You don't have to be near to make a difference. Armin Prussner proves everyday that being far cannot hinder you from working for a cause.

With a master's degree in Applied Mathematics & Scientific Computing, Armin is part of the growing number of lives who decided to connect to the world via the Online Volunteering; a programme supported by the United Nations Volunteers programme and the government of Ireland, which allows people to share their skills online with development organisations around the world.

"I had been looking for general IT UN Online Volunteering opportunities that allowed (will allow) me to use my existing skill set for particular projects." Armin explained, when asked what made him decide to volunteer.

He has used his technical expertise in programming/designing the web-based Philippine Volunteer Statistics, Terms of Reference Generator and NUNV application system called "UNV-Apply". The UNV-Apply program is a system which UNV Philippines currently uses to organise the volunteer applications they receive everyday. Aside from that, Armin also plays a helpful role in designing and optimizing the UNV Philippines website.

For Armin, volunteering is performing a task that benefits others without expecting any financial or material reward. "The reward is the satisfaction gained from knowing one can make a difference. Often this reward is more satisfying than usual "rewards" of a regular job."

Another reward Armin enjoys is being able to put his professional skills to good use in the area of international development. The knowledge he's built up over many years in software engineering, project management and web design is shared with organisations which might not have professional expertise on the ground.

"Volunteering is my way of supporting and contributing to the international community. As access to the internet around the world is increasing, online volunteering becomes a convenient vehicle to make a difference in other regions that may have been inaccessible before." Armin says.

Armin, also part Filipino, has found helping UNV Philippines more fulfilling because of his heritage. "By coincidence I had found the UNV-Philippines posting, which certainly was more interesting given that I am part Filipino. Although I have never spent more than several weeks vacation there to visit family and friends, I feel a strong connection to make a difference in this country."

Armin believes that through being an Online Volunteer, anyone can help no matter how busy he or she is. "If you can volunteer even a couple of hours for a couple of weeks, you can make a difference via Online Volunteering. I had initially been concerned about long-term commitments given the workload at my regular employment, but there were plenty of opportunities that were short (4 weeks or less) that allowed me to give back while I have the time."

As long as he knows that "every bit can make a difference," Armin will continue giving his efforts to improve lives one website at a time.

"Knowing that one can make a difference (even remotely) keeps me motivated and inspired."

###