My Nonprofit Reviews

We were bit by the CHOICE bug four years ago when we participated in our first expedition to Nepal. It was the eye-opening, soul-stretching humanitarian experience that we'd been searching for–even far exceeding our expectations! Since then we've served in Guatemala, Peru, and Kenya with CHOICE. Our favorite part of it is working alongside the local men, women, and children, laughing and playing, and learning about their village and family life. Bonds of brother and sisterhood are formed quickly, despite our inability to speak each other's language! CHOICE–through experience and proven research–really knows how to help people raise themselves out of extreme poverty. The permanent in-country CHOICE staff (in each of 7 countries) is composed of educated men and women native to the country where they're working. CHOICE doesn't just appear in a village, build something, then leave. Instead, they identify a region of a developing country where the families are highly motivated and committed to change, identify both male and female natural leaders within the community, then implement a sustained training and mentoring program that lasts several years and teaches the people how to lever their humble resources to select and develop smart, sustainable projects that will allow them to achieve self sufficiency as individuals, families, and communities. The volunteer expeditions usually "plug into" projects that are already underway by the locals. That's the way it should be. We are convinced that CHOICE has found the formula to eliminating extreme poverty and are SO grateful to be members of The Village!