VOCA Foundation

History

The VOCA Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) organization to preserve ACDI/VOCA’s longstanding volunteer ethic and enhance the company’s standing as a pre-eminent volunteer organization. Since 1971 ACDI/VOCA volunteers have completed more than 10,000 assignments in more than 130 developing countries and emerging democracies. Professionals in agriculture and agribusiness, marketing, financial services, small and medium-size enterprise development, strategic and business planning, natural resource management, ecotourism, community development and many other fields have donated a total 1.2 million hours of expert service. In response to the tsunami disaster in Asia in December 2004, a donation from the KPMG Foundation provided funding for the VOCA Foundation’s first volunteer assignment in early 2006. Alaska volunteer David Seaman traveled to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, to assist in plans for the rebuilding of a boat-building and -repair business that had been destroyed by the tsunami. As a result of his assignment the Lampulo Boatworks is well on its way to rebuilding a successful business that will contribute to the economic development of the region.

Mission

The VOCA Foundation’s mission is to mobilize resources from private foundations, corporations and individual donors in order to expand volunteer-generated economic opportunities and maintain the volunteer ethic within ACDI/VOCA.

Staff

Charles Cox, executive director of the VOCA Foundation and a 40-year veteran in international development, joined VOCA predecessor Volunteer Development Corps in 1977 after almost nine years of Peace Corps service in three countries. VOCA was the first implementer of USAID’s pioneer volunteer-based Farmer-to-Farmer Program, launched in 1985, and Charles managed the program. ACDI/VOCA today operates Farmer-to-Farmer projects in Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, East Africa and the Horn of Africa. Charles is also the senior vice president of ACDI/VOCA’s Latin America and Caribbean Division and manager of our worldwide Cooperative Development Program, which has a strong volunteer component.

Diana Roach, Director of Volunteer Programs, comes to the Foundation with over 12 years of experience recruiting an average of 200 volunteer assignments per year for ACDI/VOCA. She manages the Foundation’s volunteer programs and is pursuing non-USAID funding support for additional volunteer program activities.