Please consider volunteering with ECOVA MALI.  So far we have been very fortunate to receive the invaluable help of several volunteers. Volunteering with us can take many forms.  We are grateful for your interest and open to your proposals of how you might help.

Below is a list of some of the things you can do as a volunteer that would help us tremendously:

FUNDRAISING:  Fundraising is vital to the success of ECOVA MALI.  We can provide you with the information and materials you'd need to host a fundraising event.  Searching for suitable grants and foundations to appeal to is also very important in our fundraising efforts.

OUTREACH, NETWORKING, and MARKETING: Outreach, networking, and marketing are incredibly important to our efforts.  The more we can get our name out there the more recognition and attention we will receive, which translates into more funding opportunities and opporunities to other organization support.  As soon as more of our products become available for sale, we will need to develop a customer base, which you can help with in many ways.

WORKING/INTERNING AT OUR TRAINING CENTER: There is so much to be done at our training center.  The vision is for the training center to become a working model of sustainable agricultre and for it to also become a major financial engine to support our on-going efforts through the sale of produce, meat, fish, and value-added goods. 

Volunteering and/or interning opportunities will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.  Contact Greg Flatt directly via email if you are interested at greg@ecovamali.org and attach a copy of your resume and a letter of interest.  If we feel like you would be a good match, our staff would be happy to host you in exchange for your hard work.  We have modest accomodations available and Korotimi, our resident cook, prepares delicious traditional meals using as much of our own ingredients grown/raised on site as possible.  Ideally you need some basic French skills, experience gardening, a willingness to watch and learn, and a good sense of humor. 

Below is a running list of our fantastic volunteers and what they have done.

• Kenyon Acton, a student at Marlboro College designed our logo and helped out compiling information for application for 501c3 non-profits status.  Thanks Kenyon!
• Lindsay and Brian, the creators of "Loopsites", volunteered their skills and deisigned our awesome new website.  Thanks Lindsay and Brian!
• Friend and former Mali Peace Corps Volunteer, Jen Leahy, just returned from a trip to Mali and visited our new training center.  She has taken many wonderful pictures, some of which are on our "Gallery" page.  Others are featured in our greeting card sets, which will soon be available for sale in our shop.  Thanks Jen!
• We hosted our first international volunteer this year, Ellie Price, who hails from Devon, England.  She lived  on-site and worked in the gardens every day for 2 months!  She made friends with staff and local community members, learned some basic Bambara, received a Malian name, and adapted easily to the the life of rural Mali.  We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Ellie (aka Awa Traore) for her hard work, good nature, and valuable contributions to our ongoing work at the training center.  I ni ce, Awa!  I ni baara!