While most of us lead a life of abundance when it comes to food choices, there are still 795 million people in the world that suffer from hunger and have inadequate food choices to lead a healthy life, according to Food Aid Foundation. In another part of the world, a huge amount of food is thrown away on a daily basis. According to information provided by the US Department of Agriculture, between 30-40% of the food supply is simply discarded. This food is left to rot in landfills while there are so many people suffering from hunger in other parts of the world.
Nutrition Volunteering
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Volunteer Projects and Internships for Nutrition and Food
Are you tired of seeing food go to waste while there are other people in the world going hungry? Volunteer for food and nutrition and put a halt to wasteful habits that are prevalent in our world of abundance. Help feed those who are hungry by redistributing food that would otherwise go to waste. Donate your time to building awareness around healthy food choices amongst communities and help the developing world battle the side effects of both hunger and overconsumption.
Join one of the food and nutrition volunteer programs and combat malnutrition by contributing to the education of disadvantaged communities. Change lives and spread the word about how nutritious food is the base of a healthy life.
Why volunteer for food and nutrition?
Volunteer opportunities for food and nutrition aren’t as common as other programs including animals or community development work. Nutrition however plays a crucial factor in the health of the human race. Let’s continue to take a closer look at why volunteering for a food and nutrition program is such a valuable cause.
Food waste
Malnourishment
Due to climate change and conflict in different parts of the world, it’s become difficult for certain populations to grow their own food or access food from other countries. This leads to malnourishment as the communities simply don't have the nutrients available to live a healthy life. Help redistribute the overabundance of food in the world and donate it to those that truly need it.
Over consumption of processed foods
On the other hand, many countries aren’t facing hunger but are suffering from the overconsumption of processed foods. They have lost touch with their traditional way of eating and are more opting for convenience foods on a regular basis. The problem with these foods is that they are highly processed and stripped of their nutritional value. The increased intake of these foods, which are easy to access and tasty, has led to an obesity epidemic in the world. It's the root cause of diseases like diabetes and heart disease. People are eating too much but aren’t getting enough fresh fruits and vegetable into their diet.
Education on food and nutrition
Volunteer and donate your time to a program dedicated to food and nutrition and address one of the most pressing problems the world is facing today. Make food and nutrition part of the student's education and donate your time to help each student understand the importance of it. Communities of developing countries tend to lack the education we take for granted and are simply unaware of the nutritional values. Help change this by giving them the nutritional education they desperately need. Donate your time and help them understand how food and nutrition will affect their lives.
What will I do as a volunteer for food and nutrition?
There are food volunteer organizations in place that are focused on redistributing foods to combat hunger. These programs pick up foods from supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels that would otherwise go to waste and repackage them to feed homeless people. These projects are in place to break the ongoing cycle of food wastage and look for opportunities to donate the food.
- Tasks you will be doing as a volunteer on the program
- Collecting food
- Packaging food
- Sorting and storing food
- Distributing food to families
Other nutrition volunteer projects need the help of experienced or student nutritionists and naturopaths to provide services and education. They are focused on schools and local community centers and finding ways to spread awareness about food choices. Many developing regions are experiencing health issues caused by increased intake of foods with poor nutritional value. The community doesn't fully understand the concept of poor food choices and its impact on human health. Volunteers will work on providing these groups with the necessary information to educate them on this topic.
As a volunteer, you’ll be doing health checkups and spreading awareness in places like
- Resorts
- Schools
- Villages
- Corporate centers
Your task is to increase awareness and understanding by addressing the community. Offer them an education on the topic and help make a shift in their lifestyle.
It’s also possible that nutrition volunteers will be participating in a health camp with other volunteers and administering the following tasks:
- Dental check-ups
- Health Assessments
- Basic First Aid
- Teaching hygiene skills
Important work is done in schools where both the student and their parents are addressed about the importance of healthy nutrition. Food and nutrition need to be implemented early on in education so students can reap the benefits from a young age. Nutrition volunteers are encouraged to search for opportunities and fun ways to bring across this crucial information.
Work with the local community to educate them on the topic so they can serve their people and continue forwarding the information. Education is the start of everything and we owe it to others to pay it forward.
Best places to volunteer for food and nutrition
Problems with food waste are continuing on a global scale. The developed world is throwing away more than a third of their food supply while other parts of the world are going hungry. Meanwhile, overconsumption of (processed) food is becoming the root cause of many diseases. Donate some of your time to one of the food and nutrition volunteer opportunities and help spread awareness about the importance of a balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle. The topic is slowly gaining popularity but we’re not there yet. Let’s take a look at where this adventure may take you:
Latin America
If you long for the warm hospitality of Latin America, why not opt for the salsa capital of the world. Dance your way to Argentina and work toward bringing awareness to children. Work with children and search for ways to inspire them to make healthy food choices that will lead to a better future.
Africa
There are a fair amount of health and nutrition programs in Cameroon and Zambia where you will donate time to spreading the word about nutrition abroad. Help those struggling with their health become aware of nutrition habits that no longer serve them. Grasp this chance to discover the true nature of Africa and lend a hand where it is needed.
Asia
Get swept away by the beauty of the islands of Bali and the Philippines while you spread the word about nutrition and health. Help those in need on their search for a healthier more balanced life.
Top 5 benefits of volunteering
Volunteering is almost always associated with positivity. When you’re contributing to solving world hunger or working to addressing malnourishment issue, rest assured you’re contributing to a volunteer experience that is making a huge difference. Besides doing a great thing for humanity, let's take a closer look at what this experience will have in store for you:
1. Valuable Learning Opportunities
As a food and nutrition volunteer, you will learn a lot about the culture and the country you are volunteering in. Not only will you be become more aware of the health issues the area is facing but you will gain insight into what kind of help the community needs. For nutrition student volunteers, this unique opportunity can gain you extra credits. This international work experience is also bound to open doors to future job opportunities for those who wish to continue work in this field.
2. Meet other people
Are you a social creature? Volunteering projects will put you in touch with lots of people. First of all, you’ll be connecting with the local community on a profound level but you will also meet other like-minded volunteers.
3. New Experiences
Volunteers in search of something new will get to go to places they would otherwise never go to. Getting outside of the comfort zone is important for your development and will prepare you to be more resilient for future challenges to come.
4. Happiness
Research shows that a sense of purpose has a very positive influence for those looking to find happiness. Volunteer and witness the difference you are making on so many lives. Work on addressing one of the cornerstones of a healthy life and witness the positive effects of your work.
5. Travel
This is your chance to explore the world and discover some of the most interesting places the world has to offer. You’ll be doing this while contributing to a meaningful cause. What are you waiting for? Get out your luggage and start packing!
How do I get started as a volunteer for food and nutrition?
You’re ready to donate some of your time to communities suffering from malnutrition but you're not entirely sure how? First of all, have a look at the different volunteer food and nutrition programs and pick a few that catch your attention.
Once you’ve done that, let’s take a look at the first 3 steps which will send you on your way to volunteering for food and nutrition:
- Check whether there’s a match between you and the project by looking at their requirements.
- Take a look at the location of the project and decide whether it would be a location you are excited about.
- Get in touch with the organization and see whether your expectations and your schedule match up.
Once this is sorted. Let’s take a look at the practical steps:
Insurance (Health & travel)
We recommend getting both health and travel insurance. In fact, this is even a requirement for most programs abroad. Get in touch with your program contact person to find out if an insurance plan is already in place for volunteers.
Visa, Passport and Documentation
Once you know your destination, take the following 3 steps before setting off on your life-changing adventure!
- Look into the visa requirements for the country you will volunteer in.
- Make sure you have a valid passport considering the requirement of the host country.
- Prepare the correct documents to fulfill the visa application.
That’s it! You’re ready to explore some of the coolest places as you donate time to battling world hunger or educating communities about healthy food choices. Help communities regain their health by focusing on what is truly important. Healthy food combined with a balanced diet will take the human race a long way.