About

Be The Change Volunteers

Was born in 2007 in Butare, Rwanda, when volunteers from around the world came together to restore a primary school deeply scarred by the 1994 genocide. Classrooms were riddled with bullet holes, roofs were caved in, windows were shattered, and children—many of them orphans—were trying their very best to learn from just a few teachers and without desks, supplies, or a safe, nurturing space. For these students, the teachers, staff, and classmates were much more than just that—they were family–and for some, the school was the only home they knew.

A group of volunteers, five young adults—three women in the front row and a woman and a man in the back row—are sitting and smiling in front of a chalkboard with the text "BE THE CHANGE" written above it.Two women are building a block wall, applying mortar in a sunny outdoor construction setting.Two people in matching green shirts shaking hands in a doorway.a classroom with a chalkboard showing math problems, where a group of adults and children are sitting at desks facing each otherA man wearing a green "Be the Change Volunteers Team Rwanda" shirt is holding a young child who is also wearing a green "Be the Change Volunteers" shirt.Four volunteers wearing matching gray t-shirts and red baseball caps pose in front of a brick building.A large group of students in uniform are gathered outdoors on a field, listening to an adult male speaker in front of a brick building. The backs of several people wearing "VOLUNTEER" shirts are visible in the foreground.Two volunteers in "Floating Learning Center" T-shirts sit smiling beside a young woman and a boy with his arm in a cast, under a wooden roof hung with balloons in Cambodia.Volunteer Maureen Quiery, in a green cap and a yellow T-shirt, kneels smiling among schoolgirls in white uniforms and navy ties in Sri Lanka in 2011.A volunteer team and community members stand beside a carved, painted sign reading "BTCV School No. 3, Brikiti Elementary School, Maprik, PNG" in Papua New Guinea.Five volunteers in green T-shirts stand behind a group of young students in purple and yellow uniforms in a garden in Tanzania.Students in blue and khaki uniforms raise their hands at wooden desks while a teacher in a white habit leads a lesson at the chalkboard of a new classroom in Rwanda.A group of volunteers, five young adults—three women in the front row and a woman and a man in the back row—are sitting and smiling in front of a chalkboard with the text "BE THE CHANGE" written above it.Two women are building a block wall, applying mortar in a sunny outdoor construction setting.Two people in matching green shirts shaking hands in a doorway.a classroom with a chalkboard showing math problems, where a group of adults and children are sitting at desks facing each otherA man wearing a green "Be the Change Volunteers Team Rwanda" shirt is holding a young child who is also wearing a green "Be the Change Volunteers" shirt.Four volunteers wearing matching gray t-shirts and red baseball caps pose in front of a brick building.A large group of students in uniform are gathered outdoors on a field, listening to an adult male speaker in front of a brick building. The backs of several people wearing "VOLUNTEER" shirts are visible in the foreground.Two volunteers in "Floating Learning Center" T-shirts sit smiling beside a young woman and a boy with his arm in a cast, under a wooden roof hung with balloons in Cambodia.Volunteer Maureen Quiery, in a green cap and a yellow T-shirt, kneels smiling among schoolgirls in white uniforms and navy ties in Sri Lanka in 2011.A volunteer team and community members stand beside a carved, painted sign reading "BTCV School No. 3, Brikiti Elementary School, Maprik, PNG" in Papua New Guinea.Five volunteers in green T-shirts stand behind a group of young students in purple and yellow uniforms in a garden in Tanzania.Students in blue and khaki uniforms raise their hands at wooden desks while a teacher in a white habit leads a lesson at the chalkboard of a new classroom in Rwanda.

What struck our founders most about the experience wasn’t the damage or deprivation, but the resilience of the students, teachers, staff and community—and their unwavering hope and relentless pursuit of a better future together through the power of education. Despite their many challenges and barriers, the students’ spirits were unbroken and their hunger to learn was palpable and inspiring. Moved to “be the change they wanted to see in the world” for this community, our volunteers raised funds, worked side-by-side with the local community and helped restore six classrooms—fully furnished with desks and ready for learning.

Those two weeks changed lives. The students felt the true impact of Hand Delivered Hope and the new opportunities that a sustainable quality education can provide. The volunteers discovered the power of showing up, serving together, and truly Being The Change, defining what it means to be a BTCV Changer.

People Behind the Change

Today, BTCV continues this mission around the world—bringing people together to rebuild schools, strengthen communities, and remind every child that they matter. Join us, and be part of something that changes lives—including your own.

Founders

Jimi Cook
Jimi Cook
Co-Founder
Cristi Cook
Cristi Cook
Co-Founder

Executive Team

Maddy Licocci
Maddy Licocci
Director of Special Education (SPED)
Thato Mabena
Thato Mabena
Director of Field Operations, Africa
Hannah Jo Evans
Hannah Jo Evans
Executive Administrator of Change

Advisors

Allie Ziegler
  • Teacher Training and Development
Antonio Pozzi
  • Organizational Development and Advancement
Bailey Womble
  • Co-Leader, Special Education
Brenda Gamble
  • Teacher’s Toolbox Lead
Deb Ford
  • Parent-Teacher and Community Engagement
Diane Lewis
  • Strategic Partnerships
Dusty Hoffman
  • Safety and Security
Eric Glenn
  • Equipping and Logistics
Erin Daugherty Burri
  • Organizational Development and Advancement
Gary Ford
  • Legal Advisor
Herb Bischoff
  • Community Development, Partner Exchange Program
Ned Williams
  • Fiscal Strategy and Management
Paul Dorr, DVM, PhD, MACE
  • Public Health
Raul Gonzales
  • Team Leader
Scott Daugherty
  • Construction
Seth Kasten
  • Team Leader
Stacie Williams
  • Special Education
Stefano Pozzi
  • Organizational Development and Advancement
Ted Kettlewell
  • Construction
Uncle Al Rohlfing
  • ALL.THE.THINGS

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