The true meaning of international volunteering
When we imagine living a volunteering experience in another country, we usually think about everything we are going to contribute: our time, our enthusiasm, our skills. But those who have already experienced this adventure with Cooperating Volunteers agree on one thing: the deepest mark is not the one you leave, but the one you receive.
And above all, our message will always be that the best way to contribute is very far from imposing.
We embark on this journey knowing that we are not indispensable. And that there is a reality that already existed before we arrived and will continue when we leave.
A journey that begins by listening
The first lesson comes even before starting the project. You land in a new country, with a different culture, different dynamics, different rhythms… and you realize that to truly help, you must first observe, ask, and understand.
The local teams we work with convey this from day one: your role is not to come and change everything, but to accompany, support, and add to what already exists.
That initial humility is the foundation for any contribution to make sense.
Supporting what is already working
Most Cooperating Volunteers projects do not start from scratch. They are initiatives created and led by members of the community, who know their challenges and priorities.
That is why your participation has enormous value when understood this way:
- You provide extra energy and support, not replace anyone.
- You adapt to the way the local team works, not the other way around.
- You sustain processes that will continue when you return home.
This is the essence of leaving a lasting mark: strengthening what they are already building.
The balance between giving and receiving
During your volunteering experience, of course you offer: time with children, educational activities, support for women, animal care, community projects…
But inevitably, you receive much more:
- Words that will stay with you forever.
- Gestures of affection that need no language.
- Different ways of seeing and understanding life.
- A new awareness of the value of every small action.
You realize that the mark you leave is not measured in visible big changes, but in shared moments and genuine connections.
Respect to transform
Leaving a mark without imposing also means understanding that not all realities need “our solutions.”
It means accepting that there are different practices, values, and ways of life, and that respect is the foundation of any exchange.
When you place yourself as equal (not as someone who comes to teach, but as someone who comes to learn), a space is created where it is indeed possible to generate impact. An impact that comes from respect, not from imposition.
An experience that continues when you return home
And as we always say, the journey does not end when you say goodbye to the local team or board your flight back home.
What you have learned stays with you: greater sensitivity, more openness, more global awareness.
And that is, perhaps, the most beautiful mark: the one that changes you and inspires you to continue acting responsibly and consciously in your daily life.
Living an international volunteering experience is an authentic exchange. It is not about arriving to transform, but about allowing yourself to be transformed. About accompanying processes, not leading them. About leaving a mark… but without imposing.
