Thanks for your posting (it's nice to know that someone reads all the paperwork that we send out). This piece about copyright as been fairly similar for the past 15 years, through both HPA and VolunteerAfrica (and long before anyone even thought about blogs, let alone the world wide web).

In all that time I don?t thing we have ever felt the need to exercise our rights under this clause.

There are two reasons for having this in. The first is to make it clear to participants that taking part is about learning from being a volunteer, learning from being in Tanzania and supporting our partner NGOs. We are not keen for a volunteer?s primary motive for participation to be for them to be build their own career, i.e. photography or journalism. Having said this we have had both photographers and journalist taking part in the programme in the past but, as far as I am aware, this was never been the primary purpose for their participation. If we find we have been mislead, and someone is using the programme as a way of earning money, this clause helps us to ensure that some of benefits will make its way back to the projects themselves.

The second reason for the clause is to protect everyone involved in the programme (volunteers, partner NGO staff and villagers) from having things written about them or photos published which are unfair or unreasonable. Quite how we would enforce this in today?s world of global communications, but at least it gives us a chance!

So back to your original question! Basically posting a blog sounds great, just as long as you?re not doing it primarily as a money making venture (if you are can you let me know how you?ve managed to do this please!) or are making personal attacks on fellow volunteers, villagers or the staff of our partner agencies.

Our experience has been that the vast majority of volunteers have a fantastic time in Tanzania and can?t say enough good things about their time. As we rely considerably on past volunteers to help run the organisation we would not have lasted long if it has not meet or exceeded their expectations. Ultimately the more positive publicity we get the more we are able to help our partners in Tanzania.

Finally, once you get to Tanzania, can you copy parts of your blog to this forum as this will help let other people know what?s going on.

Hey, thanks for the exhaustive reply, Simon. Every thing you say is?confirms my thinking on this.? Obviously i see these clauses are in place to protect VA.? My primary motivation is not to further my career or make money.? It is to do something worthwhile, humanitarian and decent, whilst being an exciting challenge.? Clearly, my experiences may well lead me into developing a career along teaching and/or charity work lines, but this is a secondary motivation.?

Any blogs i write, on my webspace,?will be duplicated in email form to family and friends and, indeed, posted on this website forum, much like the first arrivals have been posting.? I am certainly keen to write about my experiences, but?not for monetary gain, just for family, friends and other volunteer's own interest.? I promise, here and now, not to divulge anything that would be derogatory or unfair to other volunteers or VA staff. That would be totally unacceptable.

My intentions are honourable.? Thanks again.

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