Put Your Skills to Work for Good
Would you like to make a real difference in the world? What if you could put your talents to work to help people in the developing world improve their quality of life? Even save lives?

The World Water Corps® is Water For People’s volunteer program that gives you the opportunity to travel abroad and support the organization in a very tangible way. As a World Water Corps volunteer, you can share your unique skills and experience in support of the development of sustainable safe drinking water resources, improved sanitation facilities, and hygiene education programs.

Make a Difference
The World Water Corps program matches the specific needs and requirements of Water For People’s country programs with the skills and goodwill of people throughout North America who want to enhance the impact of the organization’s work overseas.

Volunteers are self-nominated for short-term assignments that generally last two weeks and are placed to support key Water For People objectives in-country. Water For People is seeking skilled volunteers to assist with a variety of programs that contribute to the shared vision of a world where all people have access to safe water and adequate sanitation.

Launched in 2006, the World Water Corps is rapidly expanding and will continue to grow. The organization and the people it serves are benefiting tremendously from the influx of knowledge and talent on the ground. There are dozens of volunteer opportunities available each year within the countries where Water For People works.

Supporting Water For People’s Model
World Water Corps volunteers provide professional support to Water For People’s work overseas within the parameters of its successful community-based model. As such, they are not involved with the actual design and construction of water and sanitation systems. These functions are left to local government and nongovernmental organization partners, as well as community members themselves, who must take ownership of these systems and understand how to operate and maintain them for the long term.

Instead, World Water Corps volunteers engage in such activities as mapping to provide baseline data for development, monitoring the functionality of past projects, and evaluating overall program effectiveness. Volunteers have conducted scoping studies and needs assessments to determine where Water For People should expand. They might also be called upon to “train the trainers” abroad, photograph Water For People at work, or provide technical assistance to partners. The possibilities are endless.

What to Expect
If selected as a World Water Corps volunteer (based on your skills, qualifications, and interests), you will be assigned to a team with a specific task to perform. Some tasks require special advance training in Denver prior to your service, while training for other tasks is conducted after you arrive in-country. World Water Corps volunteers are expected to pay their own costs for travel to the project site, lodging, and food in country. Water For People will generally provide for in-country travel as well as insurance coverage for volunteers while abroad.

The Fine Print
Water For People works in some of the poorest and most isolated rural areas of the developing world. Conditions will be adequate but will not be comparable to what you might be used to when traveling overseas. Accommodations and meals can be primitive by North American standards, more like camping than a vacation resort experience.

Roads are generally rough and some strenuous hiking is to be expected. There might be limited food choices, so a willingness to try native foods would serve you well. There are limited medical facilities, so you might consider consulting with your physician before accepting an assignment.

While every effort is made to ensure volunteer safety, Water For People works in unpredictable parts of the world where water and environmental sanitation needs are considerable. Volunteers will be exposed to the typical dangers and uncertain conditions that exist in these countries. Although Water For People will not knowingly send volunteers into a dangerous situation, you will be required to sign a waiver holding Water For People harmless for any injuries, loss of property or life that might occur while on an assignment.

Water For People provides, at its own expense, insurance to cover medical care, accidental death or dismemberment, emergency evacuation, and repatriation of remains for its volunteers while they are traveling and doing work as part of the World Water Corps.

Frequently Asked Questions | pdf | 51 KB |

Project Monitoring Opportunities | pdf | 84 KB |

Program Evaluation Opportunities | pdf | 87 KB |

Mapping/Needs Assessment Opportunities | pdf | 94 KB |

Frequently-Asked Questions About Travel to:
Bolivia | pdf | 57 KB |
Guatemala | pdf | 51 KB |
Honduras | pdf | 51 KB |
West Bengal, India | pdf | 61 KB |
Nicaragua | pdf | 50 KB |
Malawi | pdf | 52 KB |

World Water Corps Travel
Cost Comparisons By Country | pdf | 10 KB |

Apply to World Water Corps | Online Application |