Imagine a job that offered opportunities on the edge of innovation -- from installing solar-powered computer labs to helping communities switch to renewable energy; from linking local entrepreneurs to global markets to developing cellphone text messaging services to answer questions about HIV.

There are real tangible benefits of international volunteering, but it takes a shift in perspective and a glance through a different lens to realize them.

On Volunteer Forever, we've integrated blogging with crowdfunding to enable survivors to use our platform to capture and share their thoughts about cancer survivorship and their journey to India to regain hope in their lives.

At its core, international volunteerism effects positive change in communities around the world that need it most.

Fifty years ago, the dream of sending thousands of Americans abroad to foster peace and prosperity became reality with the signing of the Peace Corps Act on September 22, 1961.

Back then, I wanted to be independent, and avoided anything that smacked of an organized "program". So what I am doing leading one today?

Since the Peace Corps was established in 1961, the world has changed utterly. Despite this, some fundamental things are unchanged: our world is far from peaceful and too many individuals live in need.