Electricians without Borders

[Short.Circuit]

Ok, so I hope this doesn't get closed right away, its a genuine request. So, things are slow, have some free time & $$$$. Thinking about paying back somewhere in the world. I know Doctors go to other countries & volunteer their services. Anyone heard anything like this for Sparkys???
Thanks ina dvance...

 

[Doug S.]

I've done "electrical work" in a few (un-?)"developing" countries. It's a great experience, in being a chance to help those with less, and acquire some gratefulness for that which "we" have.
I think the biggest eye-opener, for me, is how much of the world has NO electrical grid, per-say. One fun experience was in eastern Peru, where circuit breakers are NOT for protecting circuit components! They are to ensure the generator does NOT stall. =) Also, being 40 miles from nowhere and several hundred form somewhere really get's you thinking on your feet!

A local church may have opportunities for such work. My father once did quite a bit of this type of work. It's taken him to 4 of the other 6 continents and in some of the most interesting places.

My 2?
Doug S.

 

[ultramegabob]

I know a guy who volunteers and goes to South America every year and helps builds churches, it is part of a missionary program in his church. You could also check with the Peace Corps.

 

[LarryFine]

Ever see the movie Patch Adams? Look into volunteering at the Gesundheit Institute: http://www.patchadams.org/Volunteer_Information_2008

 

[iwire]

http://www.habitat.org/cd/local/default.aspx

 

[charlie b]

You don't need to go out of the country to find such needs. I know of a church in New Orleans that could put you to work with some of their congregation members who are still trying to recover from Katrina. I am sure there are plenty of others, some of which are close to your own home. Best of luck.

 

[iwire]

You don't need to go out of the country to find such needs.

That was my thought as well, I am sure there are many local groups. I posted Habitat for Humanity because the companies I have worked for have sent employees to those jobs when they could. :smile:

 

[Rewire]

We did remodel work on a Ronald McDonald house it is easy to get volunteers but harder to find skilled people,sometimes we forget we can be of service in our own back yard

 

[GUNNING]

Will work for fud.

Will work for fud.

When I first started out I did a couple of habitat houses. I still get calls from people I met there and their mothers and sisters and brothers and uncles and ... It was a great experience and you get fed.

 

[BigDon]

Here's the site for Engineers without Borders. They talk about some of their recent projects on it. I was a member for a short time, but never travelled.

http://ewb-usa.org/

 

[ohm]

Ok, so I hope this doesn't get closed right away, its a genuine request. So, things are slow, have some free time & $$$$. Thinking about paying back somewhere in the world. I know Doctors go to other countries & volunteer their services. Anyone heard anything like this for Sparkys???
Thanks ina dvance...

I've helped Habitat before but they were not looking for electricians , HVAC or plumbers. I'ts amazing how fast a house can be built with a 100 people/day.

A call to local churches or inspectors could probably yield all kinds of people who could use a helping hand and as you already know, the pay is not in US dollars.

 

[Howard Burger]

volunteer suggestions

volunteer suggestions

You might try contacting the regional headquarters for denominations in your part of the country (for instance the Presbyterian church has Presbyteries which have direct contact with all the P churches in their area - for the location of the nearest Presbytery office you could contact the church's national office in Louisville, KY). In AK I've done voluteer work in Anaktuvuk Pass church, and am scheduled to go to Nuiqsut later this summer to trim out some electrical work some (hopefully capable) voluteers did on a new addition. A new church is to be built in Gambell (west of Nome) next summer. I'll keep you in mind.

 

[MrMilbank]

my workload for the summer is slim to none. If anyones doing some volunteer electrical work, im down.

 

[Besoeker]

Ok, so I hope this doesn't get closed right away, its a genuine request. So, things are slow, have some free time & $$$$. Thinking about paying back somewhere in the world. I know Doctors go to other countries & volunteer their services. Anyone heard anything like this for Sparkys???
Thanks in advance...

My two pence or two cents for what it's worth....

I have travelled a fair bit in the course of my work.
From tin mining in the Malaysian jungle to ice breakers on the Great Lakes etc.

What I have found is that you get and give something to each place. I have found it to be rewarding, interesting, frustrating, stressful, and at times boring. All in about equal measure. And I have a whole bunch of experiences that I could never have had by staying at home. Some good, some unforgettable, and some that I'd have preferred to missed.

If you have the opportunity to travel, grab it with both hands.