Taipei: TaiwanICDF, a government-funded foreign aid agency, has announced that it is now accepting applications for its annual volunteer program. This initiative aims to provide humanitarian assistance to Taiwan's diplomatic allies and less-developed nations.
According to Focus Taiwan, the agency, which is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), plans to recruit 44 volunteers. These volunteers will work in various fields including information technology, public health, veterinary science, nutritional science, nursing, health education, mental health, and epidemiological statistics. Additional areas of focus include business, translation and interpretation, English and mathematics education, culinary education, animal husbandry promotion, and waste management.
Eligible Taiwanese nationals aged 20 or above can apply for the program. Successful applicants will be deployed to one of 11 countries spanning the Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, Africa, and Central and South America for a duration of six months to a year.
In addition to the annual program, TaiwanICDF is also accepting applications for a shorter six-month volunteer program. This program seeks to recruit 10 volunteers to work on specific projects. Volunteers may work with TaiwanICDF, its partner organizations, or contribute to a project in Eswatini, Taiwan's ally in Africa, focusing on the prevention of metabolic chronic diseases. Other potential placements include projects in Kenya, Uganda, and the Kyrgyz Republic, in collaboration with Taiwanese NGO Step30 International Ministries and the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families.
The deadline for all applications is February 10. Since the Overseas Volunteers Program's inception in 1996, approximately 900 volunteers have been deployed to 48 countries.