Q: I am interested in participating in a health volunteer trip abroad. Where do I get more information?

A: We post all the information for our current projects on our website page for volunteer programs at http://www.fimrc.org/missions/index.php Please see this page and click on a project location for full details. Our Global Health Volunteer Program is currently active at our sites in Uganda, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru, Nicaragua, and Haiti. Our sites operate year round and welcome volunteers at all times and for any duration.

Q: Can I volunteer alone or do I need to travel with a group? What are the dates for the trips?

A: We are happy to welcome both individual volunteers and groups to our sites in El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Uganda. Even if volunteers come alone, they are not sent out to perform projects by themselves. Volunteers are accompanied by FIMRC staff while at project sites. Please see the project pages for more information on the group sizes we are able to accommodate. Depending on our availability, we can reserve your space for a volunteer mission at any time during the year.

Q: I have reviewed the program information online, and I am ready to book my trip. How do I proceed?

A: Please contact Sara Schoenleber at missions@fimrc.org with the dates that you are interested in traveling, your location of interest, and any other questions that you might have. We will check the volunteer program availability and confirm your proposed dates. At that time you will receive the enrollment forms, which ask for information about food preferences, language and medical background, and housing preferences. We ask that you fill out the enrollment forms and mail them in along with your program donation prior to a deadline which we will set at the time of your initial booking. Please note that a late processing fee must be incurred for all forms and donations submitted after this deadline. Your volunteer mission can be rescheduled if needed in accordance with our availability, but the payments are non-refundable.

Q: What are the costs associated with a volunteer mission?

A: The volunteer is responsible for collecting all funds associated with the trip. FIMRC does not have the ability to pay for volunteer trips as our program funds are directed toward providing quality medical care for children in need. However, FIMRC does not want to turn volunteers away because of financial limitations. We encourage all volunteers to appeal to family and friends to sponsor them on their volunteer trip. Please contact missions@fimrc.org to request our funding template, which you can modify according to your needs and send out to potential sponsors. Many schools also offer grants to students doing community service projects. FIMRC is happy to work with volunteers to brainstorm other fundraising methods. Also, if you are a student, please investigate whether your college or university has a FIMRC chapter. Chapters provide a support network for organizing events, planning trips and fundraising.

Again, extenuating financial circumstances will be considered on an individual basis, so please do not hesitate to contact us.

Q: What vaccinations or other safety precautions should I consider before traveling abroad?

A: We refer all volunteers to the information provided by the Centers for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov/travel/ for the most up to date vaccination recommendations. Please note the different recommendations not only for the country you are visiting, but also for the region in which you will be staying.

Q: What are the pre-requisites or background required for volunteering abroad?

A: FIMRC welcomes volunteers of all backgrounds and interests to participate in the volunteer program. Volunteers come from universities, graduate programs, hospitals, and other professional backgrounds. The FIMRC staff will take clinical, professional and academic experiences into account when planning volunteer itineraries. FIMRC strives to provide quality of medical care comparable to that in the US, and therefore allows volunteers to work only in the capacity for which they are qualified in the US. If you have a strong preference for a medical focus, health education or other facet of our program please indicate this on your enrollment forms and feel free to inform our VP of Volunteer Programs. We ask that all volunteers be flexible and help out where needed at the clinic site.

Q: How far ahead do I have to/ can I plan my trip?

A: We do not have a deadline for planning your volunteer trip. However, if you do not book far enough in advance, it may be difficult for us to accommodate your requested dates, especially if they are during our peak seasons. Please contact us as soon as you can commit to your trip so that we can guarantee your spot.

Q: Should I bring medical supplies or donations of any kind?

A: Absolutely! FIMRC encourages volunteers to collect donations such as clothing, shoes, vitamins and toothbrushes. Please contact us for the most up-to-date information on a particular site’s donation needs. FIMRC and the children abroad are extremely grateful for any supplies that you might be able to bring. Some volunteers even choose to pack an extra suitcase with supplies for donation. Always check with your airline for baggage restrictions on size and weight.

Q: How do I get from the airport to the project site?

A: When you arrive to the airport a FIMRC staff member or representative will be there to greet you wearing a FIMRC t-shirt. We will also provide you with emergency contact numbers before departure, which we recommend that you carry with you while abroad.

Q: Where do I stay during the volunteer program?

A: In Costa Rica and Peru we arrange for homestays with local families.  FIMRC’s homestay coordinator reviews housing requests as indicated on the enrollment forms and places volunteers accordingly. Please explain your dietary restrictions and housing preferences when filling out the enrollment forms. Please also let us know if you are allergic to pets. All homestays are clean and comfortable, with western style toilets and showers. In El Salvador and Uganda, volunteers are housed in a hotel-style guesthouse. In Haiti, volunteers stay in a dormitory inside a private gated compound, and in Nicaragua volunteers are housed in a hotel 5 minutes’ distance from the clinic site.

Q: What will I be doing while at the project site?

A: Please see the individual program overviews at http://www.fimrc.net/missions/index.php for more information, as volunteer itineraries vary due to the ever-changing needs of our clinic sites.

Q: Is it safe?

A: Please contact us if you have any concerns regarding safety. Volunteer safety is one of our first priorities, and we want to ensure that volunteers are comfortable. We provide all transportation between the airport, the housing quarters, and the clinic site. All volunteers are housed in safe areas, and volunteers will never be at the project site at night or alone. Appropriate measures are also taken to prevent sickness from food. We maintain a full FIMRC staff presence on the ground to guide volunteers through every aspect of their visit including arrival, transport, participation at the clinic, and departure. We also distribute emergency contact information so that volunteers know exactly who to call if they are uncomfortable with a situation or if there is a complication. If FIMRC’s site staff deem any of our project sites unsafe for any reason, for example if a country is experiencing political instability or unrest which affects the area of the clinic site, we will unconditionally cancel and reschedule all volunteer trips to that site.

If there is a medical emergency FIMRC staff will assess the situation to determine where the individual can get the best medical care. For the reason of emergency preparedness, we require all volunteers to be covered under medical insurance for a minimum of $50,000 emergency medical evacuation coverage. If your medical insurance does not cover this, there are several travel insurance providers that can cover you for the duration of your trip.

As another safety precaution, you have the option of registering with the State Department for the dates of your trip.