Blog

As new revelations about abuse and harassment within our sector come to light, we at VSO have also been reflecting on what ‘zero tolerance’ means to us as an organisation.

As Chief Executive of an international development organisation, recent reports on sexual abuse and exploitation carried out by employees at aid organisations have been incredibly difficult to read and watch.  They have left me feeling appalled and at times disillusioned.

VSO-led research, as part of the One Community One Family (OCOF) project, reveals the difficulties of everyday life for many girls and women in Nepal - but also shines a light on the changing attitudes of the younger generation.

In 1956 David Hoggett volunteered alongside the founder of VSO, assissting Hungarian refugees. His brother Christopher remembers VSO in his Will. 

On 5th December we held our second VSO Volunteer Awards to recognise our volunteers from across the globe for their outstanding contribution to developing countries.

Are you a nurse or midwife thinking about volunteering with VSO? Find out about volunteer placements for nurses and midwives and the benefits to be gained.

More than 130 million girls are out of school. Many dropped out out due to pressure to marry too young, robbing them of their childhoods, their rights and their future. It's not too late to rescue them from a bleak future.

Textile artist Sally Darlington was deeply inspired by the four years she spent volunteering with VSO in Ghana. Sally sadly lost her battle with terminal cancer earlier this month, but not before talking to VSO about a life taking the road less travelled. We remember her here.

Over the past 40 years, Gwen Owen has helped raise an estimated £50,000 for VSO, supporting better education, health and livelihoods for the world's least privileged people. Gwen says collecting for a good cause isn't just satisfying, it's keeping her young.

Chris is passionate about the role volunteering can play in changing lives around the world and so has left a gift in his Will to VSO. He shares the experiences that fostered a strong trust in VSO’s legacy. 

Charles knows his time in Tanzania gave him skills that lasted throughout his life. He has generously left a gift in his Will to VSO. Here, he tells us why.

Zainab Boima and her eight-month-old son are pupils at the Teenage Mother’s School. FINE Salone and VSO run an informal school so teen mums to continue their basic education.