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IVHQ Volunteer of the Year Finalists Announced

International Volunteer HQ is proud to share that Kristian Braeuer (AUS), Carolyn Eggart (USA), Hana Kitamura (AUS), Cara Lawler (USA), Zac Lanza (UK) and Vin Kebblewhite (AUS) are the IVHQ volunteers who have been selected as finalists for the 2014 IVHQ Volunteer of the Year Awards.

IVHQ Volunteer of the Year Finalists 2014

As part of the awards, IVHQ is investing a total of US$11,000 from the IVHQ Fund in projects developed by these volunteers, which have been designed to build self-sufficiency and bring sustainable change to developing communities abroad.

With an alumni network of over 35,000 international volunteers, the 2014 IVHQ Volunteer of the Year Awards attracted close to 200 nominations from which IVHQ has selected a group of six finalist volunteers. Ranging in age from 22 to 38, these volunteers have demonstrated exemplary commitment and inspiring initiative to continue their contributions to developing communities abroad after volunteering with IVHQ.

From building homes and developing sustainable business opportunities for families in Tanzania, to supporting the education of children from low-income families in rural Cambodia, these IVHQ volunteers have made life-altering commitments to bring sustainable change to developing communities abroad.

A total of USD 11,000 will be awarded among the finalists with the donation amount depending on the number of votes received from the public. Voting opened this week and will run for a period of two weeks, closing at midday NZST on Tuesday 12 August, 2014.

All of the finalists have outlined how the award money will be invested should they be presented with an award and after receiving over 11,000 votes in the inaugural Volunteer of the Year Awards in 2013, IVHQ is confident that there will be no shortage of support from the international community for this year’s finalists.

“Through sharing the visions our finalists and empowering the wider IVHQ community to determine how the award money will be invested, we look forward to supporting the efforts of our finalists alongside our in-country partner organisations,” says Dan Radcliffe, IVHQ Executive Director.

To meet the IVHQ Volunteer of the Year finalists and cast your vote, visit our Volunteer of the Year page.

How to get started

Pick a destination + project and apply for free
Meet your personal volunteer travel expert
Pay the Registration Fee to secure your place and upgrade your MyIVHQ account
Get ready to volunteer abroad, we’ll support you every step of the way!