Foundation for Sustainable Development

FSD's staff in field and in the HQ care deeply about all the projects they are working on. They devote their time and energy to make sure each project is being performed properly, the communities are being respected and are getting something that will be useful in the long term. Their goal is to provide enough help to start a project that will later on be able to sustain itself, making any aid organization not necessary and the community independent, something that all nonprofits should strive to do.

FSD is an amazing organization doing exceptional work in development! Their focus on community-based development is a tool for empowerment and a way to really create lasting change. The whole FSD team is amazing to work with and I believe they are going to continue to impact so many communities around the world.

FSD is an incredible organization based in the Bay Area that offers individuals and corporations opportunities to connect and work with its partner sites around the world. They do a great job at being transparent and are a leader in the field of quality sustainable development.

When I returned from my Peace Corps service I was thrilled to find Foundation for Sustainable Development - an organization that seemed to be doing truly community driven and asset-based development. I have since had the opportunity to serve as a non-profit advisor to the organization and in that role, have seen in more detail how well they manage programs. I have been impressed by the organization's collaboration with community partners which puts the highest value on local priorities, input, cultural appropriateness, mutual respect and collaboration.

This organization helps people around the world in lasting ways--and trains the next generation of development professionals from American and beyond. More spiritually , I believe this group provides wonderful antidote to some of the culturally divisive tension we experience today.

This organization has great internship opportunities that create one of a kind experiences for students.

Great Organization that promotes sustainability in several countries with grassroots involvement.

I am an intern at FSD that had the opportunity to be a part of the grant administration program where I was able to gain invaluable skills about grant writing and review. The team is absolutely amazing and is very transparent in communication and supportive with each others work. I was given the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of contributing to the continued success of the organization and enjoyed every part of my experience. FSD does genuine good for the communities it serves all around the world and I am very proud to have had the chance to be a part of it.

I am a Programs Intern with FSD and my experience has been great. During my time with the organization, I have greatly learned about their method of International Development; Asset Based Community Development (ABCD). It is a form of development which is community inclusive and attempts to use indigenous resources to solve local problems. In addition, the communication channels within FSD is very comprehensive and accessible as they strive to create a conducive atmosphere for their International Volunteers/Interns and their host family. Overall the Foundation for Sustainable Development is a great organization and highly recommend it to future volunteers looking to go abroad.

Foundation for Sustainable Development is a passionate organization that puts the needs of its beneficiaries first. Utilizing a revolutionary sustainable approach to development, FSD implements ground-up initiatives that are most importantly guided by the voice of the individuals who possess the local knowledge to know which solutions work best. While a localized and close knit organization themselves, FSD's outreach has successfully extended around the globe; across various states, countries, languages, and cultures. It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside the passionate individuals of FSD that tirelessly endeavor to instill a true change in this world.

FSD has been recognized as a model in books, case studies, and seminars for how to help students and volunteers work in an ethical way in developing countries. However, my expertise is not in international exchange and learning but rather in international development. As a development professional what I really appreciate about this organization is the way that it builds community members' self confidence and capabilities to change their own circumstances and make the community what they want it to be. In other words, it works deliberately to break down attitudes that someone from the outside needs to bring solutions and instead builds up the community to bring their own solutions. When the community is able to mobilize and build its own resources, even small contributions of time and money can have a big impact. Coming back to the international exchange angle, I think it is fantastic that students and would-be donors get to be a part of that process and gain appreciation of the capabilities of local people. It is my hope that those who have experienced the FSD model as students will use that perspective to come up with new approaches to supporting community development.

This program is unlike anything I could have ever expected and I can't say how happy I am to have done it. It's had ups and downs and a lot of middle as well, but I wouldn't change any of those moments. Being thrown out of my comfort zone and creating a much wider, new comfort zone has been the best aspect of my experience. It's such a different lifestyle, but it's one at this point I would say I am comfortable with and enjoying greatly.

I have had more happy moments and moments where I am thinking about a ridiculous amount of things all at once here than I have before. I've joined a group of students with a different university mindset and seen how the way I think is different than the way their formal education has taught them to think. I have also been in the most culturally-diverse group I have ever spent this much time with, as a white-midwestern American. I've learned a lot in both active and passive ways.

I just love the organization and core values of FSD. This experience has greatly changed me, and it would not have been possible without the support and connections and knowledge I have received fro FSD. All I can say is that I wish I was in Kenya longer, I honestly could spend at least another 2 months here without wanting to return to America. I think the site team, host family, and single intern paired with a host organization made this internship very unique and more integrative (which I really appreciate!).

The Foundation for Sustainable Development is a life-changing organization that allows participants to be involved in community-based projects while partnering with development organizations around the world. Prioritizing sustainability along with key development interventions allows for positive and truly reciprocal experiences on both sides. I would highly recommend this organization to my colleagues, friends, and family without any hesitation, and believe it is a gem among the Bay Area nonprofits.

FSD gave me an amazing opportunity to learn more about international development, gain hands-on experience helping other people to improve their lives, and build the fundamental skills necessary to pursue a lifelong career in this field. I fully believe in the Asset-Based Community Development approach utilized by FSD as it promotes empowering people to improve their own lives with the resources available to them rather than prescribing the unsustainable "charitable handout" approach employed by so many other organizations. This FSD model is indeed a stepping stone to truly sustainable development.

I interned in the San Francisco office of FSD; it was an incredible experience through which I learned about the world of international development and sustainable practices, made a lot of new friends, and deepened my understanding about the grant review process. I would highly recommend doing anything through FSD; the Foundation is intentional in all it does and the funding it gives and will provide a well-rounded and fulfilling experience!

This organization is a standard bearer in the non profit world. We are VERY pleased to be a part of it.

n May 2015 I did a service trip with FSD to Nicaragua. I didn't like the hotel they put us up in (no air conditioning?!), but other than that, it was a great trip. My group worked with this little drug prevention youth organization that was pretty together, and they were expanding their marketing plan. I have some Spanish

I am very excitied to sponsor a child, this child make me feel so happy and very lively, every time that I send a letter to him or I recivied a letter from him I feel so very happy

In May 2015 I did a service trip with FSD to Nicaragua. I didn't like the hotel they put us up in (no air conditioning?!), but other than that, it was a great trip. My group worked with this little drug prevention youth organization that was pretty together, and they were expanding their marketing plan. I have some Spanish skills, so I did some interviews with kids at the organization and I loved that. I also got to speak with the executive director, who was really impressive. The country obviously needs a lot of work, and people like her are doing that. Glad I got to help.

I did an internship with FSD as a career transition--I'd been out of school for bout five years and was working as a teacher, but I was getting burned out. When I started at their office, I was struck by how focused everyone was and by how present the idea of sustainability was in the everyday work.

I worked mainly with the organization's donors, helping them get connected with projects that were important to them, and also reaching out to find new donors. Because the admin staff is pretty small, it was easy for me to get to know everyone pretty well and to have in-depth conversations with people in every department.

Looking back I wish I'd put a little more effort into exploring the India projects than I did, but other than that, it was a really good and useful experience for me.

I began working with the Foundation for Sustainable Development in May after learning about their unique approach to development. Having spent years working in the field of development it is refreshing to find an organization that stays true to its mission and really works with communities.

I have been able to travel to Nicaragua with FSD and I have seen the high impact programs in the field and I can honestly say that FSD is truly helping communities facilitate change from within. I would highly recommend FSD to any friends, family, or colleagues.

I first heard about FSD from my fellow students when I started my MA program in SF and, after doing some research, I knew I wanted to get involved in the organization’s work.

FSD has been among the pioneers of people-centered development approach, and, after interning with the organization for only one semester, I was really able to see how this approach translates in everything FSD does, from planning programs to making funding decisions. FSD SF staff heavily relies on the perspectives and needs of their community partners who work together with FSD site teams to identify meaningful and lasting solutions that work. The organization has networks and relationships in place that allow them to identify effective projects and ensure that their grant funds benefit those who understand the challenges and can implement solutions.

FSD’s approach is aimed at mobilizing local resources and supporting local knowledge and leadership which encourages sustainable community development, creating a more just and sustainable future for people around the world, one community at a time.

I had a wonderful experience as an FSD Intern through GESI in Updaipur, India 2011. The experience completely prepared me for the professional world that was to come - I continued doing community development work through college and have focused on civic engagement and community development work in my professional life after graduating. Because of the experience with FSD, I was prepared for both the theoretical framework and reality of this field.

I was a volunteer with FSD in 2007 at the Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua site and international program coordinator there from 2010-2011. Both experiences confirmed that FSD stands out among its peers by providing interns and volunteers with the best international development experience possible that combines practical skill development with cultural immersion.

As an intern in 2007 I had the opportunity to develop a gang prevention program at a local school in Ciudad Sandino. My host family was fantastic, and my Spanish improved immensely. On the weekends I enjoyed traveling around Nicaragua with other volunteers and local friends.

Returning to Nicaragua in 2010-2011 as program coordinator, I found that FSD supports its staff just as much as its interns. The local offices are well equipped to handle all important logistics for the volunteers so the volunteers can focus on developing their skills and positively impacting their host communities. All of my co-workers exhibited only the highest degree of professionalism and dedication to sustainable development.

During the Summer of 2011, I participated in the Global Engagement Studies Institute (GESI), a Group Engage partnership model between the Foundation for Sustainable Development and Northwestern University. GESI is a unique credit-bearing program that combines intensive asset-based community development coursework with 8-10 weeks of team-based fieldwork with one of FSD’s community partners in Bolivia, India, Nicaragua, and Uganda. As a FSD/GESI intern, I spent the summer at one of Udaipur’s oldest and largest NGOs, Seva Mandir. While Seva Mandir’s commitment to “democratic and participatory development” manifests in myriad program areas including education, women’s empowerment, youth development and social enterprise, I worked in Seva Mandir’s health department. Specifically, my GESI team of three worked alongside Seva Mandir’s Community Care Center (CCC), a HIV/AIDS clinic providing clinical and counseling support to local patients.

During my 10 weeks, I had the privilege of first, interviewing clinic patients to better understand their individual and collective barriers to access, regimented care, and stable health, and second, collaborating with Seva Mandir staff to develop and pilot test a small-scale two-part programmatic response consisting of a patient-driven pillbox/chart system and new education materials for clinicians. While parts of our project inevitably failed, my time with Seva Mandir taught me that equally important to the goals of development are the methods by which they are realized – that the process matters. Through the GESI program, the Foundation for Sustainable Development and Northwestern University opened my eyes to the value, intention and necessity of asset-based community development and ignited a life-long commitment to thoughtful international development work.

I have been interning at FSD headquarters in San Francisco for the past three months, and I really enjoyed it. By interning at FSD I had the opportunity to see how an organization works, how the projects are carried out and how to support and implement long-lasting and sustainable projects that the community-identified needs and wants. Also I could bring new ideas to FSD and develop myself as a professional and contribute to the organization development and, as a consequence, to all the projects that are being carried out by FSD. Great organization, great job, great people.

I served as an intern in a health post in Nancimi, Tola, Nicaragua, where I facilitated preventative health trainings on the most prominent health issues plaguing the community. While the community benefited from the trainings, I gained a great deal from the internship as well. Through writing a grant and implementing my project, I developed writing, communication, and public health skills applicable to my future career in medicine and global health. Furthermore, FSD ingrained the ideals of sustainability in a global setting in my head, for that I am grateful. I am also grateful for the people that I met. The other interns in Nancimi acted as a sounding board, therapists, and a source of inspiration, and the FSD coordinators challenged and motivated me throughout the nine weeks. I continue to keep in touch with both the other interns and the coordinators, as well as the community members in Nancimi. It makes me smile to realize that I always have a "home" with my FSD family back in Nicaragua. Although challenging at times, I 100% recommend a FSD internship to individuals who aspire to pursue an international, hands-on experience.

Working with FSD has opened my eyes to approaching development in the world. Not only have I seen the tremendous support that FSD offers both domestically and internationally, but more specifically, the incredible attention to detail that FSD gives to its programs. Speaking from personal experience as a Marketing Intern, I know that FSD doesn't look for the quick fix, but rather devotes the appropriate amount of time to projects in order to make sure they are meeting all requirements. I am very excited about the current work with FSD and all future involvement that I plan on having with the organization!

I spent the summer of 2013 volunteering with FSD in Kakamega, Kenya. What drew me to FSD was its emphasis on sustainability instead of aid, which seemed like the most effective and realistic model for international development. A focus on assets rather than weaknesses is crucial in empowering a community and effecting long-term sustainable growth. Given my interest in health, I was paired with a rural health center, which allowed me to shadow the nurses and work on public health initiatives. Living with a host family was invaluable, as it helped me get in touch with the community. Overall, my experience taught me so much about international development, public health, and myself. I would highly recommend FSD to anyone looking for a thorough, supportive, and fulfilling internship in development work.

I had the opportunity to facilitate two Global Service Trips with the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua and Kakamega, Kenya.

FSD's commitment to achieving community-driven goals through asset-based development and international exchange in Africa, Asia, and Latin America was seen throughout my experience at these program sites. As a facilitator, I saw a huge transformation in the participants, members of the community partner organizations we worked with, and the beneficiaries. The reciprocal process FSD aims to achieve was accomplished on both trips.

The main differentiator of FSD's programs is that their sites teams are on the ground, ensuring the outcomes of the support have a long-lasting benefit for the partner organizations (NGOs and nonprofits).

I highly recommend FSD for anyone who wants to be the change they want to see in the world and seeks an opportunity to provide sustainable impact on international communities!

I have been interning at FSD headquarters in San Francisco for the past two months. My experience at FSD has been very rewarding and has given me the opportunity to be an important part of an outstanding organization that engages in real international community development and effective capacity building. All FSD staff members, interns and volunteers embrace and embody the mission, vision and core values of the organization, especially the commitment to an asset-based approach to development that requires community ownership of all projects. Twenty years of experience have allowed FSD to develop a strong organizational structure with mechanisms in place to provide positive outcomes for all stakeholders involved, e.g. donors, program participants, partner organizations and community members. I would highly recommend FSD to anyone seeking a comprehensive, enriching and inspiring development experience.

I have been an intern in FSD's San Francisco office over the past 3 months. FSD has been an amazing organization to be a part of, and I'm so glad to have had the chance to intern with them. Their mission to achieve "community-driven goals through asset-based development and international exchange" truly shines through every employee, intern and volunteer who comes in contact with this organization. I can honestly say that I stand behind the impactful work that FSD accomplishes through ongoing efforts with their community partners around the globe.

I volunteered with FSD in Kakamega, Kenya in the summer of 2012, working at a local sub-district hospital. FSD's sustainable development model, which teaches that social and economic change must come from within the community to work and last, forces interns to truly immerse themselves into their organization and community in order to identify issues and potential solutions. Even two years later I am still in touch with my host family and some coworkers from the hospital. The site team was supportive and enthusiastic yet also provided interns with space and independence. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend others to get involved with FSD if they are looking for an international service experience.

They call Cochabamba, Bolivia "The City of Eternal Spring." My choice to intern abroad with the Foundation for Sustainable Development in Cochabamba truly involved me in an eternal spring. My experience brought fresh ideas into bloom, grew global relationships and showed me the power that local communities hold.

Fresh ideas in bloom: FSD welcomed and immersed me into the Cochabamban community. I engaged in a new environment with support and guidance from FSD's Site Team. Program Director Mauricio gave sage wisdom, and with his help, I experienced not only public transportation adventures on some of the most brilliantly colored buses I've ever seen, but also the chance to ask strangers for directions in Spanish and challenge myself to rethink how I commute and communicate (and embrace getting lost in the meatpacking market along the way!).

Growing global relationships: My work as a Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) intern created connections with a global reach, and the relationship that truly defined my summer was the one I formed with my home-stay family. Countless stories and jokes were told over early morning and late night tea with my madre, padre and hermano boliviano, all of who shared their love of their city and their country with me.

Local community power: In Cochabamba, big things happen through small but strong efforts. My FSD intern project drew from within and grew from face-to-face interactions instead of the usual text or email. I learned to ask not what a community needs, but rather how we can build upon the assets that a community already has.

FSD is an incredible nonprofit that thrives because it honors its mission for community-driven and implemented change at every level of the organization. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at FSD's San Francisco headquarters. The office provided an incredible experience of grant reviews, marketing and staff discussions, and I feel so lucky to have an FSD story that spans two continents with one organization.

I have interned in the San Francisco Office for FSD for the past 5 months, and it has been a beyond wonderful experience. I have learned so much about sustainable development, and what it means to act as a global citizen. Additionally, FSD gives its interns great responsibility and the opportunity to truly make an impact with the organization. The skills and capacity that I have built as an intern here have been invaluable. Beyond my experience with FSD, I can sincerely say that FSD itself stays true to it's mission, supporting and implementing long-lasting and sustainable projects that stem from community-identified needs and wants. I have seen first-hand how much all of the staff at FSD truly cares about the individuals and communities with which they work, which has been both refreshing and inspiring. I give FSD nothing but the highest ratings!

I volunteered at their Cochabamba, Bolivia location for the summer. Obviously, there are certain challenges that just come with working/interning abroad, but the FSD cite team was especially supportive, while still gave me room to figure things out myself. Also, after talking with other volunteers/interns that were through different programs, I really think FSD's plan makes the whole experience more meaningful. Great people, great hearts. I recommend

I volunteered/interned in Kakamega, Kenya during the summer of 2014. I had a wonderful experience, especially the way FSD organized everything related to my 2 months of stay in Kakamega. I was satisfied with the way they selected host family and host organization for many interns like me.

I interned in the San Francisco Office for the summer and had an amazing experience. As an intern, the experience was very positive -- full of educational guidance and hands-on experience. As an organization, FSD stays true to its mission and does everything it can to educate its participants about how to effectively and respectfully assist international communities in their development and growth. So many international aid organizations sound really good but actually end up harming the communities they work with. FSD on the other hand works against this and ensures that their involvement in community development stems from the desires and skills of the community itself. That way, when the FSD volunteers leave to return home, the community has not only improved, but their dignity and understanding that they can continue to develop themselves is intact.

I have heard a lot of good things about FSD, especially in working with international development organizations in the past decade. Their model of volunteer-based development work is more respectful of local wisdom than most other programs and promotes actually sustainable progress.

My latest experience with the Foundation for Sustainable Development has been in co-leading a 7 person Giving Circle in Chicago. Our group raised over $4,000 and funded 4 separate sustainable, grassroots projects in Uganda, Kenya, and India. The topics we funded involved organic farming education and methods, a beekeeping enterprise, an enterprise creating food warmers for meals, and an educational skit for domestic violence awareness.

FSD and the Giving Circle specifically gives me an opportunity to stay connected with the international development community even while I am stateside and not in the field. It also gives me an avenue to connect others around me in my community to international development work, in a highly active engagement role beyond simply cutting a check. It allows me to come together with friends and colleagues to really debate the effect of our grants on organizations and communities, and while it is not the only tool for development work, we think deeply through how we can make it an effective one with the help of FSD.

I started out as an FSD intern in Mombasa, Kenya and could not have had a better experience. I chose FSD after many months of research on just about every international volunteer organization. FSD stood out to me because of its focus on long-term sustainable support to local community organizations, as well as its training in project design, grant-writing, and other community development tools. I felt it would give me the most bang for my buck. After my internship, I always wanted to go back to Kenya and later I finally returned as an FSD Program Coordinator in Kakamega. After working as Coordinator, I couldn't get enough of FSD and pursued a staff position in their headquarters to continue to support FSD's network of community partners, international interns, and an amazing group of field staff.

I worked with FSD last summer in San Francisco. As a member of the behind-the-scenes aspect I will just say that FSD is a incredibly compassionate non-profit who cares about creating a sustainable and respectful relationship with communities on the ground. I loved working with everyone in the office. The integration of the student volunteers over seas is a key aspect to FSD's model, and one that is both educational and effective. I would love to go abroad as an FSD volunteer. Thanks for all that you do FSD!

I served in Kakamega, Kenya for 6 months (September 2011-March 2012) with FSD. I chose FSD because the organization emphasized grassroots development and it had host organizations that focused on human rights including advocacy for persons with disabilities; which is what I'm passionate about. I had the opportunity to work with Empowerment of Disabled Development Organization (EDDO) and be involved with the locals in advocating for human rights. My invaluable experience with FSD and my host organization, EDDO truly inspired me to go to graduate school for International Development. The inspiration came from the seeing the change happening within the community I served; genuine change that would continue to grow over time. The idea of being a part of changing a community using resources available and self -sustainability was amazing.

For six weeks in February and March 2012 my husband and I volunteered with FSD in India. After our brief orientation in Jodhpur we went to the village of Chandelao, where I worked as a teacher of English in the private school, while he worked on building a website for the village fort/heritage hotel and the women's craft center. We were warmly welcomed, and our stay was really fun and rewarding. The FSD staff were supportive and helpful throughout. We feel lucky to have made good friends among the warm and colorful people of Rajasthan.
We are now about to embark on a new adventure with FSD to Salta, Argentina. We are grateful to FSD for their help with planning and preparing for our trips, finding us good accommodation and meaningful assignments, and ensuring that our experiences as retired volunteers live up to expectations.

In January 2012, my wife and I spent 6 weeks with the FSD Procorps in Jodhpur India. We are retired professionals and FSD encouraged us to volunteer our time and experience. We could not be happier with our experience. We worked with a small NGO in a village of 1800 residents about 25 miles from the city of Jodhpur. Our experience was personally fulfilling and we participated in worthwhile projects that will have lasting benefit to the community. The local FSD staff were professional and helpful.

We are so satisfied with our FSD experience that we are volunteering with them again: this time for 6 weeks in Salta, Argentina.

During the summer of 2011, I had the wonderful opportunity in traveling to Tola, Nicaragua. Juma Ventures, a non-profit organization for high school and college students that I have been a part of since 2007, partners with the FSD. This partnership allowed students, such as myself to be a part of something much larger then I, as well as many of my friends in the program could have ever dreamed. My experience in Tola showed me the beauty in simplicity and in living.

Now, in 2013, I was given the liberty to work with the FSD at a whole new capacity. I was taken on as the Programs Department Intern in San Francisco. My time here has shown me that I am making a difference, directly and indirectly. My time spent in Nicaragua is proof of that fact.

Here is where I am contributing to something much larger then I could have ever dreamed.

I worked with FSD last summer for ten weeks in Bolivia in the field of economic development. Overall, my experience was great and I would recommend the organization to other people. Before I left, the San Francisco based staff was amazing in communicating with me about my concerns going abroad. Once I arrived, the local staff was responsive, encouraging, and helped me a lot when I got sick.

I am honored to be working with Fsd interns, the guys are amazing and my Institution is greatly honored to be working with such young people. their ideas are amazing and our clients have greatly benefited from their various projects

BASHIR MUTEBI
MASAKA ELDERS SACCO LTD
MASAKA, UGANDA.

I traveled to Uganda and volunteered with a local NGO through FSD. I was with a group of 13 other students as a part of a sustainable development study abroad project. The entire FSD team in Uganda was incredibly helpful and my host family was accommodating at all times. The team made our experience truly hands on and exposed us the daily work that the Uganda people engaged in and we worked on projects that were making a real impact in the community. I was sick for a short time when I was in Uganda and my host family was incredibly nice and caring during my stay. Overall it was a wonderful experience that broadened my horizons and cultivated my interests in global sustainable development.

After a career working with companies in developing countries, I sought an opportunity to work with a US based non profit. After thorough investigation I saw that FSD results far exceeded other organizations that focused on service learning. The FSD model allows for funds earned or raised to be utilized and spent by the local organizations being served. The model also places students directly into the local community establishing a relationship that other similar non profits cannot offer. I am very proud to have been a part of FSD growth and the partnerships established with US educational institutions and the hundreds of local communities that FSD serves.

I am extremely honored to be a part of FSD, whose pre-eminence in the field of international development is widely acknowledged, and embrace my new role as FSD’s Board Member. I am grateful to be in a position to tap into a network of private and public sector global relationships and research skills to help propel FSD to the next level.

I was fortunate to spend this past summer in Kakamega, Kenya with the Foundation for Sustainable Development. From the beginning, they provided a lot of support, information about the program, and advice. The staff spent a lot of time ensuring that your strengths could be optimized in the community by placing you in organizations that best satisfy your interests. They had very clear expectations and a lot of experience, and I had a great experience with this NGO.

I have volunteered with the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) for over a decade, helped to start their programs at 3 different sites (2 in Kenya and 1 in Tanzania) and had the opportunity to visit the 2 sites in India. Throughout I have been extremely impressed with the quality of the staff of FSD and the local community based organizations (CBOs) that they partner with. The work they do is extremely important and covers a wide range of key issues including HIV awareness, microfinance, youth development, women's empowerment, and the environment. FSD also runs a small competitive grants program for the local CBOs. As part of this process FSD volunteers work with the local CBOs to write strong proposals that are then reviewed by FSD staff to choose winners. This process helps to build the writing, planning, and organizational skills of these CBOs. Thus, the benefits provided go far beyond the dollars that the winners receive. In sum, I believe FSD is helping to promote the sustainability of local CBOs in developing countries and providing volunteers with a great opportunity to be part of that process.

In a market flooded with low-quality "volunteer vacations," FSD is an outstanding alternative. FSD significantly advances both the community development goals of its partner organizations abroad AND education and training of the next generation of global development workers and leaders. It is a privilege to be a board member and university partner for an organization that makes real strides with American education AND sustainable development in communities around the world, co-creating and disseminating resources that enrich the field beyond just the people and communities they serve. I've personally visited four of the FSD partner communities, seen the interns and staff hard at work, and been witness to the positive changes occurring for all involved. FSD is an organization that continues to learn and deepen its approach, as the field of sustainable development evolves. It's solid now and heading in important and valuable directions.

I am working with FSD since last five years. Being in development sector for over a 15 years now i think FSD is an real example of what you can say is working with grassroot community. FSD does not compramises with its original vision and mission while working with communities and have set up examples for other Non Profits here in western Rajasthan,

FSD is an exemplary nonprofit when it comes to sustainable development. Many organizations design "solutions" around "problems" without even involving the community; but when FSD or any grass-root partner trained by FSD is involved in a project, you can expect long term goals and direct community participation. Which from a donor's perspective, you know your donation is being invested wisely.

I worked with FSD while doing my MA degree and to this day the memories and all that I learn is alive and well. It is home to some of the kindest, most professional and humane people in the field that I had the pleasure to meet. Its development notions are clear, smart, applicable and truly sustainable and you get a lot from your experience there. I was allowed to explore and learn as I wished, had contact with development champions abroad, new and smart types of fundraising, was taught database management with all the patience in the world (and then some), all coming together to a personal and professional experience I will never forget. I am sure you are one of the best Sustainable Development NGOs in the West Coast and you are a Top-Rated Nonprofit on my book!! Thank you and good luck with everything! Guilherme

This past summer I participated in FSD's intern abroad program in Bolivia. During my 10-week stay I worked at an organization that promotes women's empowerment and community development in rural areas of Cochabamba. The combination of living in Bolivia, my host family and organization and the FSD site team gave me a greater perspective on the work involved in development, something that is not comparable to learning from a book in a classroom. The fact that I have now tangible experience in this realm has not only provided me direction into my future career in International Development, but it has also made critical issues ever more real to me. The profound impact of this experience in my life has made me a more understanding and culturally sensitive person. This internship married my passion for sustainable development with social justice and gave me a tangible opportunity to see how an outside can promote development outside of the United States, something I am extremely grateful for.

FSD was great because I felt really personally supported while on my internship. I worked at an Indian NGO for 10 weeks and it was a great experience. Even when my phone and wallet got stolen, the FSD staff helped me take out extra money and get a replacement phone. I felt like we had a really caring, personal connection that made my time abroad so much easier!

The support and encouragement that FSD lends to its parter organizations results in real change. All of FSD's actions are focused on providing the most impact on local communities through proven process-driven actions. I have been especially impressed by how FSD works with local organizations, through its site teams and interns, to be creative in coming up with the best solution for their particular issue. I am honored to be part of the Board of FSD and look forward to my continued involvement!

FSD provided me with the opportunity to work with a local organization that matched my interests and would maximize my potential in Kakamega. I felt like I had so much freedom in my work, but also an incredible support structure at my back if I needed it.

The time I spent as an intern with FSD gave me a sense of the tremendous impact that a development organization can have on the lives of so many when it is committed to sustainability and when it has the drive of so many dedicated people. During my relatively-short nine weeks with FSD in Kakamega, Kenya, I was able to work with a local secondary school and work alongside the Site Team members and fellow interns. Throughout my experience, I truly appreciated (and was infected by) FSD's incredible passion for their work. I fully believe that FSD has made and will continue to make great strides in the development of their local communities.

FSD placed me as an intern with Village Enterprise, a SF-based microenterprise nonprofit which operates in western Kenya and Uganda. While my placement was only two months (and so my actual social impact was limited), the amount of exposure I got to the challenges, ethical dilemmas, and "soft skills" of development was very high. What's exceptional about FSD is not really the programming, but the quality of the site staff. Our site team, in particular, was incredibly high-energy and thoroughly integrated into the community.

For the amount of money I paid for an FSD internship in Uganda I was sure I would be plugged into a network of resources and professionals that would be working their absolute hardest to facilitate the work I was doing and to be sure my time in country was productive. While the staff certainly was incredibly pleasant, I felt as if I was repeatedly just placed in difficult situations and given no guidance as to what I was supposed to be doing. The orientation is a joke and whenever I would ask questions I almost never received a useful answer (usually it was something along the lines of "well, yes, that is a challenge.") Furthermore, there is a ridiculous amount of paperwork that must be completed in precisely the right way, otherwise it needs to be done. Also, FSD says it has a longstanding relationship with its partner organizations, but that relationship seems to exist in anything but a productive context. They don't give interns any substantial, useful background information that would allow interns to help local partners address their own internal, systemic issues that present the greatest obstacle to those organizations fulfilling their mission. I designed a project that I thought would really help my organization, only to find out 75% of the way through my internship that the organization had huge systemic issues that would prevent my project from continuing after I went back home. The systemic issues would have been relatively easy to address had I had the entirety of my internship to work on them, but as I found out so late I couldn't do anything. When I told the FSD staff about what I had observed, they told me that they already knew of those issues and that they were a huge obstacle to previous interns' projects. Had they given me any type of real orientation/introduction to my organization and mentioned a few over-arching issues previous interns had struggled with, my mind would have been in the right place to identify these issues right away and design a project that - even if it wouldn't address the issues directly - would be able to be sustained within the context of an organization suffering from those problems. FSD seems content with interns building gardens and piggeries even when the organizations given control of those resources lack the ability to utilize them properly after we leave.

The host families are wonderful, and the staff at the local organizations are fantastic, but the FSD bureaucracy really got in the way. FSD is great at allowing you the freedom to do whatever you want (even if you spend your entire internship drunk or travelling outside of your assigned area), but I question how much is actually accomplished by their work. FSD certainly talks the talk of a sustainable organization doing good in the developing world, but in reality, they have a lot of organizational issues to address before these internships are worth the money. There were other foreigners in my town, working for the same amount of time, doing similar work, who paid literally a fifth of the FSD program fee. And they got more useful support than we did.

FSD's amazing "Projects of Hope" (projectsofhope.org) provides direct assistance to women and children in rural Kenya. Funds go directly to provide health care for the women and children and schooling for the children. Additional projects include microfinance loans for employment and building basic housing shelters. A worthy and exceptional cause.

Is it just me or do these reviews seem to good to be true? I've read only one bad review, which seems to be honest, but the others seem generic. I say this because all of them don't give details, and for some reason, alway point to how great the staff was. I'm considering this program, but want to make sure I'm making the right investment. It is awfully expensive, considering how other non-profit organizations with oversees volunteer and internships placement are a lot cheaper. If anyone can give me an honest review, you can respond here or message me if you want my email. Thank you!

I interned with FSD last summer (2010) as a graphic designer/marketing and communications volunteer. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience working with FSD, and it could not have been possible without the enthusiastic/dedicated staff I worked alongside with. Being able to review grants gave me insight to the types of projects being proposed in our various sites, allowing me to see the breadth of FSD's global reach. Overall, I find FSD's mission and work model to be unique and effective, and hope to dedicate more of my time with the organization in the future.

I found out about FSD through my search for a volunteer abroad organization to work with for a summer. I was struck by their unique approach to development and the clear commitment and focus they had for their mission. This led me to speak with their staff who immediately struck me with their enthusiasm and reflected the exact commitment that had initially drawn me to them. Since then I have gone on to volunteer with FSD which has truly been a life changing experience for me. Not only do I feel that I have grown personally but I have also learned more from my experience with FSD than I have with any other volunteer organization or internship.

I first got introduced to FSD when I moved to San Francisco in 2009 and became friends with three people who participated in some of FSD’s programs in South America. I was struck by the degree to which the time my friend’s spent with FSD had been transformative to each of them, both personally and professionally. All three are now pursuing careers in development, in areas ranging from Education in Africa to Urban Planning in San Francisco.

Over time, I’ve gotten involved with FSD as a volunteer and now know the organization well. Aside from the impact that its programs have on participating students, FSD has a highly innovative approach to providing assistance to the communities it works in throughout the developing world. FSD efforts are managed by teams that are on-the-ground 24/7 in the communities that it works in.

This grassroots, bottoms-up approach to development is increasingly recognized as far more effective than many of the top-down models that exist. This is one of the reasons why FSD has grown significantly in size and scope over the last few years and why it is increasingly recognized as one of the most innovative non-profits within the development community.

My experience with FSD was truly worthwhile. I interned at the office in San Francisco in the summer/fall of 2008 with the International team and felt the staff were welcoming, patient, and good mentors. I developed good friendships that continued past my experience as an intern. Similarly, the experience has genuinely launch my career in international development, where I am today.

I did a volunteer internship at the FSD Jinja site in 2010-2011. Although I had a very fulfilling and productive experience with the host organization that FSD placed me with (St. Francis Health Care Services), I was extremely dissatisfied with FSD as a whole.

First, the performance of the FSD site team in Jinja was unacceptable. After a helpful orientation week upon my arrival (which included preparation for cultural integration as well as training on needs assessments, work plans, and budgets), I felt increasingly isolated and forgotten by FSD as my internship progressed. The Program Director consistently failed to respond to my questions or concerns in a timely manner, and the Program Coordinator rarely showed interest in the interns or their projects. Eventually I contacted the FSD head office for assistance on writing a grant. The Program Director took offense to this and thereafter treated me in a vindictive and extremely unprofessional manner. She attacked my character and my work ethic and spoke poorly about me to my host family. In addition, there was another Program Coordinator who resigned halfway through my internship. This Program Coordinator was the seventh person in two years working in that position for the Program Director. However, despite frequent negative feedback from interns, the FSD office in San Francisco has failed to take adequate measures to address interns' concerns or the root cause of employee turnover.

In addition, the main office in San Francisco was inefficient and unaccountable with regards to my needs as an applicant and later as an intern. I applied for an internship in early January 2010. Despite assurances from FSD that I would hear a response within 14-30 days, and despite numerous inquiries, I did not learn of my status until May (four months after I applied). Upon my arrival in Uganda, I learned that all applicants get accepted—even those who did not undergo the interview process. This was very curious to me and made me seriously question why it took so long for FSD to process my application. Furthermore, FSD was fairly negligent with regards to my volunteer fee account. I had a $500 credit on my account in August, requested a refund check on August 31, sent a follow up email on November 17 (no response) and again on November 30, and did not receive the refund until late December.

Furthermore, I find that FSD’s use of the volunteer fee money lacks accountability and efficiency. I paid $7343 in volunteer fees for my 26-week internship. Of this money, $200 went to my project in Uganda and (to the best of my knowledge) less than $700 went to my host family. I questioned one of the staff members at the FSD San Francisco headquarters about the remaining balance. He said that it is difficult to tell exactly where all the volunteer fee money goes. He later sent me a pie chart with an extremely broad breakdown of fee money expenditures. Half of the money goes to what they call “Direct Community Investment.” This money includes the payment to host families and the $200 seed grant, as well payments for services that I did not receive (staff stipends for “24/7 in-country support”) or for expenses that would more appropriately be termed “overhead costs” (rent, supplies, and utilities for the local FSD offices).

After the conclusion of my internship, I visited the FSD headquarters in San Francisco to discuss my experience. However, I felt that the staff member there did not have much genuine concern for my issues. He largely wrote these issues off as a byproduct of the cultural challenges of working in a foreign country.

The experience I had with my host organization in Uganda (St. Francis) was highly valuable and rewarding, and I received beneficial development training from FSD during orientation week. As such, I have given FSD a rating of two stars instead of one. However, I came away from my experience being dismayed at the treatment I received from FSD. I rarely felt as if FSD prioritized their interns in the field, and I was not alone in this sentiment. In my experience, FSD absolutely did not uphold the values of transparency, efficiency, and accountability that made me choose them in the first place.

Foundation for Sustainable Development inspires me because of the way they are able to work with community-based organizations to implement sustainable, long-term projects. Though the projects are short-term, the very nature of their programs provide incentives within the community to stay involved with their work. That is the definition sustainable development in my mind.

Foundation for Sustainable Development inspires me everyday because of the way they are able to work with community-based organizations to implement sustainable, long-term projects. Though the projects are short-term, the very nature of their programs provide incentive within the community to stay involved with their work. That is the definition sustainable development in my mind.

FSD is a way for young people to get field experience in development, though at a very high cost. But beyond that its model for development is inherently unsustainable due to the nature of short-term volunteer ad-hoc projects and limited experience of volunteers. In developing countries, it is very difficult to get a meaningful project started in the two or three months interns are typically placed with an organization. Often I find that projects are left unfulfilled or are, from the grander development standpoint, nothing more than student pet projects rather than addressing infrastructural problems. Local organizations I've found are often confused as to the role of the FSD intern working with them and don't utilize them fully.

I chose to volunteer with FSD because I strongly believe that their development model is the only real long-term solution to economic and social development. FSD knows that true and lasting development must come from within the community and thus works with local organizations that can respond to the communities needs most effectively. The people in the San Francisco office and the staff members abroad are all so enthusiastic and committed to the work they're doing, and it shows every day.

Having known both interns and other participants in FSD's programs, I am constantly impressed and inspired by the work of the organization. FSD is at the forefront of grassroots sustainable development. I am glad FSD does what it does and I hope to maintain a relationship with this ground-breaking yet grounded organization.

FSDs approach of bottom up community based development support is completely in line with my way I believe development is most likely to be successful. FSD should be recognized for their work with women because of the support they give to their partners in the field, which are often made up of all women. One of the grants FSD provided was to The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) is Jinja, Uganda. This project, supported by FSD intern abroad program intern Heidi Tenpas, provides members of the Budondo Food Security Group with hands-on training in tree growing and nursery management for the establishment a cooperative nursery to promote sustainable home-based enterprises. 97% of the members of this peer support group are rural women living with HIV/AIDS, most of who are primary caretakers of their large families. Formerly incapacitated by their illness and written off by their communities, these women became entrenched in states of economic dependency and insecurity. Correspondingly, widespread deforestation in Budondo is adversely impacting the local climate and diminishing the productivity of members' small-scale subsistence agriculture, further threatening their food security and perpetuating malnutrition. Now that they have regained physical strength and health following medical treatment from TASO, this tree planting project gives them a source of sustainable income security and nutrition while laying the foundations for the economic empowerment and environmental restoration of their households and communities.

FSD stands out from most organizations that I've come across in many ways, but their dedication to promoting sustainable development projects that wholly involve the local community is what drew me to them the most. One such organization is Sahayata. They empower women by providing skills training and small business loans to various self help groups in Udaipur, India. Supporting this kind of community-based organization is the exact direction international development organizations need to be going to ensure that the projects that are chosen to be supported are ones that will provide a solid foundation that can survive on its own.

This organization is doing important and valuable work. FSD separates itself from other international programs in its to grassroots development model. Their commitment to community buy-in and longer term interns, places emphasis on cultural and community integration ensuring that projects will continue after the intern's departure.

This is a fantastic organization. The programs offered by FSD appeal to me because the interns and volunteers don't just go in and implement projects they've developed before arriving, the projects evolve from working with and learning from members of the community. FSD partners with community-based organizations, so there is significant community involvement throughout the planning and implementation of the projects. Many of the specific subject areas also incorporate women's empowerment, as many of the microfinance organizations FSD partners with work especially with women. FSD's programs offer an amazing and unique opportunity for participants to experience sustainable development work in a very hands-on way, with training by professional FSD staff in the field. The experience is perfect for someone looking to go into development work.

I am really impressed with the organization's continued dedication to partner with organizations that combine both microcredit initiatives and entrepreneurial/leadership training to promote capacity and self-empowerment for women throughout Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. FSD also has a propensity to partner with organizations that have long standing in their communities, meaning that their efforts are well-developed within the communal context. A great example is Women Together for Development (WOTODEV), a women's collective founded in Masaka, Uganda in 1998 that tries to address gaps between women's vocational and social experiences in rural and urban areas throughout the Masaka District.

FSD not only gives students and professionals great opportunity to promote sustainability but really supports the MDGs and truly makes a difference in the developing world.

During my time as an intern at a women's center in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua and as a program coordinator in La Plata, Argentina I have been able to experience first-hand the incredible impact that FSD and its partners have on the lives of women. Unfortunately, in many marginalized communities throughout the world, women face difficult circumstances (abuse, poverty, unemployment, lack of access to health&education;, etc). In all of its sites, FSD collaborates with community organizations that seek to empower women, and provide them with the tools to challenge these circumstances. With its partners, FSD encourages sustainable change, that will improve the quality of life for these women and their families. One such partner IXCHEN Ciudad Sandino, is a center that provides women with psychological, medical, educational, and legal services. They seek to empower women to take care of themselves, and promote and enjoy the rights they are entitled. With an FSD grant, we were able to implement a project in which victims of domestic could learn how to make crafts through a series of workshops; providing with a skill that would encourage them to be economically independent, and reduce the likelihood of getting involved in abusive relationships. As an intern, I also participated in designing educational materials and implementing workshops that taught women about topics such as family planning, health, self-esteem, stress & constructive communication, etc. The excitement I saw in these women as they learned a new piece of information that would help them take care of themselves, and their pride in learning a new skill, is something that personally affected me, and made me realize the incredible impact that FSD and its partners have on communities. Also during my time in Nicaragua, I saw how other intern's projects allowed sex-workers to learn a vocational skill, and encouraged women to be leaders in their community and challenge the traditional male-oriented socity. As a Program Coordinator in Argentina, I was responsible for supporting interns, and their projects with their organizations. Here too, I saw many instances where FSD collaborations have created positive change in the lives of women. One example is a a sewing cooperative in which women learn skills and are able to work for a decent wage and in decent conditions to provide for their families themselves, and not solely depend on government welfare plans. Other examples include a baking cooperative with an environmentally friendly oven, in which a group of women have been able to increase their income ten-fold, and microcredit initiatives that provide women with the resources to start their own enterprises, etc.

With the community based approach thoroughly integrated into all of the work FSD does, they are able to support environmentally friendly projects that actually make a difference and can be sustained by the communities they work with.

This organization is one of a kind with kind people who work hard to make a difference; the results speak for themselves. I witnessed my sister's nonprofit (Projects of Hope) flourish with the help of FSD.

Through the partnership programs FSD offers in developing communities, I have seen my monetary contribution manifest itself into successful programs with lifestyle-altering benefits.

Like everyone else has said, FSD focuses on grassroots development which is the ideal form of providing sustainable initiatives. From the perspective of an intern, I can say that when FSD says that they focus on grassroots development, they mean it. They encouraged all of the interns to wait a week or two before starting any kind of project so that we could get to know our organizations and the people in them and to really find out their specific needs. I interned in Argentina and relationships are a very important part of their culture. They focus on building relationships first, therefore it would have been disastrous for me or any of the other interns to go in with a project in mind and trying to implement it without the support of the organization. I think the people at FSD have the right idea when it comes to grassroots development, it is not just development on a small scale, it is development that is wholly supported by the people where the development is taking place.

I was a volunteer with FSD in Bolivia in 2006. The org does a good job connecting 1st World folks with local non-profits in developing countries. They use their resources efficiently. Placement with local non-profits may boost traction with communities.

I was a volunteer with this organization. I worked in Nicaragua. They managed their program very efficiently and effectively. It's a low-cost option for volunteers, but still quite well-run. I would highly recommend this organization.

I recently participated in an internship with FSD in India. I was impressed and inspired by the commitment of the FSD staff and other volunteers to really interact with the communities they are working with enabling a meaningful experience for the interns and lasting change within the communities involved. Completing this internship taught me creative approaches to grassroots development work and the experience changed my perspective in many ways. FSD is dedicated to sustainable, environmentally responsible development work and the hard work and success of this foundation should be recognized.

My experience in Argentina was by far one of the best in my life. In La Plata, I volunteered at a drug rehabilitation center. With FSD's constant support, i was able to implement a grant-funded project aimed at preventing substance abuse in the community. To do this, the center and i met with various schools to educate school directors, teachers and students about the issues related to substance abuse. All the schools with whom we met were very excited by our talks; certain schools have asked us to return. Even though i am no longer in Argentina, i have regular email contact with the individuals of the center for which i volunteered. It feels very good to know that i have made a difference in their lives, in addition to the lives of some students. And this effect will continue to grow with every workshop the center gives, which of course is the whole idea behind sustainable development. Another aspect of FSD that i love is that while i had MY particular project, every volunteer was still engaged in general community projects, many with an environmental focus. FSD deserves international recognition and praise for helping so many communities across the world.

Masaka, Uganda Project Title: Improved nutrition and House hold incomes through Integrated Agricultural Production Bulayi village is found on one of the numerous hills in Masaka District. During the dry seasons, the people of Bulayi used to have little to eat as their crops withered and they had no extra to sell in the roadside markets. The soils were hard and cracked due to exposure to intense sunshine yet during the dry season the soils would go with runoff water from this hilly place. An integrated agro training project established by Stephanie Nelson in Bulayi village Masaka has turned around the lives of the communities in Bulayi. The people of this area didn’t know how to preserve their gardens during dry seasons. Stephanie, while working with volunteers carried out trainings on organic farming and taught these communities people how to make use of available resources around their homes. They started off with classes about use of animal waste, human urine and use of a mixture of foliage, which was mixed with water and left to lie for some days. This was later poured on banana plants and fruit trees. The agricultural yields became better. Stephanie also taught the communities about water conservation in the soils during rain seasons. They dug trenches in the gardens and water rested there. A vegetable nursery was then established to provide the communities with seedlings they could plant to improve their own nutritional levels and also get income for their families. Some of the vegetables were; cabbages, eggplant, green pepper. In addition, tree seedlings were purchased and distributed to thirty-seven families. These included coffee, passion fruit, oranges, avocado, and mangoes In return for being provided with seedlings, the group members were taught how to take cuttings from the fruit trees and passion fruit they were given in order to make grafts of those plants. The members provided the grafted seedlings to new members, passing on the inputs and knowledge they received during their training with United for development Initiative, UDEI. I was greatly impressed by the project done by Stephanie with the community members. The difference between those families which worked on this project were visually evident. Their crops looked much better and the yields were also better. Such families had better nutrition and their trips to the local clinic reduced. They also had extra to sell. The money they got out of the vegetables enabled them to buy those necessities like salt, sugar and soap. This project was community focused;, there was community participation and it is sustainable. What is also very impressive is that the innitial funds used were minimal.

Through the course of my own studies, it is always frustrating to read about environmental degradation in developing countries. Those types of projects are often supported because of the profits that people can reap from it now and the people have no thought to the consequences for the future. However, as I was doing some internet research, I ran across the Foundation for Sustainable Development, which definitely caught my eye and gave me a sense of hope that at least one organization like this is out there. From their website, their view of development coming from the people made so much sense to me and it surprises me how little it is actually done. Also, some of the projects listed on their website describe how they get input from the local community and combine it with environmentally conscious solutions to create something that is sustainable long after the interns are no longer there.

As an FSD intern in the summer of 2007, I worked with a local organization in western Kenya, called the Kakamega Environmental Education Programme (KEEP). My first week in Kenya was an orientation, led by the FSD Program Coordinators. We learned about the host country and local culture, and were provided with over 20 hours of professional language training, as well as skills like grant writing. I was partnered with a wonderful host family in a village called Isecheno, at the entrance to the southern part of the Kakamega Rainforest (Kenya's last remaining rainforest). For 10 weeks, I worked at KEEP whose mission is to educate the community about conserving the forest resources and provide alternatives to forest exploitation through the facilitation of sustainable income-generating projects. FSD provided me with support, yet encouraged me to take my own initiative as I learned about the work and needs of the organization. I worked with KEEP staff to develop a needs-based survey and subsequent report on local socio-economic conditions and their relationship to use of forest resources. The FSD staff were knowledgeable, encouraging, and supportive before, during, and after my stay. I feel that my work was both meaningful and sustainable, and that FSD's model of forging ongoing relationships with local communities and organizations allows for interns' work to be picked up, continued, and improved upon by the next interns. In fostering strong relationships and building trust, FSD is able to be extremely effective in promoting "sustainable" development and empowering communities to take ownership over these projects.

I am familiar wih FSD by my daughter's work with the Foundation. I know that FSD has many energetic, focused and commited people working towards creating solutions for todays pressing environmental and social problems. It is a nonprofit filled with people who deeply care about the world we live in and are doing something real about making it a better place. The staff and volunteers work in developing countries including Africa and South America to develop programs that promote such things as sustainable agriculture, reforestation, education, health, water management and renewable energy. FSD is a wonderful organization making a difference in our world.

The staff of FSD is awesome! They provided me with so much information in order to find the best place for me to intern. They were so attentive! I am so thankful for the experience and knowledge I gained.

I have a relative who is involved with FSD and was truly amazed by her experience. I have seen how someone can be so positively effected by the experiences FSD provides for students and young professionals. FSD allows those interested in sustainable development to participate in the field and get their hands dirty. FSD allows interns and volunteers to experience a true development experience.

A great mission with a staff that works extremely hard and truely believes in their cause. They are partners with legitimate organizations in every community they work in. They place interns in work/internship positions where they can fully integrate into the community and get a viewpoint from the local culture.

FSD supports the implementation of criticial environmental initiatives around the world. The organization takes a holistic approach to the most pressing human development and environmental issues. By supporting grassroots projects related to health, education, appropriate technology, human rights, women’s empowerment, and micro-finance, FSD makes it possible for communities to improve their environments. Lastly FSD moblilizes and trains interns who return home and infuse the knowledge they gained overseas into their daily lives.

FSD sends interns abroad to work in developing communities. Each volunteer is connected with a local, community-based organization and works with that organization to provide sustainable economic, environmental, education, human rights and health solutions to that community. FSD is truly commited to the importance of "ground-up" development and provides volunteers with an experience where they are immersed in the local culture.

FSD has a bottom-up model of placing volunteers at community organizations in developing countries. Volunteers live with home stay families, bring small grants to the organizations, and compete for larger funding for proposed projects. FSD succeeds in connecting both human capital and other resources into development projects designed by local partner community organizations. Their projects aim to be sustainable through weaving in community participation and income-generation. I found FSD to be an excellent organization through the year and a half I spent working with them in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador and recommend them highly to others looking to get involved.

I have been inspired by the work carried out by the Foundation for Sustainable Development. The local communities are almost all too easily overlooked in more "traditional" methods of both charity and international development. FSD works 365 days a year to guarantee sustainable development stems from the ground up to provide effective, long-lasting change!

FSD does exactly what it's name implies. I was incredibly impressed with the organization's deep and genuine commitment to sustainability. They provided a great amount of support to ensure that each intern was able to take initiative to start their own project that was truly making a positive impact on the community, while also providing a rare and important learning experience. They made sure that all projects, even if not directly related to the environment (though most are) are able to sustain itself after the intern leaves, which improves the environmental and social conditions of the community well into the future. This experience changed my life. By applying for and receiving a grant from FSD for my project, I was better prepared to enter the non-profit career field. I also plan to receive a degree in International Policy, specifically in Africa, due inlarge part to my internship. Most importantly, I was immersed in a culture, where environmental problems flourished, but the people were the strongest I have ever met. This opened my eyes to see how there is hope for everyone all over the world, no matter how dire their situation, because you can never underestimate the strength of the people themselves.

I have been a volunteer program coordinator on FSD's site team in Jinja, Uganda since January, 2009. During this time, I have had the opportunity to support volunteer efforts with several local community-based organizations that have elected to partner with FSD. From what I have seen thus far, the volunteers' projects have been truly inspired, and are developed in close communication with target communities, local supervisors, and FSD staff. We are currently working with a volunteer who has developed a tree nursery with members of a rural food security group, all of whom are clients of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO). In completing her needs assessment, she effectively utilized TASO's resources and worked closely with the community to purchase seedlings, organize tree-farming training sessions, and develop a business plan to sustain the nursery subsequent to her departure. During this time, FSD played the role of mentor, providing valuable feedback, new approaches, and grant-writing techniques. FSD has also provided communication support between the volunteer, TASO, and the community. I look forward to continue working with FSD to support community-driven development in the future.

I was a Program Coordinator for FSD for one year and worked directly with their partner organizations (NGOs) on the ground in India. The environmental partners FSD selected to work and fund through their mini-grant are excellent excellent organizations. These were effective, efficient programs that thoughtfully and creatively used a small amount of funding to generate significant environmental protection. For example, with under $500 dollars one volunteer, with the partner organization Foundation for Ecological Security, was able to create composting and bio-gas pits that minimized wood consumption, created high quality manure for crop production, while also providing at least ten families with methane gas for daily use.

FSD is a fantastic organization that has given me the opportunity to be part of sustainable development in the field through hands-on experience. In Bolivia, we work with over 35 NGO's in Cochabamba who are dedicated to various development areas such as human/women's rights, environment and natural resources, microfinance, education, and public health. Through FSD, I have gained greater perspective on the hardwork involved in getting development projects up and running. I am a Bolivian volunteer and I work with 2 others to support the organization´s activities with local NGO's in Bolivia.

FSD is a fantastic organization that has given me the opportunity to really understand what sustainable development means in the field through hands-on experience. Through FSD, I have gained greater perspective on the hardwork involved in getting development projects up and running. It has given me the opportunity to work with NGOs and help other volunteers develop independent projects in areas of human rights, environment and natural resources, microfinance, education and public health.

FSD is a fantastic organization that offers a very unique program that has a very positive impact and changes lives.

I was so inspired by the Foundation for Sustainable Development's work in Kenya, I was moved to help a Kenya immigrant to find temporary housing. I have never gotten involved in direct help like this before, but the work that FSD does in Africa has great impact in a country that I've always been interested in. I so admire their mission to support activities which the population can then carry on on its own. This kind of activity has a tremendous, longlasting impact on the culture and the environment.

I recall meeting Erin Hersey, Alumni Relations for FSD, at a networking event. I was not aware of what FSD was and had never heard of the organization before. After a brief conversation, I was so excited to learn more about this organization and asked how I could help out. It's always exciting to talk to someone so knowledgeable and passionate about their work.

Too often, ideas about 'sustainable development' centre entirely around the idea of creating more efficient machines or cutting gas emissions, when it actually entails so much more. The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a leader in this field because it addresses a wide range of issues from education to women's empowerment. Through efforts by professionals, the donation of grants, and the hands-on training of university students, FSD has created an expansive system that not only aids communities financially, but it also gives communities the skills and technology needed to continue to develop. While more developed nations like the United States and Europe have their own tools with which to create sustainable communities, FSD gives these same opportunities to lesser-developed countries so that sustainable development is no longer a goal for only the rich.

FSD creates connections between volunteers and local, community-based organizations to provide sustainable economic, environmental, and community solutions to some of the most pressing global issues. From the national office in San Francisco through their site teams in six developing countries, FSD's integrated operation is incredible. They truly acknowledge the importance of "ground-up" development efforts that focus on sustainability. This organization is a leader and its example should be followed by many others!

WIDE RESCUE INITIATIVE ORGANIZATION AN NGO FROM KENYA VOLUNTEERED TO WORK WITH FSD ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS.

From the very first day i joined FSD-Jinja, i got to realize how sustainable development can lead our country to greater heights because i got to learn how one can use small funds to start up a very big project which thing made me think again about development in Uganda. The FSD interns try there best to write different projects which are later funded by FSD with some small funds and they end up being great Projects.This is so inspiring in that i felt there is need for FSD to reach out to many communities since it has the best approach to development in the developing world.Some of the projects that took my breath included,Fruit tree planting for the women living with HIV,HIV awareness and prevention, Anti-Malaria awareness and prevention,Water treatment and conservation and many other projects.

these projects have really changed peoples lives where by they have let people learn to sustain their lives trough different ways like teaching them on how to keep and treat drinking water and this was a big problem in our community and after this project was launched by the FSD intern, very many people were saved from suffering from the water bone diseases. We are really greatful for this work by FSD.

FSD provides a very important role for the NGOs in the countries where they work. FSD provides a link to best practices of other worldwide NGO's and that provides cricical imformation concerning the improvement of the economy and local environment. In Uganda, I visited seveal of the organizations being assited by FSD interns and saw first hand the improvement that the small changes had made in the lives of the local families. From the introduction of new crops for more cash flow and better use of the land. To the construction of a nursery at a high school for teenage mothers, FSD was helping the local NGO's improve the quality of life for the population.

offers environ internship programs in 6 countries that stress sustainability, interns encouraged to find alternatives to bottled water, we boiled water, used filters, aqua tabs to cut down on bottles, does not fund animal husbandry projects nor other project that might negatively impact environ

I have never participated in an intern abroad program, but as one of my assignments within the SF office, I have read a lot about what kinds of environmental projects FSD's NGOs carry out in the field. Things from eco-tourism to raise environmental awareness, and garden planting and environmental education for grade school kids, to sustainable methods in agriculture and improved resource management for local farmers. These projects, if carried out well, I believe would be a huge benefit to those community members and to future generations of those communities. Although I cannot say first-hand that the environmental programs were successfully executed and sustainable, I believe that FSD's support of these programs is at least a first step to making a difference. Though, I can 100% say for certain that the FSD headquarters in San Francisco recycles and composts everything! Working at the FSD San Francisco office has given me a huge insight to the workings of small, growing nonprofits. The staff works hectically and is constantly, collaboratively multi-tasking to churn out and improve the programs it offers. During my time there, it was amazing to see that a staff of less than 10 in the main office worked endlessly in an effort to maintain communication at a personal level with people interested in FSD programs and with FSD participants before their programs began. The passion and ideals of the staff are what kept me motivated in this nonprofit and what made me keep coming back to do my best work.

FSD allows individuals to engage in hands on work with sustainable development in other countries. Through FSD I went to Kenya and worked with KOMAZA (komaza.org), an amazing organization that uses sustainable agro-forestry to improve the standard of living in impoverish communities. Because the climate in Kenya is arid and rainfall is undependable, KOMAZA uses a species of Eucalyptus which grows without much water, providing farmers with a dependable source of income. KOMAZA provides farmers with the inputs on credit and training on each step of the process, allowing the farmers to learn the skills which will increase their standard of living. While I was with KOMAZA, I worked to create, edit, and test health and economic baseline surveys to evaluate the farmers' quality of life. These surveys were vital to the organization in order to ensure that we were achieving our objectives. My experience opened my eyes to the world of sustainable development. It taught me the importance of capacity building and ensuring that you are constantly empowering others and the organization to function without you. It also showed me the innovative ways that organizations can use natural resources to improve individuals' quality of life. My time with FSD was really a life-changing experience. I continue to use what I have learned on a daily basis, ensuring that I follow the same sustainable principles with the organizations I work with at home.

Working with FSD, I was able to live and work in Masaka, Uganda for 9 weeks. I worked with Vi Agroforestry, a sustainable agriculture organization, which enabled me to witness local approaches to sustainable agriculture. My experience in Uganda changed the way I think about development and made me realize the importance of grassroots approaches and stakeholder participation. I would recommend this program to anyone in the least bit interested in international development--I learned more from my co-workers and host family than I ever would have in school.

After graduation, I was stuck with the “world is your oyster” mindset, but I didn’t know how to take advantage of it. I looked into many different opportunities, one idea I had was traveling around Latin America making my way from one development organization to the next as a volunteer until I felt I had “found” what I was looking for. I also looked into the Peace Corp, but it seemed as though the Peace Corp can be hit or miss with its placement, and the two-year commitment was a little too daunting. So after much research I discovered the Foundation for Sustainable Development, it gave me the structure I needed, the education I wanted, and the experience I hoped for. FSD is an organization that has found the necessary, yet difficult, balance between foreign support and community empowerment. They work with a model that ensures the education of its volunteers, interns, and host organizations so that all understand the design and power of sustainable projects. Volunteering with FSD has given me the opportunity to gain a new perspective on international development work, and it has inspired to continue my journey into the world of development work.

Working with FSD, first as an intern in Peru and now as a volunteer coordinator in Nicaragua, has shaped my life greatly, increasing my passion for grassroots development, shaping my views of sustainability, and helping me understand my role within an international community. I have also seen this experience shape the lives of my interns: many of them now study development, are doing development work abroad, and are leading awareness efforts in their own communities; many of them are also returning to their internship country to preserve the meaningful relationships they were able to develop during their time with FSD and help their host organizations push themselves even further. More importantly, however, is that FSD, through its positive and effective approach to development work, has managed to change lives, attitudes, perspectives, and daily realities of the people in the countries it collaborates with. The long-lasting change that has been left behind in these communities as a product of this collaboration can be observed through a diversity of ways. Right now I can think of one particular example in the community of Chaguitillo, Matagalpa (Nicaragua). As a small rural community, Chaguitillo's economy is dependent on agriculture, specifically on coffee production. The community's need for environmental preservation led them to work with two FSD interns for a period of 10 weeks to develop a project that would counter the intense deforestation taking place in the community in large part to sustain the typical wood burning stoves. With the help of FSD interns, Chaguitillo was able to develop coffee shell burning stoves to replace the wood burning ones. Over 150 families now use these new stoves for their daily cooking. The project managed to bring about an increase to the household income of many families (as coffee shells are free and wood was not); it also improved the health conditions of the houses - these new ovens do not produce as much smoke as the wood burning ones; and it was also able to reduce the strong deforestation that resulted from this dependency on wood. Now, FSD's current intern in Chaguitillo is working on using the environmental resources available (mainly related to eco-tourism possibilities) to bring about economic development - leading efforts on reforestation, awareness of natural resources, development of greenhouses, water preservation, and general environmental conservation to maximize the potential of the community to use its resources to bring about its own social and economic development. This project was actually designed by the community itself. This collaboration (and its resulting outcomes) between our interns and the Chaguitillo community, is a prime example of the effectiveness of FSD's approach to sustainable change. With each intern, FSD manages to work with communities to help them get one step closer to their development goals while also encouraging the organizations' independence and self-empowerment.

Fantastic organization that truly does great work by enabling others to do their best where they are most needed, when they are most needed.

The current global recession serves as a reminder of how interconnected we all are. FSD helps developing countries in the most positive way, by teaching citizens to help themselves. The organization provides students an opportunity to make a meaningful difference and experiences that will help shape their careers.

FSD is an incredible nonprofit organization that yields a solid opportunity for individuals to volunteer and learn across the world. Not only does it offer a variety of choices for learning experiences but it offers a multitude of opportunities to give back to communities and the world. The staff were helpful and incredibly knowledgeable and I felt like a part of the team from day 1. I have referred many friends and even my sister to FSD. This is a solid organization that is very deserving of recognition for its excellence!

This is a great organization who I would recommend to anyone who wants to make a sustainable impact on a community in need. Volunteers are able to fully immerse themselves in the culture and learn both the upsides and downsides on working for an NGO.

i would like write about fsd ,is one of great mission in world.so fsd should do some greate work.people also expecting same.and some verity works.

FSD is very well-established organisation with a noble vision offering exciting internships to students. It is an excellent gateway for people who want to contribute to humanity through a range of organised and reliable programs. I trust their services and would definitely recommend it!

This organization is one of the best. They work so hard to bring sustainable solutions to those who need it the most.

I know a number of people who have volunteered or interned with FSD and they all describe wonderful experiences. FSD works with grassroots and community-based organizations each country in which they work and contributes to vibrant, bottom-up, community-focused development.

I am in complete agreement with the mission of FSD, looking for sustainable solutions to community issues based on involved and indepth local needs assesments. This however is a very hard mission to accomplish in the small time frame that FSD allows for its volunteers. You cannot sucessfully create and carry though a sucessful needs assesment and sustainable project in two months (when you enter as an untrained intern). Also the organization, while supporting projects that are locally based and based on the COMMUNITIES needs, is very centralized as an organization not allowing flexability in the local chapters, not acknowledging that like local communities, different countries are different and you can´t stick to the same formula for all of them. The local teams need to have more flexability, or the organization itself does not adhere to its own mission. Over all however, I find the work that FSD VERY important and it does have a strong impact in the areas it works in. The mission and the goal are incredible, there are just a few minor flaws in the exectution which could be improved.

FSD is a worthwhile and much needed organization that effectively brings education and support at a grassroots level to the most deserving and underdeveloped countries around the world. Instead of providing only financial support, they take a different approach and provide a dedicated and knowledgeable workforce of hands-on professionals who travel to remote locations and donate their time and talents to work alongside local residents to educate and promote projects that will bring an improved quality of life for them in the future.

Incredible organization. They give great opportunities for college students to get started in the humanitarian and environmental field. They also accomplish many many practical projects to combat poverty and environmental degradation. They sponsored my budding humanitarian program until I was ready to go own on my own.I have been associated with them for 5 years.

The programs offered by FSD do a fantastic job of both assisting sustainable development organizations overseas and providing individuals with the ability to gain development experience while making a direct impact. FSD staff is full of excited, energetic individuals who are a pleasure to work with. My experience with FSD was a vital step in my education and I appreciate the all that it taught me.

I worked as a microfinance and livelihoods intern with an NGO in Udaipur, India through FSD. Unlike other organizations, FSD's whole approach from recruitment to placement and on-going training was extremely involved. The organization has evolved organically and its core beliefs of sustainable development keep its operations true to its cause, heavily involving the in-country nationals as partners in their work. My program in India was extremely immersive and very expansive in the range of learning and 'doing' opportunities given to me. Their standing as a well-respected NGO in the field allows the partner organizations to form meaningful work and cultural relationships for their interns.

All in all this was an amazing program and provided me with an incredible experience. There were some issues with my placement but FSD handled them well and had excellent staff in country to provide assistance.

FSD puts all of its energy toward making sure that its interns have a positive experience in the field, that they have the support they need to be successful, that it is receiving constant feedback on how to improve its support and placement services, and that its local partner organizations and the communities they serve are involved and invested in the process. My experience with FSD changed my perspectives on a lot of things, and I am thankful that they are around to provide this opportunity for collaboration and growth.

I can't imagine a better idea... better actuated! This is how we need more organizations to be concieved and run in the future!

I intern with another non-profit that works closely with FSD and I have been tremendously impressed with the efficiency and professionalism, and more importantly their wonderful mission and work.

As an new intern for FSD I am amazed by the organization and efficiency of the non-profit. The interns are all great people with very interesting backgrounds and the FSD staff is top-notch. I've had exposure to numerous non-profits and FSD easily takes the cake for its vision and quality contribution to sustainable development, particularly in the space of promoting a more green planet.

I first came across FSD while doing research for a paper in a developmental economics class. What really impressed me about FSD was their ground up approach and holistic outlook. I've continued to follow their progress and even considered going abroad with their program. While I eventually decided it was not the right time for me to leave my current job, as someone who did quite a bit research, I recommend their program above most of the others I looked into.

Although I don't know a ton about sustainable development, I have come to know more about the movement through family members' involvement in the industry. Although green is good at this point for the general populous, the majority of us have no clue how to really make a difference and positively impact the lives of the less fortunate worldwide. The main reason I really like FSD is that they take all their initiatives right to the communities they work in and look directly the the community members they are trying to support to get proactive themselves and work with FSD on an on-going basis to have a direct impact on changing their daily lives for the better. I also like that FSD uses a multifaceted approach to sustainable development, and by blending microfinance, health, environment, education, and human rights initiatives and education they are able to offer comprehensive change that can profoundly improve our world.

I love this organization. I've admired the work they do for a few years, and am incredibly impressed with them.

I love the philosophy of this organization and they do great work. I have some friends who have volunteered with them and there's nothing but glowing reviews.

By partnering with locals in the areas they service to find out what the high priority needs are FSD affects environmental practices in the most sustainable way - the way people will actually use. Other methods and groups mught be more sustainable per project by partnering and knowing what works on the ground and in the field means FSD projects have a better chance of uptake by local populations. Something can be 100% green and 100% sustainable in theory but 0% in practice if no one adopts it or uses it. FSD should be winning this award for using methods that work in the field.

As an intern at FSD's San Francisco office, I have been privileged to see a broad range of what it is that FSD does. As of late I was going through different projects that previous interns have contributed to a wide variety of partner community-based organizations. It was so inspiring to to see all the ways in which each part was making a difference no matter how big or small; and each one of those tied into the bigger picture of creating a sustainable development model.