Manna Project International

Manna Project International (MPI) is a volunteer driven 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving international communities through holistic development. The MPI network is made up of two international sites in Ecuador and Nicaragua, twelve university campus chapters, and a growing base of volunteer alumni.

Our mission is to foster communities of talented young leaders to become the next generation of social change agents by engaging in collaborative, on-the-ground service with international communities in need. Our vision is to create communities of young leaders who help break the cycle of poverty in underserved communities around the world.

Our international sites are run on a day-to-day basis by 13, 7, and 5-month volunteers called Program Directors. Our model is a collaborative community-based approach to development. By working within and alongside communities, our Program Directors strive to promote each community's success while simultaneously learning from them. Our approach stresses holistic development, recognizing that the challenges facing these communities are multi-faceted. These challenges must therefore be addressed through a variety of disciplines, as well as a combination of direct service, local leadership, and broader policy change. Between Nicaragua and Ecuador, our Program Directors run many different community programs in the areas of education, health, and livelihoods development.

Additionally, Manna Project International offers Summer Internships of 4-8 weeks during which Interns assist the Program Directors in running the daily operations in community programs.

Supplementing our efforts abroad, MPI's university chapters serve communities near their campuses through local programs in addition to promoting our international sites by sending Spring Break trips and 4-week and 8-week summer volunteers.