World Youth International hit the ground running in 2011. Between November 2010 and March 2011, we saw 12 Overseas Action Programs in full swing. In this time our volunteers jetted to far off places to work with local communities, completing 13 community development projects. A total of 78 volunteers participated on these programs, as well as 6 team leaders and 5 assistant team leaders, travelling to Cambodia, Nepal, Kenya and Peru.

Below are a number of first hand accounts of these programs.

Sarah Ghan, the November the Central Institute of Technology program Team Leader to Cambodia tells her story here.

Chris Hills, Team Leader for both 5 week programs to Kenya recounts his time here.

Dalice Kennedy, Team Leader on the Kenya 10 week program shares her experience here.

Click here to read Peru Assistant Team Leader Francesca Trott's story.

Last but not least, click here to read all about the Nepal OAP from 10 week participant Jane Ali.

A huge congratulations to all of our teams for their amazing work! Stay tuned for an update on the recently completed Cambodia Overseas Action Programs.

World Youth International is looking for a dynamic and passionate volunteer to lead our national volunteer program, Step Out Australia for 12 months.

Step Out Australia is a newly launched national volunteer program which currently exists in 5 states across Australia. Led by State Coordinators, each team works to support WYI's key activities including fundraising, promotions and volunteer programs.Teams are run by passionate and motivated people who are willing to STEP OUT of their comfort zones and empower others to STEP OUT of poverty globally. They meet regularly to discuss and take action on global issues of poverty and injustice, as well as inspire and motivate each other to live life passionately.

The National Coordinator of Step Out Australia will support the State Coordinators and their teams and will provide guidance and support to teams to fulfill all of their commitments. Click  here to read the full position description.

To apply please submit the Online Application Form by Sunday April 17th. If you have any questions, please email Ally Wells. The succesful applicant will receive a $2500 travel voucher to be used at the completion of their 12 month commitment.

- Ann Hoey, Nepal Sponsorship Coordinator

It is hard to believe that ten years have passed since the home first opened in 2001. We now have 31 children living at Sapana with 15 girls and 16 boys. Three of the older boys have completed their SLC (Senior Leaving Certificate) and proudly received maximum grades. They have now left Sapana Dreaming to continue on with further studies. Two of the young men have joined a campus for higher studies and are living together in a unit while the other young man has reunited with his extended family and has received a scholarship to continue his studies. A generous sponsor in Australia has provided the funding to allow them to continue on with their studies.

The Sapana Dreaming Children's Home continues to teach extra curricular activities including a weekend martial arts training program that even the youngest are involved in. As a result, the children have won a number of awards with the most recent award going to Sarita, who won a bronze medal in the Valley Wide Shito Ryu Karate Championship, where over 34 schools participated.

Click here to read more about Sapana Dreaming Children's Home and how you can be involved in the 10th anniversary celebrations!

Being personally involved in the planning and construction of our Child Rescue Centre, I know that none of this would have been possible without the help of the WYI Step Out Teams, Warren Hannah, Brendan and Annie Nichols, Jo Hall, the United Vets Group, Rotary Adelaide, generous donors and the guidance of Marilyn Chambers and Fred Mito in Kenya.

- Ann Hoey, Nepal Sponsorship Coordinator

We are looking for new sponsors for our school in Nepal and we need your help. The Nepal school year begins early April 2011 and we have ten new students and four existing students who need sponsors. I would love more than ever to find sponsors for the existing four children as soon as possible so we have a clean slate for the new children in April. These children have been searching for sponsors for nearly 12 months. Click here to find out more about these children and how you can help.

For three weeks over January and February this year, I was given the opportunity to visit and observe two of my Overseas Action Programs in progress. I spent two weeks in Nepal and one week in Cambodia, and had the most incredible time in both countries.

Upon arrival in Nepal, my wonderful In-Country Coordinator, Sanjaya Tripathee, introduced me to the sensational sights and sounds of Kathmandu. I spent a couple of days in the big city, visiting Hindu and Buddhist places of worship and enjoying traditional Nepalese food, before heading out to meet the OA group in the rural community of Jhagare Danda in Kavre. Jhagare Danda is a very small village which is located on the side of an enormous and picturesque hill. I stayed with an incredibly warm and generous host family, and worked with the group as they completed their construction project - two new classrooms for the local Pancha Kanya School. Along with a number of individual projects (including a women's health clinic and community fun day), I was kept very busy but enjoyed every single minute of it.

After two weeks in Nepal, it was time for me to head to Cambodia. I spent six VERY memorable days with the OA team in Siem Reap. I was able to spend time with the group on the worksite at the Krabei Riel Primary and Lower Secondary School, where we all chiselled, hammered, sanded and lacquered to our hearts' content! I visited the famous temples of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom and spent some time with our incredible partner organisation, This Life Cambodia. The week absolutely flew by and before I knew it, I was on my way home to Australia again.

My trip to Nepal and Cambodia was truly invaluable; being able to spend time with my OAP participants and team leaders and receive direct feedback about the programs was just fantastic. I learned so much from every single person I encountered. I hope I'll be given the chance to visit more of my OA groups again in the future!

Thank you to all our donors who generously donated to our projects in Nepal including our Organic Garden, Women's Small Business Start Up, School Supplies and a Blanket and Teddy projects.

Through the support of Ben Gough and SathSath in Nepal, much has been gained by these projects undertaken. Click here for further information and reports on our projects.

Rachel Sakurai travelled to Nepal with WYI in 1999. For the last 11 years Rachel has sponsored a young boy named Sukra. Now a mother of two, Rachel has written a children's book to help support education in Nepal. Click here to find out more of Rachel's story.

World Youth International would like to thank Step Out South Australia, in particular State Coordinator Dan Broadbent, Assistant State Coordinator Maddie Collins, Isabel Wheeler and Francesca Trott for their involvement in last year's Trailblazer event. World Youth International received $9780 to go towards the Odede Child Rescue Centre from Rotary Adelaide.