14 April 2009

Jakarta, Indonesia: To help enhance communications about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a UN-Government project in Indonesia has turned to the expertise online volunteers can offer.

The group of 60 people engaged via the UNV Online Volunteering service is supporting the outreach activities of the UNDP and Government of Indonesia 'Target MDGs Programme' under the supervision of Daniela Jines, an on-site Spanish university volunteer engaged via UNV.

Her task was to build support and understanding of the MDGs in Indonesia by developing communication tools to inform the international and local communities. "We need international organizations to be aware of the MDGs in Indonesia to be able to channel their help accordingly," says Ms. Jines.

She had so many ideas that she realized she needed help implementing them. "I convinced my supervisor to give it a try and register the Target MDGs Programme with the UNV Online Volunteering service," she says. "We were overwhelmed by the responses of qualified applicants, as well as by their dedication and commitment."

Online volunteers redesigned the Target MDGs Programme website to make it more attractive. They designed a presentation for young audiences to be shown in schools and universities, and created a short video of best practices to help attract the interest of local communities and encourage them to cooperate with the programme.

Online volunteers also translated website texts and other documents from Bahasa Indonesian to English. Some of the translators extended their support with other tasks, such as researching information or writing articles for the website.

Once all the communication tools are ready, the 60 online volunteers will help spread information on the MDGs in Indonesia through their own networks.

Daniela Jines's guidance and support to each of the 60 online volunteers, paired with her own enthusiasm and volunteer spirit, boosted the online volunteers’ commitment. "Working with all these volunteers over the Internet was a very rewarding experience," she remarks. "I would never have imagined that online collaboration can lead to such personal relationships."

Though she will complete her assignment with the Target MDGs Programme soon, the support she mobilized through the UNV Online Volunteering service will continue. Online volunteer Andry Yudha Kusumah will take over Daniela's work and coordinate the online volunteers' contributions in close cooperation with the Target MDGs Programme.