Organization: Amizade

All Photos Amizade encourages intercultural exploration and understanding through community-driving service-learning courses and volunteer programs. Amizade inspires individuals and communities through worldwide service and learning.

Focus Areas:	Arts, Children, Disaster Relief, Economic Development, Education, Environment, Health, Human Rights, Poverty, Conflict Resolution, Gender & Equality
Countries Served:	All 11 countries: Bolivia Brazil Germany Ecuador Ghana Ireland Jamaica Mexico Poland Tanzania, United Republic of United States   Summary by region: Latin America & Caribbean Europe Africa Northern America

Description of Services:
Sharing Culture Through Service At the heart of the cross-cultural service experience is the belief that bringing cultures together creates understanding, compassion, and sense of purpose in people. As our world becomes increasingly globalized, we are more aware than ever of the connection and commonalities among human beings the world over, yet cannot often connect to each other in ways that go beyond the snapshot, the news article, or the clip on TV. With Amizade, service is the means for connecting people to the world. Communities share their knowledge and culture with Amizade participants (and vice versa) while working on sustainable projects with the power to impact their communities for years to come.
History:
Amizade Means Friendship Friendship is a simple yet incredibly powerful thing. We are inspired by the vision that communities around the world can connect with each other to meet needs and create change. Through these partnerships, friendships are cultivated that break down stereotypes and build all of us as members of the global community. Since its inception in 1994, Amizade has helped more than 4,000 volunteers aged 13 to 89. Amizade continuously addresses pressing global issues by connecting volunteers with communities. Volunteers explore, serve, and better understand themselves and others. Host communities gain an improved infrastructure as well as a chance to share traditions and ideas with volunteers from another culture.
Accomplishments & Progress:
Amizade volunteers tutored Navajo and Jamaican children in multiple subjects such as math, reading, and history. Amizade removed nearly two tons of refuse and barbed wire from the OTO Dude Ranch in Montana. Amizade built a hospital in a rural Bolivian community of 4,000 people. The hospital now serves 11 surrounding communities as well. Volunteers built an orphanage in Bolivia that serves over 40 children. Amizade will continue to ensure access to their healthcare. Amizade built a vocational center for street children in the Brazilian Amazon which teaches carpentry, sewing, silk screening and electronics. The center has reached over 1,000 teenagers.