The Arms of the Starfish: Salesforce Volunteers, Malawi 2025

Who is Salesforce? 

As the story of the Starfish has spread, we’ve found more compassionate people eager to join our mission to improve water access and education in Malawi. During our last trip in June 2025, our group was expanded and enriched by the presence of eight volunteers from Salesforce. Salesforce is a technology company providing software to automate sales, service and marketing functions of companies of all sizes. Salesforce’s business presence has deep global roots, as does their outreach, because the Salesforce Employee Volunteering and Giving Programs “encourages employees to support causes that are important to them and to try and make the world a better place”. 

Salesforce’s nonprofit focus is inherently implemented into the company structure by providing the software and time for employees to dedicate to a mission of their choice. Salesforce’s 1:1:1 model allows for employees to volunteer and receive paid time off, as well as make personal charitable donations that will be doubled through a company matched donation. Locations and causes can vary widely, offering employees the chance to explore new cultures, educate themselves on different issues, and make an impact wherever they go. 

The whole crew, WASH and Salesforce, loads vans for travel. 

Why WASH for Life? 

With so many opportunities, why did this group of Salesforce employees choose WASH for Life? Jon Neustedter has been with Salesforce in Milwaukee for over 10 years; each year he partners with an organization for his volunteering time and has travelled all over, from Kenya to Haiti. Through his connection to Paul Treffert, one of WASH’s Board Members, Jon learned about our history, mission, and efforts in Malawi. Although his original intention was to donate monetarily to bolster borehole well production, Jon decided he wanted to combine what he had seen elsewhere and help Wash For Life expand their impact in Malawi. With the backing of Salesforce, the partnership would provide the Malawi trip with a new corporate monetary factor. Every $500 donation from each volunteer became $1000 with the company donation match. On top of those already generous donations, the Salesforce team was able to obtain additional grants to support WASH for Life, and one volunteer, John C., started his own campaign to increase awareness that raised $3200 among his peers and colleagues who sought to support the initiative. With the right connections at the right time, Jon put out the word for other Salesforce employees to join the 2025 Malawi trip. 

The Salesforce volunteers, donning their green shirts, walking to Agape Orphanage.

Coming Together

The remarkable thing about this group was that most of the eight members did not know each other before meeting at the airport in Ethiopia. Jon’s daughter Julia, based out of New York, joined the team; however, aside from the Neustedters, only John C. and Denise F. knew each other prior to the trip due to their involvement in BOLDforce – one of Salesforce’s many employee-led Equality Groups – a community for employees of African descent. Everyone came from completely different locations: Denise Francis from Atlanta, Anusha Katta from Philadelphia, John Chavez from Seattle, Cori Hansen from San Francisco, Maria Bustillos from Vancouver, and Farone Rasheed from New York. The group came together through internal communication and Slack channels that Salesforce uses to conduct business and encourages to help connect people with similar passions or interests regarding their volunteering efforts. Having such a broad company-wide reach multiplies faster, and often allows employees from different countries to connect as well. Additionally, when employees from different job functions and offices come together on projects like this, it helps Salesforce build community by learning about various roles and responsibilities in other disciplines; going forward from volunteering, employees then have connections within Salesforce that improve communications and operations. In their different jobs, these volunteers can also now spread the word about WASH through their office locations and networks. When the eight volunteers were finalized, Paul and Patrick helped plan their visit in coordination with WASH, to intertwine their goals with ours. 

Julia N. (front) and the rest of the Salesforce team arrive at Patrick’s farm. 

Immersive Purpose 

The goal of the Salesforce group was to try and immerse themselves in a few key locations at a time. Being in Malawi for the first time itself was a new cultural experience, and the volunteers wanted to expand that understanding by focusing their time with children in need. This meant carving out specific time and activities that would foster friendships and mentorships through activities and conversation. Jon and the rest of the Salesforce crew knew they wanted to build a program for other future Salesforce volunteers to participate in so they defined this trip as a “Discovery Visit” – a chance to figure out what activities, locations, and outreach programs they wanted to return to or prioritize for a more involved trip in the future. Some of the volunteers have already decided to return next year, with the hope that others within the company will also join them in Malawi for the first time. At each location they volunteered, the group brought donations (food, cooking supplies, education materials, etc.) and engaged with the community. They even brought over 500 Salesforce t-shirts to give out! Each day, the team came together and reviewed what would be their “Salesforce Story” - key moments from their trip they would take back with them to the company, learn from, and use to inform future trips.  

Salesforce volunteers greet residents of the Agape Orphanage. 

Focus on Agape 

(First image) The Salesforce Volunteers pose with children from the Agape Orphanage; (Second image) WASH and Salesforce members teach a dance to children in the main room of the Agape Orphanage.  

While the Salesforce team travelled alongside the WASH crew during the entirety of the trip, they spent some more focused time at certain locations, primarily by volunteering at The Agape Orphanage, a Canadian-based mission orphanage. At Agape, Salesforce members dedicated their day to spending meaningful time with the kids, both in groups and one-on-one. By reading with students, organizing puzzles, playing board games, singing and dancing, and kicking around the soccer ball, they were able to help the kids feel connected through a mutual bonding experience. The team was also able to present three months worth of food, made possible by Salesforce donations, in addition to their personal donations of 10 suitcases full of clothes, games, and toys. During their time at the orphanage, the team assessed the future possibility of funding a borehole to be shared with the surrounding farm and community. The borehole would provide not only fresh water, but support the greenhouse efforts, allow the orphanage to have a year-round garden, and help promote character-building like responsibility and self-sufficiency. 

(First image) John C. shows children from Agape something on his phone; (Second image) Denise F. goes through flashcards with girls from Agape. 

“The Ripple Effect”

Reflecting on this past summer, Jon explains that future trips would like more time to do personalized activities with the youth wherever they are volunteering. Rather than simply being present for a few hours, the Salesforce team would like to help people in ways that have more longevity by curating memories and sparking inspiration. Jon calls this the “Ripple Effect” – small impacts leading through the future, constructing a foundation of connection to be built upon. The team wants to focus on bringing the real spirit to volunteering, where what is done with the time isn’t always necessarily “productive” in the traditional sense, but is always impactful. It’s the idea that connecting with someone personally can be as impactful as providing them with physical tools. 

Jon N. smiles at the camera addressing a group of learners and community members. 

Farm Fields and School Rooms

In addition to their time at Agape Orphanage, the Salesforce team also volunteered by helping on Patrick’s farm, visiting several schools where WASH had built boreholes, and participating in classrooms at the Nkhukwa Primary School. On the farm, Patrick gave the Salesforce team an official tour of the home, animals, greenhouse, irrigation systems, and crops; they volunteered by picking tomatoes, weeding sunflowers, and preparing the feast for dinner – breaking down the chicken from start to finish. Additionally, in the spirit of future planning, the team discussed greenhouse expansion plans and how to improve aquaponic fish farming techniques. 

(First image) The Nkhukwa School Library and classroom; (Second image) Cori H. poses with tomatoes she has helped pick at Patrick’s farm; (Third image) The Salesforce team tours Patrick’s aquaponics farm; (Fourth image) Farone R. chats with a learner at Nkhukwa. 

In Nkhukwa, the Salesforce team once again focused on immersive connections by being personally involved in the learner’s experiences. The volunteers each went into different classrooms, played trivia and engaged in a cultural exchange of ideas. They also met with the teachers to discuss education in America in comparison with the challenges Malawi faces, like a lack of resources and trips for water. For Salesforce, impact on youth was a deeply personal focus, and it was critical that sharing the Starfish story meant leaning into the experience of learning about the lives of the children in Malawi. Village chiefs and a local politician gave a presentation that provided more insight on daily life in the village and the needs they are facing as a community. They were even able to meet with the first female WASH for Life borehole technician, Janet Nanthalo, and speak with her about her experience. One tenant of the borehole program is sustainability through ongoing maintenance and accountability by the community, including employing a local technician. 

(First image) The Salesforce volunteers pose with the first female borehole technician with WASH, Janet Nanthalo; (Second image) Denise F. interviews her. 

Fathers and Daughters

Jon had the special opportunity to share his experience in Malawi with his daughter, Julia. On nearly all the recent trips to Malawi, WASH members have gotten to share their experiences with family, even in multiple generations. The father/daughter combination is especially prevalent – Tom Lawry and his daughter Alyssa, Paul Treffert and his daughter, Emily, Jason Kwacz and his daughter Sophia (a GRO. girl), Steve Hamer and his daughter Shannon, and his granddaughters Charlotte and Bridget, have all journeyed to Malawi together. Colin and Nolan Hamer (of MUHS Starfish) travelled with their mom, Sarah, as well! Jon and Julia joined the ranks of these family connections in Malawi, but they were no strangers to adventuring for volunteering together; they have travelled together to volunteer in several countries with Salesforce in the past. Still, it was remarkably special for Jon to be in Malawi with Julia, especially under the new pretense of being a trip leader. Julia was already in a unique spot based on her age group and connections, which allowed her to provide a different perspective. She ended up taking responsibility for the documentation of the Salesforce trip through Instagram. It was a joy for Jon to see her “enjoy, experience, and embrace the people they met”. Sharing Malawi with Julia was a highlight of his trip, something he feels grateful to have done together through Salesforce. 

Jon and Julia with the borehole that their family donated for Nkhukwa Primary School.

Key Takeaways

From their “Discovery Trip”, Jon, Julia, Denise, Anusha, John, Cori, Maria, and Farone gathered key takeaways to use in planning future trips to Malawi. At various points in their trip, the Salesforce volunteers used their time to brainstorm ideas about how they would change, improve, or add to future visits – particularly regarding how to promote the cause and best use Salesforce software and the 1:1:1 model to elevate their impact. From being with the WASH group, they understood the more personal nature of the trip by incorporating parents and family, and are hoping to include more non-Salesforce participants in their program. One of the most important observations was learning what it was like to be a part of someone’s day-to-day life in Malawi. Connection was vital, so actively engaging was more critical than just seeing. The Salesforce team wants to put an emphasis on building global connections by really getting to know people through repetitive visits and going deeper in their conversations and interactions – truly getting a better understanding of life and joy. A new, more genuine level of understanding and vulnerability would be achievable because of these pre-existing relationships. The goal of returning would be to support the growth of the mission and open more space for these connections. Jon hopes that returners would feel commitment to further their impact by getting another group of people to go and multiply efforts. The focus would be on schools, education, mentoring students, and supporting their teachers.

(First image) Anusha K. and Cori H. pose with Papa Steve; (Second image) Maria B. smiles with children from the Nkhukwa Primary School. 

Salesforce volunteers pose with their Safari guide (middle), from left to right: Cori, Julia, Jon, Farone, Anusha, Maria. 

Connections for the Future 

For WASH and Salesforce alike, the most indelible impact of a trip to Malawi are the mutual connections built along the way. Volunteers, family, friends, local leaders, learners, teachers, technicians, first time travellers, and seasoned travellers alike were able to find new sources of joy and kinship. As challenges on the trip unfolded, the cohesion and harmony of the group proved steadfast. Trust in the group was imperative to the success of the trip, as was trust in Paul, Patrick, and Steve, for introducing them to the country and the WASH mission. As this trust was nurtured, it opened doors to life-changing experiences and unforgettable memories. Jon recalls arriving at a school for the first time as particularly enlightening. As the buses pulled up, there were a lot of people, tangible energy, and joyful screaming, all expressing a true happiness to see us! He says “you can’t understand the responses of the schools until you see it – the scale and magnitude of the experience”. 

John C. and Denise F. pose with community children at a borehole dedication. 

At WASH for Life, we are ecstatic for the partnerships of incredible companies like Salesforce and look forward to working with them more in the future. For further information on the Salesforce volunteers, please visit the “Volunteers” page on the WASH website or the Salesforce Volunteer Instagram page. 

Another beautiful Malawi sunset. 

Photos courtesy of the Salesforce Volunteer team personal photo collection via Google Photos. 

Quotes and Salesforce information courtesy of personal interview with Jon Nuestedter.