November 23, 2020
By Edward Lewis

Since 1972, JOA has provided the opportunity for islanders to volunteer overseas as part of a Community Work Project (CWP). JOA’s CWPs are usually launched annually, in or around October.

This year, a team of 28 islanders were due to travel to Lebanon in May 2020 to provided one-to-one care to underprivileged people suffering quite profound physical and mental disabilities. Similarly, a group of 14 were due to support the construction of a community building in rural Nepal in October 2020. A team of 12 islanders were also due to travel to Kenya in February 2021 to support the construction of a sand dam that would provide a subsistence farming community with a reliable, year-round water source.

However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, each of these CWPs have been postponed. It is hoped that these projects will be possible in 2021/22, and that the initial teams will have the opportunity to partake. It is currently not possible to determine when it might be possible for these CWPs to take place. Once new project dates have been agreed, the initial teams will be advised and invited to participate.

In the event that additional volunteers are required, JOA will invite islanders to apply for the opportunity to volunteer on a CWP.