Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV) is a non-profit, non-government organization, located in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines. It works alongside the Department for Social Welfare & evelopment (DSWD) in order to work towards sustainable developments in: child welfare, community development, education and public health.
VFV offers a wide variety of placements for volunteers, ranging from volunteering in orphanages and schools, to helping build schools and community centers, to working in rural health clinics and on nutrition projects. When applying to VFV it is possible to specify which project you are interested in (a full list is on the website) and they try to arrange the most appropriate placement to suit your wants and needs. It is also possible to tutor local sponsor children after school. - http://www.visayans.org/volunteer
Not only do VFV offer placements for volunteers, they also run sponsorship and community projects. The sponsorship project supports children from 'socioeconomically stressed' families, in order to help them to stay in school. The community projects are both local and outreach programs throughout the Eastern Visayas. They run projects such as the 'Dumpsite Project', 'Adopt-a-School', 'Build-a-School', 'Build-a-Home', Girls and Boys clubs, and the 'Mothers Club'.
During your time at VFV you are provided with 2 excursions - to visit some of VFV's different projects and also to some landmarks. The other excursion is to the beach!
Whilst all of the employees at VFV speak very good English, people in the local area have a very basic level. Therefore VFV also provides Waray-Waray language lessons, in order to help with communication between volunteers and locals. It is in the Filipino's nature to be very friendly and helpful, especially to tourists, so they always try to communicate even if they can't speak English!
The support for volunteers before, during and after their placements is exceptional, and there is always someone available to contact.
When you volunteer at VFV they place you in a local Homestay. These homestays allow you to be completely immersed in the Filipino culture and are a completely different experience to staying in a hotel. Volunteers assigned in and around Tacloban City are placed in homestays in Bliss - where the VFV center is located. Bliss is a crowded, low-income area, but it is very safe and has a low crime rate.
All of the Homestay Families have been trained by VFV and most of them have been participating for many years. All Homestays have electricity and running water, however all facilities are basic. - All Homestay Families also speak English.
Breakfast and dinner are provided by the homestay family. These are typical Filipino meals, however they can easily cater for dietary restrictions.
VFV provides volunteers with airport transfers, to and from the airport to Bliss. Getting around in the Philippines is very easy, especially in Tacloban and the surrounding areas. The main mode of transport are 'Jeepneys'. These are renovated army jeeps, left in the Philippines after WW2. Multicabs, vans and buses are also easy to catch. Tricycles and pedi-cabs are also available for shorter journeys.
When you arrive at VFV, they provide an orientation which shows you how to get around, and also how to get to your placement.
VFV is a very popular organization, and therefore there are normally plenty of volunteers to become friends with! The locals are also extremely friendly. There are several bars and a couple of clubs within 10-15 minutes of Bliss. The locals are very keen on karaoke, and you can always get involved with this if you wish! Coca-Cola, beer, and rum are the most popular drinks in Tacloban, and they are very easy to get hold of. They also make their own coconut wine called 'tuba'.
If bars and clubs aren't your thing there are a couple of cafe's which have wifi access, and there is also a mall with quite a few restaurants and cafe's inside. There is also a cinema at the mall, however the films are fairly limited - but always new!
There are also cultural things that you can do, such as going to watch a cock fight, or going to the beach!
Things to do, things not to do
It is very easy to find things to do in Tacloban & Leyte. Asking locals about what's good to do gets you involved in things that you may not see/do otherwise. VFV offers a wide range of projects, and it is possible to visit different projects when you have spare time. I would absolutely recommend getting involved in these because it allows you to see more of the Philippines and how people live. It also helps to make a difference!
Locals recommend that foreign girls don't walk far by themselves at night, as the locals aren't very used to seeing foriegners and it could be risky. However, when in groups or with men that you know, it is perfectly safe.
Phone Number: (+63) 53 325-2462
Email Inquiries: vfv.info@visayans.org
Volunteer Program Coordinator - Ester Costim: ester.costim@visayans.org
Make sure you get all of your injections! Malaria medicine isn't needed in Tacloban, however if you plan to visit other areas of the Philippines it may be needed.
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