A meaningful, responsible, and low-cost experience of a lifetime
I'm so thankful for Kaya Responsible Travel. At the end of my college experience, I desperately wanted to go abroad and experience living in another culture both in a meaningful way for me and in an impactful way for the community. I also didn't have much money. I gravitated toward Kaya right away for their cost-efficient programs as well as their commitment to traveling responsibly (as is in their name). Kaya was very personable from the start, my advisor listened to my wishes and concerns and helped me choose a program based my interests and skillsets. It was clear that my advisor was not rushing me to sign up, but wanted to find a program that fit my needs as well as find a program who would benefit most from having me as a volunteer. My internship on Social Justice in Ecuador was more amazing than I could have imagined. The program head in Ecuador was thorough in the orientation, excited to get to know the volunteers and interns, and ready to provide assistance in any way. She explained how the money from our tuition and tourism was circulating in the local community and the importance of responsible travel. I lived with a wonderful host family and felt equally supported at my internship. My internship was assisting a local, LGBTQ+ NGO on administration and events planning and implantation. My supervisor was excited to have me and interested in any input I had. In my free time, I did lots of hiking. The program head helped answer any questions about the logistics of traveling throughout the country, which favorite places to go to, and gave suggestions on tour guides to hire. I'd highly recommend this program for anyone looking for a high-impact internship program with great in-country support.
