CHF_VIP_ Brochure2009

8/4/2019 CHF_VIP_ Brochure2009

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Visiting International Professionals

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Visiting International Professionals – VIP™

The vice president o a U.S. cooperative bank uses his skills in housing fnance to advise city

and banking ofcials in Poland on new public-private lending models or a condominium

project. In Mongolia, a senior consultant or a global consulting frm helps local business

advisors devise strategies to grow their clients’ businesses. An epidemiologist with

internet skills helps build a database to better manage project inormation and trains

local partners in a program to reduce the impact o HIV/AIDS in Kenya.

These are actual projects undertaken by volunteers rom CHF International’s Visiting

International Proessionals (VIP™) program. Since the program started in 1998, VIP

volunteers have contributed more than 3,000 days to CHF projects in 28 countries around the

world, trading high-level skills or a deeper understanding o global communities and hands-

on experience solving problems in some o the world’s most challenging environments. This

is the kind o exchange that creates lasting impact and helps to ensure the sustainability o

investment by aligning social and private-sector interests.

Providing a Platform for Lasting Social and Business Impact Worldwide

Why Volunteer?

Since 1952, CHF has worked in over 100 countries

around the world, bringing together individuals,

organizations and the resources necessary to ensure

steady, sustainable change. CHF’s projects include local

communities and the local private sector in every step

o development, resulting in improved quality o lie,

greater stability, and increased prosperity.

VIP volunteers are an increasingly important component

o CHF projects. Past and current VIPs number over 100,

and include a ormer congresswoman, commercial bank

f i t t t ti d i

Why Send Volunteers?

An estimated 40

percent o major

corporations have

active programs or

support volunteer

eorts around

the world. Recent

research has shown that supporting volunteer programs

can increase a company’s intercultural competence and

improve their understanding o emerging markets as

well as boost its reputation at home and abroad. TheseTeaches valuable,

h d bl



C a s e S t u d i e

s : V I P V o l u n t e e r s i n A c t i o n

CHF International’s Sotware Development Unit (SDS),

located in Belgrade, Serbia, is an integral part o

CHF operations. SDS builds sotware or CHF and its

partners to evaluate the efcacy o the organization’s

projects, as well as the systems used to track its

microfnance operations. CHF and SDS are working

to transorm the SDS into a separate, independent

entity with commercial quality products and other

consulting services.

To help guide this transormation, Toby Whitney used

his experience at Microsot, and his background

in business, fnance, technology, and international

development. Working with local sta in Serbia in

2008, he evaluated CHF’s current business, sotware

and technical operations and helped build a strategic

plan or SDS’s products as part o CHF’s overall

approach to development work.

Toby WhiTney: Sftwa Dvpmt Ut, Sa

“ I loved my VIP work with CHF – it was a great hands-on

experience or learning about development and I eel like I

helped them to do important work…they worked hard to

make sure I got a lot out o it and that they were putting

my skills to good use.” — Toby Whitney

“The VIP program taught me how to approach challenges

rom dierent angles than ever beore and to be able to

communicate with anyone. My confdence and people

management skills increased dramatically.”

—Alexandria Wise

While working as a business strategy consultant or

Booz Allen Hamilton, Alexandria Wise volunteered

twice or CHF, in Mongolia in 2006 and in Sudan in

2007. In Mongolia she trained entrepreneurs andcreated a loan system based on land value — an

unamiliar concept in a nomadic society. In southern

Sudan she undertook business training o over 350

members o newly ormed cooperatives in just our

months. Most o the men and women she trained

were working rom a basis o illiteracy with, at most,

third grade education — a ar cry rom her day to

day clients in the USA.

Alexandria described her challenge: “When you entera hut with six Sudanese men with scarred oreheads

and fled teeth to give them business training, you

know you are going to have to stretch yoursel to

come up with creative, cross-cultural solutions.”

AlexAnDriA WiSe : etpu & busss Ta , Suda ad Ma

In the Republic o Georgia, where the unemployment

rate is extremely high, creating sellable handicratsrom regional materials such as wool and clay can

oer valuable economic opportunites. In partnership

with local NGOs, CHF International is providing

busness training to handicrat producers so they can

generate real income.

With 20 years experience running her own design

and manuacturing company, Cindy Owings knowsthe difculties aced by artisans trying to develop

their products and market. As a VIP volunteer in

Georgia, in 2006 Owings led workshops and trained

local artisans in techniques or dyeing raw wool,

elting and yarn spinning, ollowed by business and

market development.

CinDy oWingS : Pduct & Makt Dvpmt, ga

“ Sharing my proessional textile experience was valuable to

me as well as or those who participated…I had to think

on my eet, meaning I had to be inventive specifc to the

needs o each group I worked with.” — Cindy Owings

In 2005, CHF International began orming a

development fnance institution (DFI) in Romania, to

help bolster the country’s economy in preparation

or entry into the European Union. A major objective

was to review the outlook or micro, small and

medium enterprises in Romania and lenders to

these enterprises.

With 15 years in the production and economic

divisions o Mobil Corporation, VIP volunteer

Walter R. Arnheim oered his business acumen

and corporate governance expertise to participating

enterprises in Romania. During his time there,

Arnheim helped create a Corporate Risk

Management Policy intended to later guide the

new DFI, and advised CHF in-country sta on the

completion o the DFI business plan.

WAlTer r. ArnheiM : Dvpmt Fac isttut, rmaa

“ I was impressed with the quality and dedication o the CHF

sta in Romania ... we all worked together in a roll-up-the-

sleeves environment to get the job done. I returned home

with a sense o satisaction o having contributed to a

project that will beneft thousands o Romanians.”

—Walter Arnheim

Case Studies: VIP Volunteers in Action



For more inormation, please contact

Barbara Czachorska-Jones

CHF International

8601 Georgia Avenue Suite 800

Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA

Tel: 301.587.4700 | Fax: 301.587.7315

[email protected]| www.chfnternational.org


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Founded in 1952, CHF International serves more

than 20 million people each year, empowering them to

improve their lives and livelihoods or a better uture.

CHF currently has programs in more than 25 countries

and territories around the world, across Asia, Arica,

Latin America & the Caribbean, Europe & the Caucasus,

and the Middle East.

Our mission is to be a catalyst or long-lasting positivechange in low- and moderate-income communities

around the world, helping them improve their

social, economic and environmental conditions. Our

reputation is built on the strong relationships we

have with the communities we serve – engaging and

involving them throughout the development process

through a unique methodology that keeps control and

ownership in their hands.

Executive Summary

– CHF’s VIP program is a powerul tool or bothparticipant companies and individuals that

provides a positive return on the investment

o time and resources.

– Volunteer programs increase intercultural

competence, boost employee morale and renew

commitment to the company upon return.

– VIP volunteers contribute to CHF programs but

also enhance their own lives and careers.

Experiences gained through the challenges o theprogram provide volunteers and companies with

resh perspectives and highly developed

problem-solving skills.

– VIPs work closely with local sta, gaining a deeper

understanding o global communities, people

management and meeting business challenges in

unamiliar environments.

– Each volunteer creates a lasting impact on the

program in which they work, bringing resh ideasand enthusiasm in addition to their experience.

– VIPs come rom a variety o backgrounds and have

at least fve years experience in their felds.

– VIP volunteers have contributed more than

3,000 days to CHF projects in 28 countries

around the world.


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Documents

CHF_VIP_ Brochure2009