Last week we posted a brand new opportunity to volunteer for Operation WellFound this Easter. As a small charity in West London our headquarters in Ealing is often filled with volunteers and interns. Without their contributions, we would not be able to continue helping people in Guinea-Bissau and West Africa. For today’s blog post I want to share my experience of volunteering for WellFound, something that I have done since November 2016. I hope to inspire you to spare some of your time to help a charity who work daily to deliver water and save lives.

Who am I?

My name is John and I am a student in my twenties. I started a Masters degree in Understanding and Securing Human Rights at the School of Advanced Study, University of London in September 2016. I highly recommend the course to any prospective students. As part of the programme we were encouraged to look for internships or volunteer positions to go alongside our studies. It is through this activity that I found Operation WellFound and I’ve been involved with the charity since.

What is my volunteer role?

At Operation WellFound my role is a communications and social media office volunteer. This basically means that I help look after WellFound’s website and social media channels. I help keep the website up to date and post new content (like this blog post). I also manage all aspects of WellFound’s social media pages including their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. As a volunteer my role means I visit the head office once every couple of months. The rest of the time I volunteer my time from home. My main focus is on increasing our social media following and writing new content for the blog.

What is Volunteering at Operation WellFound like?

Volunteering for Operation WellFound is great. Since my very first contact with Seema, who is the Volunteer Coordinator, I have been looked after as a volunteer very well. On my first visit to the office I was able to spend time with WellFound’s founder Howard Measham learning the history of the charity and seeing the great work they have achieved. Shortly after this visit I met with Dr. Anthony Kingsley who is the CEO and after that I met with Trustee David Horncastle.

As a small charity WellFound has given me the opportunity to work with some very experienced people on some excellent projects. It is great to be part of a team who come together under a common shared goal to improve the lives of others. Operation WellFound is an excellent charity to be part of and one I am glad I get to work with each week.

Should You Volunteer for WellFound?

Yes. Definitely, yes. If you have a couple of hours spare each week or month then I would definitely recommend it. You will meet some great individuals and have fun making a huge difference. There are many different volunteer positions available in charities and WellFound is no different. From fundraising to event organisation – volunteers are welcome at all times.

How do I Volunteer for WellFound?

Volunteering for WellFound is easy. You can see our current opportunities here. We have volunteer positions and paid job roles currently available and would love to welcome you to the team. Simply head over to our Get Involved page or contact us through social media or the website. We will look to accommodate all potential volunteers in one way or another so please contact us today and tell us how you would like to help!

All of the work that is undertaken at WellFound looks to ensure that local communities are able to reach clean water, access safe and hygienic sanitation facilities and grow a market garden. With history of working in Senegal and Burkina Faso, we are currently working in and raising further funds to help more communities in Guinea-Bissau. We are currently working in Binhome, Bissunga, Quedet and Tama. Please support us by donating here.

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