they were both working for an NGO. They always wanted to start a similar organization after their work in Peru. Later, while trekking throughout Central and South America, they came across Lake Atitlan, Guatemala and knew they had found the place where they wanted to start their NGO (Non-Governmental Organization). They were inspired by the beauty of the lake and the people who lived in the surrounding communities. They also saw that there was a great deal of need in the area and became inspired to found their organization in San Pedro la Laguna in conjunction with a local NGO named Amí San Lucas.

 

 

In 2006, VAW began bringing individual volunteers to work with their partner NGO, Amí San Lucas, in San Pedro. In 2009, VAW worked with their first ever team of volunteers: seven individuals from the University of California, Berkeley who were interested in building water filters and finding out more about the public health issues in the area. In 2010, VAW officially began their Nutritional Security project-building gardens in the Lake Atitlan area-and continuing with the Water Filters project. That year, VAW brought eight individuals who built garden boxes and installed water filters.

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In 2011, VAW brought their first Medical Outreach team to Guatemala. That year, 15 UC Berkeley students set up and ran mobile medical clinics along with Dr. Israel Hernandez, where they were able to treat over 500 patients. In 2013, VAW expanded to the Dominican Republic. They brought 136 volunteers to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. They were able to treat over 9,000 patients total: 3,000 in Guatemala and about 6,000 in the Dominican Republic. Also in 2013, the first Dental Outreach from USC took place in Guatemala. Students partnered to work with local dentists to preform extractions.

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In 2014, VAW is expanding to Panama for mobile medical clinics and the Dominican Republic with dental clinics that can complete any dental procedure. They hope to serve over 25,000 patients between Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Panama. Volunteers Around the World continues to expand and grow into other countries, where they strive to bring medical care, dental care, nutritional and water security, and education to impoverished communities around the world as well as give university students the opportunity to work closely with professionals to develop their skills and see what a great experience

it is to work abroad and help those in need.