Archivist sought
VSA is looking for a volunteer with archiving skills to help us organise the historical material steadily accumulating in our Thorndon premises, particularly since the shift from our Waring Taylor Street office in downtown Wellington.
If you have a few spare hours and can help us sort print material such as old newspaper clippings, letters and newsletters, and audio including tapes of early volunteers, then we'd love to hear from you. Email VSAConnect if you can help.
Winning stories from US volunteers
In 2016 the US Peace Corps ran a story-telling contest for its former volunteers on the theme 'Building Bridges to Cultural Understanding': here are the winners.
The volunteers told some entertaining tales – anyone who has randomly given away breadfruit in Tonga will appreciate David David Dauer’s piece. There are also stories from Swaziland, Ecuador, Togo, Nicaragua and Ukraine.
The website also has these Peace Corps tips on how to hone your story, which could be handy if you're asked to speak about VSA.
Barbara Rowe's generous spirit: a tribute
VSA extends its sympathy to the family and friends of Barbara Rowe, a former VSAer who passed away in Tauranga on 14 March after being hit by a car the previous day.
Barbara, 76, was in teaching roles in Fiji 1966-67 and Vanuatu 1972-73. She remained a strong VSA supporter over the years and was at the Tauranga meeting of returned volunteers late in 2016.
She was also widely involved in her local community in a range of voluntary roles. See this tribute in the Bay of Plenty Times.
Ties for Malawi? Teddy bears for Tonga?
 'The Humanitarians', a 30-minute comedy show mentioned in last February's E-nius, is set in the New York headquarters of SWEDOW (Stuff We Don’t Want), a tiny not-for-profit that collects stuff wealthy Americans don't want to ship to poor people in Africa.
In one scene, unwanted ties are being collected for dispatch to Malawi, so that Malawian job seekers will look smart in interviews and have more chance of finding employment.
Only in America, you might think? Not necessarily. This (true) headline appeared in New Zealand newspapers: Tonga desperately needs money and building materials, 'not teddy bears'.
VSA people and funds support Tonga re-build
Fortunately, no teddy bears were received in response to VSA's Cyclone Gita Appeal. VSA is delighted with the $38,000 raised, and thanks all the generous donors and supporters who contributed.
Returned volunteer Bruce Johnson, a horticulture adviser with VSA experience in Tonga, Bougainville and PNG, was quickly deployed to help Tonga's horticulture sector get back on its feet.
Conversation partners wanted in Wellington
Would you like to be a ‘conversation partner’ for a government official from Indonesia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, Mongolia or Timor-Leste?
It involves meeting an official for about one hour a week for 13 weeks. The officials are on the ELTO programme (English Language Training for Officials), run out of Victoria University and sponsored by the NZ Aid Programme through the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Here's more about it >
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A group of Masai in Tanzania. VSA placed 63 volunteers in Tanzania between 1987 and 2004.
