“I’m constantly scanning the internet for news about Nepal.  Given the somewhat dearth of information I’ve found that one of my roles, as a volunteer, is to try to further educate others regarding various perspectives on this part [Nepal] of the world.”

Q. Why do you feel it is important to share your story with the UK public?  

My feeling is that people, unless they’ve lived overseas, not just as a tourist, don’t necessarily understand what is happening in other countries.  VSO has given me an incredible opportunity to live and work overseas, to become a world citizen, to do my small part.  Given that I love to write I want to help educate others, who can’t do what I’m doing.  Often people don’t understand why a specific country’s budget should be used for foreign aid.  By telling “my and other’s stories” I can communicate as to how foreign aid is put to good use through a people 2 people connection, volunteering - , not just through aid where monetary donations could result in a financial dependency.  aid.  Foreign aid does not have to be used for military purposes but can be used to help us all understand one another a bit better, to make us see how we are all part of one big family, hopefully to understand our interconnectedness and why we need to help one another. 

Q. How important do you think it is for the UK public to hear the real situation from people directly affected by poverty? 

My feeling is that it is vital to hear from “people on the ground” who are experiencing what it is like to live in a totally different environment.  Watching and reading about what is occurring on an international level is quite easy to do, but my feeling is that it’s the “human interest stories” that really impact us all, makes us more empathetic.  I know that when I hear a story about a real person and what they are going through in their life I can feel more of a connection to my life and want to do more to help, i.e. to be of service.  Through my writing, media articles and blogs I’m able to help  give other people a voice, when I’m living and working with them.  On some level it makes things much more real. 

Q. How do you find inspiration for your blog posts and stories?   

I walk around with a small pad and a pen and am constantly aware of my surroundings.  Because I like to write my senses are always heightened for what is happening in the world around me.  It could be just walking down the street or riding on a bus or listening to a conversation.  Everyone has a story which they want to tell, but maybe feel somewhat afraid or uneasy doing this.  Everywhere one looks there are stories to tell, it just takes being in the moment and interested in others and the world around us. 

Q. What do you hope to achieve through your blogs? 

I write for myself because it’s one way for me to express what I’m thinking or feeling.  It’s great if other’s read what I write, but given that blogging is so easy to do, and there is so much on the net, I don’t care to have high expectations when it comes to others reading what I write.  However I’m happy if someone reads what I write and this helps them to think about an issue or situation from a different perspective. I also write for local publications, Himalayan Times, Repubica and Business 360 and I’m always happy when someone provides feedback, that I’ve made some point which they appreciated.  When I read articles, I always try to e-mail the author in order to give them feedback.  It’s something like creating a dialogue with people whom you don’t really know, but can reach through our shared life stories.  For me it’s again really fantastic to be able to connect with others and share experiences and blogging helps me to do this. 

Q. What makes a good story to pitch to the media?

I’ve found that the best stories are the ones where I write about my experience and connect a story about a person living in Nepal.  I write a lot about disability because I coach the Nepal Army Wheelchair Basketball Team. I’m passionate about basketball and disability, again thanks to my VSO experience in India, and this comes through in my writing.  If your empathy for others can come through in your writing, this will make a good story.

Q. What makes the media publish your stories?

It’s all about building relationships.  I negotiated a bi-weekly column in the Himalayan Times by organising a press meet where one of the editors of Himalayan Times came. The column focuses on partnerships with organisations with a development remit where there are a vast amount of stories to be told.  For Business 360 a guy who did the annual report for the Community Self Reliance Centre where I volunteer, said that he worked for this company and suggested I write for them.  I asked him to provide introductions and then I met with the editor.  For Republica, one of their reporters introduced me.  I am now hoping to be introduced to the editor of another monthly Nepali magazine and will write something, if possible, for them as well. 

It comes down to developing relationships, which makes it much easier to get stories published.  I work really hard at developing relationships and this pays off.  People are interested in a “bideshi’s” or foreigners experience of their culture.  I recently wrote an article about my experience of the Deshain holiday and I got a half page spread in Republica with a huge picture.  Be sensitive, be honest, and other’s will want to read what one writes. 

Q. What tips would you give to other VSO volunteers to help them write for the UK media and/or their blogs to reach a wide audience?   

Choose stories that mean something to you, something which you’re passionate about and this will come through in your writing.  Also have others read your story before you post to critique what you’ve written.  I do this quite a bit with an Indian friend.  But also believe in what you write and the stories that you want to tell others.  I’m always looking for interesting stories to read, to help me understand the world. Besides Huffington, I post my blogs on a number of sites, facebook, sharing4good.org, twitter.  Let your friends and family know that you blog, my dad sends my blogs to all of his friends. 

Q. What could we achieve if all VSO volunteers shared stories of international development in the UK? Do you think we could bolster support for overseas aid and volunteering?   

If more people wrote their stories, my feeling is that it would help people in the UK to really understand development through a people 2 people connection.  I’m not sure if this would translate into more support for aid, but certainly it would further demonstrate to the public how volunteering, through people with experience, can make a huge difference and build capacity.  It’s not only the formal volunteering, but is more about how we interact with others and develop friendships in our free time.  I feel that I do so much in helping Nepalis/Indians to understand that westerners really do care about other countries, that they are not just,  “ugly Americans”.  I know that I’ve “touched” so many people and they’ve “touched” me in ways that I might not know for years, from the younger Nepalis who I talk to about education, to the People with Disability who I meet and I bring this back to westerners whom I meet and they begin to understand a bit more.  If I’m given  the opportunity I would speak with politicians in my home country, also helping them to further understand what types of foreign aid makes the most sense to make the world a better place.  

Read Michael's blogs atwww.sharing4good.org or www.michaelrosenkrantz.blogspot.com. 

About VSO: VSO, Voluntary Service Overseas, brings people together to fight poverty through the lasting power of volunteering. We work alongside communities worldwide to create positive change. Our programmes are in some of the world’s poorest countries reaching millions of people through improved access to services in education, health, HIV/AIDS, disability, and governance. VSO’s vision is of a world without poverty, but we can only achieve this by working together. To find out more, visit www.vsointernational.org