I had not been familiar with the concept of online volunteering until an article I read yesterday in the newspaper. This idea is growing as more Internet access becomes available around the world; it is especially popular among African and Latin American organizations needing assistance. One volunteer group in San Francisco, California helps volunteers learn about online and onsite projects. They can build websites, translate documents, prepare training manuals, or mentor teen-agers from a computer hundreds or thousands of miles away. Last year, 14% of the group's volunteer opportunities were virtual, as opposed to just 1% in 1998.

The idea may not be practical for everything, however. For example, you have to be physically present to serve food to the homeless or coach a baseball team (two examples from the article). You can, though, order the food or reserve the baseball field from your computer. Online volunteering may not be for everyone because it takes real time, not virtual time; it is also a commitment. It is a good option for flexibility as a disability, a work schedule, or a budget might eliminate time to travel.

One volunteer I read about is helping West African farmers in the country of Cameroon; she gets feedback every other day from the country. Another volunteer recently spent time translating documents for a refugee group's newsletter. Volunteers and the organizations they help generally communicate by e-mail or instant messaging, not often by phone. A research assistant for an international poverty center in Brazil was initially unsure of online volunteering but has seen positive results. He hired volunteers from an organization to translate the English, Spanish, and French languages, and who were educated in specific subjects. He also saves money by not needing office space and other support.

I guess it goes to show that in the 21st century, no matter where you are in the world, you can truly make a difference in people's lives, even at the click of a mouse.