to experience the world and strengthen my character. After spending some time researching different volunteer opportunities, I came across the IICD website

I thought to myself, "How funny, I am waging an uphill battle in efforts to bring a continuous, daily practice of this idea into my life. Mindfullness."

happiness, fear, longing, joy, sadness, and anxiety, a lot! Mozambique is very poor and that can be seen very clearly even before officially entering the country, even at the border.

How charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.

I nodded my head in agreement as this growth is something we are all looking for; especially those of us on the mountain. A deep want and need for growth.

in Praça de Sé, Salvador, Brazil. We met the girl who was selling the acarajé, one of the traditional foods in Salvador, on the road.

Many children have repeated their grades and generally they stop going to school when they are 18 years old, even though they haven’t finish their study.

so I thought that I should contribute to the development in deprived areas to help find solutions. That's why I decided to become a Poverty Fighter!

and a sense of social and environmental responsibiity the main driving force behind our human society then, quite simply, we will not survive.

Join the Fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa!! New TCE Team starting November.

For the past year I have been telling people that I'm going to Angola. Usually, the response is "Angola!...now exactly where is that?" I don't really mind. All I knew before was that it was former Portuguese colony

It is pretty famous for the exellent example of successful environmental policy and public transportation system.

I couldn’t have gone through a better experience… so far. The people are great, the work we are doing is excellent, and the place I am living is something else.

five Poverty Fighters from IICD Massachusets. The first two weeks they made interviews with the families and created family portraits together with two Area Leaders.

We started the week off with a workshop in our garden. It hadn't had the weeds taken out in over a month. It was quite the overhaul we did on it.

We have so far traveled through three separate cities exploring them to the best of our abilities within the short period of time we have

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK5SOiQt-yY

I was so sad when I realized that I had to leave. And I am missing it so much.

Programs and activities offered are designed to improve health, reduce stress, and increase the quality of life.

My mentality before was that it didn't matter whether or not I contributed because the world would go on with or without me.

wherever we go, people stop to talk with us, and the kids are always following us and saying “How are you?!.” Zambians are poor in majority, but they are so kind and happy people.

All our movies collected under http://www.youtube.com/user/iicdmass

and our house is located right in the center. We see everything that goes on and everyone is able to come and visit us.

were really happy even though they lived in very poor circumstances. But now I understand how happiness is something really simple.

That there is terrible violence all the time. It's partly true, but I fell in love with Rio because it has lots of attractions.

Having the great view over Williamstown and the Berkshires and staying at a beautiful waterfall in the forest- it was worth the sweat and the pain.

It was time to paint one of our volunteer houses, the Bella Vista. Our painters really had a splendid view for painting.

It was just one month ago. I was there... in Mozambique... with them.

can do some teakwando or judo or something. I guess they are used to watching it on movies from China. So, when I show some teakwando, they really like it!

You just want to buy some onions and it turns into a whole adventure. People yelling “amiga” or even “chinesa” or “branca”, wanting us to wave hi, acknowledge them

We trecked through the jungle, talked to Indians, Saw a lot of animals, chickens, ducks, cows and monkey.

Here in Mozambique you will see that everything you do will have an impact in people or around you or your environment....

I don´t even think we advertised at all, it was mostly by word of mouth. Today a mother showed up with two daughters begging me to let them take the test even though more than 100 would be in line before them for these spaces.

to tell you what to do. Do it yourself. Be proactive. Be open to learn from things and people around you (everything and everybody). Communicate. Share! Live! Experience!

And now I am doing very fine here! But in the start, I worried about how I could be useful to the people here. Now I know!

Here you will find our newsletters.

In Angola it can be difficult to find variety of any kind…usually you go to an icecream stand and it’s the same flavor for all, or the same chocolate bars, crackers, whatever, wherever you go