Volunteer and Teach English in Kandy, Sri Lanka

I have gained lots of confidence from this experience. I'm not a natural leader but felt like my leadership skills were pushed out of their comfort zone to teach children English. It was difficult with the language barrier, but it taught me to improvise and reminded me of the energetic and mischievous nature of kids and what can bond us all, through dance, music and games. Don't be afraid to do something different and step outside of your comfort zone. You will discover a completely new perspective of life, meet so many amazing people and most important know that you will be making an impact to those less fortunate than you. It really made me realise that this world is full of unfairness and my fortunate life is taken for granted everyday. This is your chance to put a little bit of kindness back into the world.

The local team were extremely kind and supportive. They made sure I felt safe throughout my stay, and always messaged me in the evening as to how the volunteering went and if there was anything I needed. My favorite moment from the volunteer experience was teaching the kids how to say what their future jobs are in English. It made me so happy to hear that most of them were saying they wanted to be doctors and engineers. I will never forget this experience and am super keen to do it again next year. To know that you are providing such a big impact on these kids lives is absolutely amazing. The meals made were absolutely amazing. I enjoyed all the different types of curries.

I did three weeks of teaching in Kandy, Sri Lanka. To begin with both IVHQ and the local NGO team are amazing with communication, replying to emails fast and just generally going above and beyond in making sure you're comfortable, everything is okay and helping you in any way they can. The IVHQ team remained in touch with me in country and also once I had arrived home. The local operations manager, Hemantha, is so dedicated to his role and supportive of the volunteers, he would always assure us that he was there for us 24/7 and that we were always able to contact him if we needed him. Once arriving in country I did the one week orientation program which I would recommend if you will be there for longer than 2/3 weeks. On the first orientation day you learn about the NGO and all the projects they have on offer, there are several projects- more than what is explained on the IVHQ website, for example there are several different types of teaching projects. Personally I chose teaching village kids, teaching adults and the girls home (this is a government run shelter for orphaned or abused young girls). The work was extremely rewarding and I loved being able to immerse myself in Sri Lankan culture and get to know the culture and locals better than I would have had I just travelled in the country. The volunteer accomodation is very nice and has a nice shady garden that opens onto the Mahweli River (the longest river in Sri Lanka). This was an excellent experience, the organisation by IVHQ was amazing, the Sri Lankan people are so warm and genuine and the landscapes are beautiful.

Through IVHQ I was able to meet awesome volunteers from all over the world. Great support from IVHQ staffs since the enrollment and during the project period. IVHQ is a big volunteer organiztion so it is well organized and many interesting projects are available. I am intested in visiting another destination through IVHQ. The city Kandy was cool place to stay where authentic Sri Lankan lifestyle and strong buddism culture remains. I did the teaching for pre school kids and monks. There were texts available but every lesson kids were different in terms of age and English level so it was challenging to decide what to teach while the class in going on. But I really enjoyed it and it was what I was expecting!!

I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to volunteer in Sri Lanka with IVHQ. From the moment I began my application, I felt incredibly supported by the IVHQ staff and knew I would be in good hands once arriving in a foreign country. As a solo volunteer traveling from the U.S., I was nervous and had many questions before the trip. The IVHQ staff were more than helpful in answering my questions and easing my worries. The program itself was wonderful. I stayed in a home with a lovely Sri Lankan family and 6 other volunteers. The home was basic but comfortable and clean. I felt as though I was getting the authentic experience, which is exactly what I wanted. My program was teaching English in a local pre-school. This experience was also positive, and I really enjoyed the children and the teachers of the school. It was not always easy as the language barrier did make it difficult to communicate with the kids, but overall I felt like I was applying my teaching skills in a meaningful way. I still keep in touch with the teachers, the other volunteers, and the family I lived with. Sri Lanka will always have a special place in my heart, and I look back on this experience fondly. I highly recommend IVHQ for those considering volunteer projects abroad.