Help International

HELP International operates as a non-profit organization focused on empowering communities to combat global poverty through sustainable development initiatives. The organization's financial model is based on program fees paid by volunteers and interns, which cover the costs of their placements, including in-country support, accommodation, and meals.

Founded in 1999 by faculty and students from Brigham Young University, the organization began as H.E.L.P. Honduras in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch. A group of 46 volunteers initiated the effort by raising over $115,000 and dedicating four months to humanitarian aid and administering microcredit loans. This initial project laid the groundwork for what would become HELP International, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Warner Woodworth, a professor at BYU and a key figure in social entrepreneurship, was instrumental in its founding and has helped establish similar NGOs.

The organization sends volunteers and interns to countries such as Nepal, the Philippines, Peru, Uganda, and Fiji. It functions as a placement program that partners with local organizations to create and implement projects tailored to community needs. Volunteers are not required to have specialized skills to be accepted into most programs. These individuals engage in assessing local needs and developing projects in the core areas of public health, education, and business entrepreneurship. Projects have included a variety of initiatives like microfinance impact assessment, constructing adobe stoves, establishing libraries, and providing business training.

The business model centers on creating a framework for volunteers to gain hands-on experience while contributing to long-term, sustainable change. By working closely with local partners, the organization ensures that projects are community-driven and aim for self-sufficiency. This approach is designed to provide practical value to the communities served while offering a transformative experience for the volunteer participants, fostering a new generation of individuals committed to social impact.

Keywords: non-profit, volunteer placement, international development, poverty alleviation, sustainable development, community empowerment, microfinance, social entrepreneurship, humanitarian aid, global health, community education, volunteer abroad, internship program, NGO, development programs, self-sufficiency projects, community assessment, Warner Woodworth, Brigham Young University, fight global poverty