Kaya Responsible Travel

I lived in Quito for 6 weeks working at the Equidad for short, a center for LGBTQ + members. I worked on my Spanish and helped the community as a desk person. I traveled on the weekends to beautiful spots like the Galapagos (which you can only travel to from Ecuador) & Baños.

I interned at MPLUS Foundation for two months this summer! I thoroughly enjoyed my time here as an intern and am so appreciative for the opportunity to gain knowledge, exposure, and experience by watching, learning and participating in the inner workings of this foundation. I learned about the importance of sexual health, HIV and STD prevention services, and how important it is that these services are accessible for people. I have seen the value and emphasis MPLUS places on reducing stigma and discrimination, which I believe is so profound and pertinent. I also think it is wonderful that MPLUS is a community-based organization that provides comprehensive people-centered services that are free! I felt positively impacted by having the opportunity to intern at MPLUS. I hope to take what I have learned and observed here, such as accessibility, affordability, decreasing stigma and discrimination, and operating as a community based organization whose sole purpose is to serve the people, back home to America, and implement each of these in my future career role. Everyone here at MPLUS has been so welcoming, kind, and sweet! Getting to know everyone and building relationships has been one of my favorite things while being here! I am grateful for the support that everyone has provided to me while I was an intern at MPLUS and for being the best people with the kindest and most considerate hearts!

My internship in Morocco through Kaya was amazing and was a very valuable experience for me. However, improvements can be made in the administration. I was given a brief overview of my internship before arriving (location, supervisor, responsibilities, etc.) But I was assigned to a different location upon my arrival. It wasn't until almost two weeks into my visit when I was able to start working. The housing accommodation had many pluses and minuses. There was no kitchen access, privacy, or refrigerator space, air conditioning, etc. However, the location and design largely made up for it. I was fine with this, but wish that the accommodations were better explained to me before arriving so that I would have better prepared. If there are fixes in the administration and a more in-depth description of the program/housing would have made an already amazing experience greater.

I travelled to Vietnam for an intern placement for 2 months. The program set me up with a host family, work, and a buddy system. The program could have done better to set up community within the cohort group and the buddy system. It could have also done better with checking in for health and safety - they bought me a phone but only a one month data plan and I didn’t know that so my phone stopped working after 1 month and I couldn’t read the message about renewing the plan because it was in a foreign language. I would recommend the experience if you have the initiative to explore on your own and want ample time for self-reflection.

I am a mature volunteer, and enjoyed the opportunity to live and work with an incredible group of young people, from varying backgrounds and with diverse ambitions! And that was just my fellow volunteers! The Program provided me an unforgettable experience working directly with young women, and local community on varying activities. My highlight was assisting facilitation of a six week family planning session, with an engaged and committed audience of women and men, sharing their stories and providing them with information which could literally change their lives.

Even though I was unfortunately by my self through some miscommunication throughout the program. I had a great time with my host family and the workers on the farm! They really made up for it and was able to support me throughout the whole time!

The turtle project in Ostional. Kaya was helpful with helping me discover the program and lineup my multiple volunteer positions. Ostional and my host family were wonderful. I got to witness an arribada wiry thousands of turtles on the beach too!

Voluntariar en junquillal es una experiencia que cambia vidas. Se conoce gente nueva todas las semanas y te permiten involucrarte verdaderamente en lo que es la conservacion de tortugas, ya sea dando informacion sobre las especies de tortuga o su conservacion hasta trabajos practicos. Si bien estos trabajos son fisicamente demandantes, son extremadamente gratificantes. Me voy con una experiencia inolvidable a mi casa, grandes aprendizajes y con lazos muy fuertes con gente de todas partes del mundo. Muchas gracias.

My trip to Swaziland for 5weeks with Kaya was absolutely life-changing and perspective altering! I decided to do it in between my sixth form years and have returned to school with so much more confidence, motivation and experience! I made such special connections with the children I taught, the locals that I met and the staff that helped me both from Kaya and from the organisation that helped me while I was in Swaziland. The staff that worked in my accommodation and that organised my project were truly amazing and were pratically surrogate parents and siblings to me while I was there. Anele and Piwe, two young ladies that worked in the accommodation bonded with our volunteer group and made special effort to show us around all of their favourite spots to relax and eat and have fun and were always there for us to talk to. I got the chance throughout my stay to interact with locals and the people of Swaziland, see many different areas (from the capital city to the countryside for ziplining!) and learn so much more than I ever could have through books and websites. So many beautiful landscapes and people live in my head rent free and I often try to reimagine them while I'm in the midst of my day-to-day bust life. Once I had settled in my placement the pace of life and culture was so amazing and something I wish I could experience at home too! The volunteers I met while I was there have become life-long friends, bonded through being thrown into a strange situation altogether and despite all living in different countries, we have met up twice since returning home! I am also in touch with some of the students I taught, the teacher at my school, my friends I made from Swaziland and even my taxi driver!! I absolutely adored my experience abroad and Kaya made it so so easy for a first time traveler like me! I was guided step by step through everything necessary for my trip and despite my total lack of experience the trip was pulled off without a hitch. My advisor Sheila was so so kind and always quick to respond when I had any queries or concerns. My trip will definitely form a huge part of who I become and have a special place in my heart. I cannot thank Kaya enough for making it the experience it was! Thank you! Meg :)

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.

The Treak Community Centre is an amazing place for any traveller young or old. The administration is ready to help with any situation or need that comes your way, and the staff at the centre are some of the most welcoming group I have ever met. This program offers cultural immersion and an enjoyable volunteering experience that I would recommend anyone to try.

Volunteering in Junquiall has been great fun, it's an eye-opening experience and you'd have to be prepared for hard, physical work but it's worth it when you get to see baby turtle hatchlings and large females laying their eggs. The accommodation is basic, there are no home comforts that most people would be used to but its expected considering where you're based. It's a 20 minute walk to the beach which can be tiring when you're walking to and from the beach multiple times a day but there are plenty of opportunities to relax and rest. Weekends are kept free giving volunteers the option to travel close-by or stay at the project to explore the local area and help with tasks if desired. Staff are knowledgeable and passionate, there is a lot of time to learn and absorb from them. Overall, a wonderful experience to get stuck into a wonderful conservation project doing great work to help turtle populations.

I really enjoyed my time in this program! It was a great way to become more independent by traveling solo while also being supported by a very resourceful team. I also was able to learn a lot about the healthcare system in Ecuador which led me to reflect more on the way that the healthcare system functions in my home country.

I enjoyed the online Buddy Chats a lot more than I've expected! They bring such positive energy to the internship experience and it is nice to get to know someone of the same age. I hope to keep in touch with them and even visit sometime in the future!

I think my greatest achievement from the remote internship was just connecting with my mentor. She was able to really help me understand the ins and outs of her work and I came away with a lot of information and insight into my career path.

I thought that my placement combined both my majors really well (Spanish and Environmental Science). The work I was doing was also close to what I want to do as a future career, so I thought it fits my passion and needs very well. I thought it was really beneficial to talk to young adults that lived in Ecuador. We could all share our life experiences with each other. Through the course, my greatest achievement was conducting a presentation about oceans and climate change, completely in Spanish, to about 50 students.

Participating on the remote internship gave me a great experience to build connections with a lot of people I worked with and that was one of my favorite parts of the program. It was also a great achievement for me to design a comprehensive workshop during the internship.

I loved the online buddy chat aspect of my virtual internship as it was nice listening to personal experiences and stories from my colleagues who are based in Ecuador. I am also proud that I was able to create a model prototype of an artificial spleen.

I was given the opportunity to meet so many different people from all different backgrounds and the ability to form these unique connections with them left me extremely dedicated to my goals throughout the internship. I'll cherish these memories forever!

The online cultural workshops and buddy chats were the unique aspect that made this virtual internship so special. It taught me so much more about Ecuador and Ecuadorian life than I expected to gain from this internship. It is a life-changing experience!

My favorite element of the remote internship is how flexible it was and being able to interact with a diverse group of people and finding out that we all may have different lives but have many interests in common. It was also an achievement for me to put together work reports and host a webinar. Also, GlobeSmart helped me evaluate myself as well as the people I worked with.

It was such a great remote internship experience for me as I was able to get involved in different sides of qualitative research. It was also fulfilling to learn how to code through the course of the internship. The buddy chats and cultural worships were culturally engaging. It was very helpful to me, that they have the cultural workshop sessions recorded because I did not miss out on anything even when I have meetings clashing with the timing of the workshops.

Every online cultural workshop was fun and engaging. I enjoyed that every workshop focused on something new and our leader promoted participation all the time. I really enjoy the online Buddy chats and talking with my buddy. We both have so many similar interests.

My buddies from the Buddy chat aspect of the remote internships were wonderful and are very knowledgeable about the culture of South Africa. Also, my favorite part of the internship was the project placement as I learned a lot about public health research.

My favorite part of the internship was the people. It was a great opportunity to talk to them. I saw how committed they were to better their lives and others' in the community. I really learned a lot from the ground team and the people I worked with and I love them! It was also exciting to have met my chat buddies who were lively and I've made friends with a lot of people too. The cultural workshops were really educational and super fun. I can sense how the ground team has put in a lot of effort to organize the placement. I am happy to have completed the scoring system for my host organization which would help build good relations amongst the people in the organization.

I have met new people through online buddy chats and we've made group playlists to share our different music styles, exchanged photos from our hometowns, and shared crazy stories about our countries. I have really learned so much from the experience!

I loved getting to know people on the ground team. I had so much fun and I felt like I was there in person being able to talk with my chat buddy She made the experience great and I loved getting to know her. I learned various things concerning politics, demeanor, habits, etc.

I absolutely loved working with the students and the ground team on the internship program. I was always excited to see them learn and every online session with them puts a smile on my face. I find the Vietnam culture very interesting and I really enjoyed learning more about it!

Completing the placement has helped me gain personal growth and insight as an employee in the near future on a remote work arrangement. I've always looked forward to doing the online workshops and cultural sessions as I learned more about a new culture. I also loved it as I have gained new friends during the sessions especially during the isolation experience during COVID times.

My favorite element from the experience was learning and understanding parts of the online internship from various professionals' and students' perspectives. I enjoyed the check-ins with my supervisor and I appreciate that there was open communication.

I loved the Buddy chats part of the remote internship ! My buddy is so kind and caring and I have learned a lot about Moroccan culture through her. Also, I am proud that my group has written a policy paper that will be sent to the Moroccan government in several languages.

I am super delighted to work with Kaya Responsible Travel on this remote internship program. I also find the Globesmart tool to be very useful and helpful because it allowed me to see how my personality lines up with that of the country I am working with.

The online cultural Workshops have been the highlight of my internship placement! For a long time, I have wanted to travel overseas and experience different cultures around the world but through the workshops, I was able to learn new languages, food, etc.!

The online cultural workshops were the best part of the program because I feel an urge to visit South Africa after every single session. I also loved the online Buddy chats as my buddies were kind, funny, understanding, and were very patient with me.

Coming here I didn't have any experience in volunteer work at all or going on a journey on my own for that matter, so you could say that I was quite nervous about it. You read these amazing stories about others that have been there, telling you that "It is the best thing they've ever done" and "That it was such a life changing experience", and you wonder if and how much of this will apply to you. So, you are now reading this review just as I did with others a couple of weeks ago and I am going to say the exact same thing: It really ís one of the best things I've ever done and it really hás been a life changer for me. The Antelope Park is very well organized, and they will do everything in their power to help and support you in any way they can. Especially Rosine, the volunteer and community’s manager, made sure that I had the time of my life and that I got to make the trips that I really wanted! All the staff with whom I had the pleasure of meeting and working with are also such nice and amazing people. They really made me, and the other volunteer’s part of the big and warm AP family and I want to thank every single one for that! Besides working with these lovely people, I also got the chance to work and interact with the incredible African Wildlife that I adore so much. During your stay it feels like you are on a nonstop safari! Herding the Elephants was jaw-droppingly amazing and one of my favorite activities next to the lion hunt and watching the lion feed!! This experience has brought me so much. Aside from the extra set of laugh lines (I just couldn't stop smiling), I also learned a lot about myself as a person and for that I am forever grateful.

I loved that I got to know my students one-on-one. I had a lot of fun and made new friends! I've gotten much more comfortable conversing in Spanish. Also, everyone was very helpful when I needed assistance.I hope to eventually visit Ecuador, but for not having been there I feel very knowledgable about the culture.

My favorite part of the program was doing work online since I prefer to do work remotely. My greatest achievement is the webinar video and the guidebook I created for it. It was very educational and looks very good! I also find the globesmart tool a great idea!

"It was such a fulfilling experience and I learned so much about SA laws. I also loved working with Aleck he provided interesting tasks and was easy to work with! I loved getting to know people on the VA Corps team. I had so much fun and I felt like I was there in person being able to talk with Kuselwa. She made the experience great and I loved getting to know her. I learned various things concerning politics, demeanor, habits, etc. Only thing that would have made it better is if I was able to go to South Africa. But for a remote experience it was amazing! My greatest achievement was either the research paper on the abuse of foreign domestic housemaids or the letter of intent I wrote concerning train accidents."

I really love the workshops! They are a lot of fun and educational. I like hearing from the Vietnamese buddies, it is always interesting to know what they are thinking/what they want to share. I’ve really enjoyed my internship! There is a lot of interesting and varied work from creating infographics to proofreading documents to captioning and subtitling videos. I’ve personally learned how to manage time and stress better because of the volume of work I’ve done both for my placement, plus school and everything else.

To those who are looking into joining a virtual internship I'd like to tell you that Kaya offers a variety of options for the programs that may fit according to your field of interest. The program that I participated in had just the right pace load of assignments given which was great.

I absolutely love working with the local team and the individuals the placement helps! It puts a smile on my face seeing them learn and seeing them so excited to learn! I really enjoy the cultural workshops and learning about the culture of Vietnam, it is so interesting to me!

What would I say to others thinking of joining a remote internship? Stay open-minded, flexible and grateful. Your open-mindedness will get you started, your flexibility will get you through and your gratefulness will help you cherish this unforgettable and unique experience of a virtual internship.

My greatest achievement was creating a website for the organization I was working with. I liked working with the other intern at my organization during the process as we worked well together and it was great to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Also, the cultural workshops have been great and very informative.

To those who are looking at joining the virtual internship, I would say DO IT!!! You will learn a lot about yourself and your capabilities. A virtual internship forces you to be motivated, manage your time and to push yourself. It's been a great experience so far and something I am very excited to talk about in my future interviews.

The cultural workshops were so helpful, I have learned a lot and honestly, it was so much fun! The nonprofit has been a great experience and I am hoping to visit them when I can. Also, the experience helped me see the differences between my culture and the culture of Morocco.

I would have loved to have the opportunity to volunteer in Cape Town physically, yet I still had a great experience getting to know such wonderful people on the ground as well as learning the South African Culture remotely. It was fun taking part in the cultural workshops and working with my South African chat buddies. I would really recommend doing the remote internship with Kaya as I had a fantastic time from day one!

I highly recommend the experience and think it provides a unique opportunity to complete an internship while having an international component. The placement is better than anything I would ever be able to find on my own and I think they are about as good as it can get without being in the actual country. Also, the in-country director and project supervisor were excellent as we met daily every morning and I was able to learn a lot from working with them. I would recommend the opportunity to all who even have the slightest bit of interest in it.

I really enjoyed virtually learning about South Africa. I feel like I've already visited! I loved the buddy chats. I also really enjoyed getting to learn some words in Xhosa and conversing about life with my South African buddies. The in-country director and project supervisor were great. They were both very kind and very helpful. It was easy to speak with them, give feedback, and ask questions.

It was an honor to work with the wonderful people of Vietnam and other students around the world. This experience gave me something to look forward to every day during the summer of 2020, especially as we began facing one of the most challenging times in our history.

It is an interesting experience that is a good alternative for when physical travel is not a viable option, and you will learn a lot professionally and culturally. The Cultural workshops were engaging and I've really enjoyed learning more about South Africa's culture and history.

I really enjoyed my placement! Learning how to effectively teach and finding activities that are helpful and enjoyable at the same time may seem to be small victories, but for me it feels like big achievements. Getting to know Morocco and the organization I worked with was super enjoyable!

I learned a lot during this remote internship. I have learned about the Ecuador culture and new plant life. My favorite element of the remote internship program was the flexibility of it.

A remote internship is a challenging, but ultimately fulfilling, experience. Participating in the program still allowed me to manage my time. I liked learning about the culture of the Ecuadorians. The program also helped me grow in my Spanish writing. I also particularly liked two of the cultural sessions where I heard how Covid-19 impacted them from the locals' perspective.

I really enjoyed learning through out the placement and gaining a better understanding of nutrition overall. I enjoy the buddy chats, which have helped me understand more about the Ecuador community. Kaya's in-country Directors did a great job of helping you to immerse into Ecuadorian culture.

My favorite element of the remote internship experience was feeling like I was a part of something that was so special in itself. I was able to work with such great people and learn so much. I have really advanced professionally and I am very proud of all the work I got done. My experience has been just as rewarding as I imagined.

I am very happy with my placement. I learned a lot and developed skills I will really need in the future. It has got me thinking about the career path in urban planning that I would like to pursue. I also really liked meeting new people whether that was through the buddy program, the cultural meetings or office meetings. I feel like that is the best way to learn more about Ecuador and I really appreciated developing long lasting relationships.

This programme fits me wonderfully; I am doing work that pertains to where I want to go in the future. I have been able to observe specifically how things are going to benefit the girls involved in the programmes. The cultural workshops were helpful and I can say I am ready to travel to Cape Town when I can. Overall, I would say that the South Africa programme cannot be much better. I highly recommend this experience and the wonderful local organization in South Africa are doing amazing work!

It has been a great internship. I was able to create a mental health guideline on peer support for the local transgender community, and I have been asked to be a guest speaker in one of the cultural sessions. I have learned a lot about the Vietnamese culture and most importantly about the LGBTQ+ community in Vietnam.

I loved the local organization I worked with! They are focused on sexual and reproductive health education, which fit perfectly for me because I am very interested in public health. My in-country director and project supervisor were great, and I also liked the cultural workshops we took part in throughout the program!

The program fit right in with my university degree. I was really eager to learn about environmentalism in another country. For a while it didn’t really feel real. I didn’t even really tell that many people I was leaving the country because it just seemed too exciting to be true. Before I departed there were shots I had to get and paperwork to fill out and flights to purchase. But it definitely wasn’t a stressful experience. I did a lot of research before I got there and made a list of ‘must see’ things, and another list of things I thought might be cool; and then I asked the homestay family what they suggested. I ended up doing a mix of all three. I usually had only the weekends to do the big or far things, but it made it all the more worth it. Every Saturday morning I would walk down to the village market, and if I got off the project early enough, I could sometimes go swimming. I felt like I had a great balance of work and fun. I feel like I really was able to use this volunteer trip as a way to refine my environmental knowledge. I learned so much about environmentalism in general, and about Belize environment and culture and people and history. I felt fulfilled that I picked the correct degree and career. It refined my environmental knowledge and reminded me of my career passion. It showed me how simple and connected all environmental issues are. It made my travel bug worse because now I want to go everywhere. The food is so fresh and so delicious. The people were so incredibly nice and generous and welcoming. The views and scenery of the entire countries landscape was absolutely breath-taking. The things I learned I still think about and use. I did so much and saw so much and learned so much.

When I first decided that I wanted to participate in a program abroad, I knew I wanted it to be nutritional or medical based. After research, I narrowed it down to three places, one of which being Vietnam. I ultimately chose to participate in the Vietnam program because it seemed like the most unique experience, and something I was unsure I would have the opportunity to do again in the future. The program itself stood out to me because it was located in a hospital that I knew would be very different than my home country. Once I decided on the Healthcare and Medical Internship in Vietnam, I began the pre-departure process. It was a very easy process as long as I stayed organized and proactive (just a lot of forms to fill out). The Kaya Team was great about following up with me and letting me know when there was a task I needed to complete. It was very helpful how much the team arranged for me, from rides to and from the airport to an excursion. Upon arrival to Vietnam, I met some of the other interns who would also be located at the hospital which was helpful. So, a day before our first day at work we were able to go view the hospital and walk around. This was an eye-opening moment for me. The hospital was mainly open-air with multiple courtyards in the middle, which was something I had never seen before in a healthcare facility. The hospital I was placed at in Ho Chi Minh City specialized in Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Medicine. I got to experience occupational therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, and a few orthopedic surgeries in the four weeks I spent at the hospital. A majority of my time in the occupational therapy room was spent working with child patients with Cerebral Palsy. I also worked some in the physical therapy room with a variety of patients. I feel that I benefited greatly from this opportunity. I believe I saw the true meaning of gratitude through the patients I worked with. Each one of them had suffered an accident that affected their ability to live their lives, and yet each one came into therapy every day with a smile on their face. Each patient also had family members that were with them and helped them along their journey. One of the most amazing things to witness was the community aspect of their culture. Each patient and family member, regardless if they knew each other or not, would encourage, help, and celebrate each patient no matter how big the accomplishment. Along with working five days a week, I also got to enjoy the city and see multiple beautiful sights of Vietnam. It was convenient having a work schedule that ended at 4PM each day. It allowed me to explore the city and many amazing parks and restaurants in the area. I also got to visit Da Nang, Vietnam for a weekend. It was a beautiful place to travel to and an unforgettable weekend. After being in Vietnam for four weeks, I realized there are many more sights to see than I realized. I would love to go back again in the future! This experience has affected me greatly. I wish to intern or volunteer again abroad in the future. Traveling to Vietnam and completing this internship was an unforgettable, eye-opening, and positive experience. I learned a lot about how a culture can effect healthcare, and I feel that I found something I am very passionate in.

I was met by a member of the Language School at the airport and immediately taken to the family with whom I was going to stay for the next three weeks. A lovely family: Mary and Danilo and their five grown up children, all greeted me warmly and sat me down to a delicious lunch washed down with gayaba juice. In my diary I have written "I should have then gone to my room and rested after the long journey but no, Mary took me by the arm and led me down the road to a party!".....first cultural experience in Costa Rica. I spent the first week at the language school with very helpful and kind staff and a friendly bunch of students of all ages....including mature students like me and from all around the world. During that week of lessons I was interviewed by the person who arranged volunteering positions and she found me a placement in a little state run orphanage near the school. Also an interesting experience. As expected the other staff members were all kind and friendly and the children just loved us for they were away from their own loved ones for various reasons and loved individual attention. During the first weekend I walked into San Jose to the shops, markets and museums (the Jade and Gold Museum was exceptional) and just sat in a bar and people watched. Other weekends I went on trips around Costa Rica:Poas Volcano National Park in a tropical cloud forest; the still active Volcan Arenal and the Aguas Calientes to name but a few. But for me it was the unexpected surprise of the flora and fauna that bowled me over. That was the experience I never expected. Kaya had organised everything well and I never felt "lost" at any time during my stay in Costa Rica.

I was volunteering for three weeks. I had an amazing time. The rangers were extremely knowledgeable about many different things to do with wildlife rehabilitation and more specifically African wildlife in general. The camp is safe, sleeping quarters are warm and spacious. Overall I had an amazing three weeks.

I had an incredible time. From meeting my Kaya recruiter, to working on the application and then being in India my biggest dream came true. I came back feeling like my soul was fed. I danced to Bollywood songs with the children I taught, ate lots of samosas, made friends from other countries that I’m still in touch with. Even the staff in India were incredible! I would love to do it all over again.

Excellent travel experience, looked after well. People were friendly and staff were very excellent for their farm. Would go again because was a once in a life time and experience for helping the community with development and engagement with people around you.

Even though I spent only two weeks in St. Lucia, South African my experience was very different from previous volunteering but absolutely positive. This project focuses on community education by supporting eight local creches (day care centers) that prepare young children for primary school and a range of additional community based activities, such as ‘Reading Club’ and ‘After School Club.’ Day after day, I learned more about the educational system in that area and I find it fascinating. English is the official language in South Africa, but there are many other important languages such as isiZulu in KwaZulu-Natal. Students are instructed in isiZulu until they start Grade 4 when English becomes the medium of instruction. This is the first time I encounter such a complex situation and I found it deeply fascinating. Due to that reason, I find the job done at the crenches crucial. We were not only teaching them colors, numbers and shapes, but also reading stories. Telling and listening to stories are highly valued because through stories, children are exposed to rich and complex forms of language. What’s more, the process of learning is not one unidirectional, it’s a two-way process: I also learned a great deal from these little people whose bright smiles and deep eyes taught me that happiness is around us, nearer than we think and that it has nothing to do with material possessions but with friendship, love and generosity. I could spend hours observing them, their faces, and the way they learn, run and play. All in all, I had a wonderful experience, but certainly two weeks is not enough. There's so much to do and the Zulu culture is so interesting that it would certainly take longer to get the gist of it.

The role covers care of the horses and assisting with leading the horses and walking beside the riders during lessons. It's wonderful to see the children's strength, balance and confidence improve. Lessons take place both in the indoor arena and in the surrounding fields, so the children really feel that they are 'going riding'. It made me happy to see their smiles. There are local volunteers helping as well, and the whole team does a great job.

I volunteered for one month! And I had the best time! I had the opportunity to interact with all animals from guinea pigs to lions and baboons! I also met the locals, which was great and we also helped inform local schools about animals in their area which was really nice too! Overall amazing experience, and I would love to do it again!

I had a great time working with young kids in Swaziland, and also a great time meeting other volunteer from all over Europe. It was an amazing, interesting and so rich experience that I'll go back to Swaziland this summer to continue and improve my engagement in Africa.

I currently volunteered in Morocco and my experience was amazing i would rate the experience 10 out of 10. I volunteered in Morocco for one week in a high school teaching English I really enjoyed the culture experience and travelling to different cities as well as volunteering. Morocco is a developing country which is one hundred percent safe, i met different volunteers from different countries and made new friends.

I really enjoyed my experience abroad and was so grateful for the opportunity. During my internship I was in the Mission Pichincha Clinic where I got to assist in taking vitals and shadowing physicians 5 days a week. However during my weekends and sometimes after work I would travel around Quito and just see what there is out there. The people are kind and there's so much to explore! The food is good and the fruits and vegetables are amazing! There are many varieties to try and love. Also during the weekends we have the opportunity to explore more of Ecuador. There are so many regions and every region is so unique. I appreciated a lot about Ecuador and those considering should take advantage because there's more to it than what online/pamphlets says.

I was a volunteer at SARDA Cape Town the inspirational riding school that provides free riding therapy for disabled children. I was a complete novice with horses and had little or no experience of disabled children. Although I have 3 rescue donkeys of my own, looking after horses with twice daily grooming and mucking out is far more exacting. A typical day began at 8.30 brushing the horses coats, manes and tails, then picking up their feet and using a hoof pick to ensure their feet were in good condition. Then came tacking up of the horses needed for the lessons. Most children travelled to the stables by their school transport, on arrival they were fitted with helmets and boots and then proceeded to the arena. The next stage entailed assisting instructors with safety checks as the children were helped to mount, where stirrups, saddles, and girths were checked. As lessons commenced the instructors had the amazing ability to issue group instructions while keeping an eye on all individual riders. A few children had progressed to ride unaided, but, most needed a lead and side walker to ensure safety and instill confidence and help with instructions. Grooming, stable work and lessons continued throughout the day until around 5pm. While it was physically hard work, particularly being on my feet all day, this project enabled me a deeper understanding of some of the children's more challenging mental and physical conditions. The most rewarding experience was on my final day, hearing my name called by two children in separate classes. I was deeply moved to realise they had remembered me from their previous week's lessons, no mean achievement for children with autism. In summary, I would not hesitate to recommend volunteering for this project, as a total novice I was indebted not only to the young European voluntary students for their kind assistance who taught me a lot about equine care, but, also to the permanent instructors and local volunteers who all gave me a warm welcome. I often felt humbled watching the children's smiles and their obvious joy of riding provided by this wonderful charity. It was truly a privilege to be of help and was a deeply rewarding experience which will stay with me.

I honestly enjoyed every aspect of the programme and the whole volunteering experience. My greatest achievement was probably just helping as much as I could with whatever I could! I felt I made a difference! My advice for future participants is that time flies by, so enjoy it! My most memorable moment was rescuing a baby baboon. I think for me, my volunteering experience was amazing, so I think everybody who wants to volunteer should too!

I enjoyed every part of the program, but my favorites include working in the clinic and leading a support group! My greatest achievement while in South Africa was connecting with so many people! This may not seem like an achievement to some, but this was a perk of a long-term stay. I was so blessed to be able to create genuine friendships while I was there and was able to act as a positive outlet for women in the support groups and people in the clinics. My most memorable moment was saying goodbye to the local staff. I has promised them a pool party, and so we invited all of their children over to the house. We swam and danced, and saying goodbye to them was very emotional for me. The love they had shown my over three months was so unconditional and I was so grateful for them! I would like to think I made a difference on the projects that I served. When I first arrived, many of the projects were unorganized and needed proper attention. I hope that the work that I put in helped them to be put back on the right track to be positively impacting the communities. Advice that I would give future participants is to ask yourself this question, "If you had to do this without a camera in front of you, would you still do it?" If you are volunteering, it is so important to have the heart for it! The people that you will be serving are not there to serve as a way for you to boost your resume or post a cute picture, but actually are people who are in need of help. As 3 months came and went, I was able to witness very passionate volunteers and ones who were there for the wrong reasons. So please future participants, be sure to check your intentions before deciding to volunteer! :) Kaya is an amazing organization!! Martina and Aureen were my go-to people for any questions and help I needed and they were always so willing to help me! They helped me pick a placement that was perfect for me and fulfilled all my requirements and I'm sure will do that for anyone who needs it!

I had a great time on my two week trip to Costa Rice this summer. As a 16 y/o I really struggled to find a programme that encapsulated everything I wanted in a sustainable volunteer program. I had wanted to discover a new culture and a different part of the world, with a focus on working closely with the community in the education sector and as a result I was able to learn from the experience (with Spanish classes and teaching opportunities, travel etc.) and the kindergartners could also learn from me. I learn so many new skills, that I didn't think would come as a by-product of this trip, for example, I was thrown in with the language and had to adapt fast, also a new independence was quickly learned​ to travel 13 hours alone, but to live in a country where you know few people, I made friends with the other volunteers and the locals alike. I was so grateful for this opportunity and would highly recommend to anyone interested in really making a difference.

My favorite task while on my project was going out into the Indigenous communities and helping vaccinate patients. This opportunity gave me a world of insight into other cultures while learning valuable practical skills. My greatest achievement was learning and adapting my language to communicate with not only my family and co-workers but all of the people I encountered. I feel my greatest difference made was with my family. I hope my will and determination to enact change in the world inspired them and left them forever with a piece of my heart. My most memorable moment was going to karaoke with my family on my last night in Ecuador. This event made me realize how close my family and I had grown and brought the picture full circle. My greatest piece of advice for future participants is to go on placement with no expectation at all. By doing so, you open yourself up to every possibility and create no barriers for change and growth. I don't just think one should sign up for a program with Kaya, one has to! This trip was honestly the greatest experience of my life to this point. I learned more about myself in my one month with Kaya than I have in my entire life; and this fact, is truly amazing.

It is a wonderful opportunity. It is incredibly rewarding and a chance to get involved with another culture, learn about so many new things and meet amazing people just like yourself who want to help make a difference. My favourite task on my project must have been looking after two baby baboons. This involved going into the baby baboons cage and allowing them to interact with humans by playing with them. This was not always easy as one of them liked to bite and you would have to tell him off as his mother would have done in the wild. Despite this, this task was definitely one of the most rewarding ones! However it did make it hard to say goodbye after three weeks! My greatest achievement actually was not on my project, it was the journey to my project. I have never travelled alone and I have a fear of flying. Getting on the plane from London to Johannesburg was terrifying. I had a break down on the plane as I was so scared, however, the crew members were amazing and put me at ease. Managing that flight was my greatest achievement regarding my trip and it is something I am extremely proud of. I felt that I made a difference, even if it was only small, I helped with improvements around Chipangali which will benefit the animals. One day we went to another town to hang up posters and hand out leaflets which encouraged people who know of anyone who has a vervet monkey as a pet to call Chipangali and give the animal to a better, safer environment. This was a very important task and I really hope it makes a difference in the future for vervet monkey's. My advice for future participants is get involved and make the most of every moment! The whole experience will be one I will never forget however there is one moment that stands out at my ultimate favourite. During my project we took a trip to Victoria Falls, where I got the opportunity to do an Elephant encounter. This involved touching the Elephants, walking with them as they would in the wild in their herd and then feeding them. It was an incredible moment.

Its a great experience, far more memorable than a holiday. Devising and delivering a Business course for young adults in Zanzibar was my greatest achievement, my most memorable would be the last lesson on the Business Course when I felt we had really achieved something special. An advise to future participants, don't expect it to be a holiday ! Its hard work and a demanding schedule in high heat and humidity, however immensely rewarding.

It was well supported before arrival. Our advisors Tom and Sheila were great and helpful.My greatest achievement was seeing how our children coped with the whole experience of being in Nepal and on the project. How our children and the Nepalese children on the farm made friendships and enjoyed each other's company so much. Climbing to the top of the very mountain with many of the sisters and seeing the sunrise. Seeing our children becoming so close to the Nepalese children and just having fun together in the simplest of ways were all memorable experiences to me. I would like to think we helped out with lots of practical tasks during our farming and teaching. Moreover, though we hope that we provided the children with some fun times, love and laughter during our stay. For those interested in the program, absolutely go for it and don't be afraid to take older children (8-15) but be prepared to go with the flow. The Nepalese culture is different, plans are often vague and tend to change quickly.

I really enjoyed looking for sea turtle nests and feeding the monkeys, I also had fun holding a sea turtle egg, having a bird hopping on my shoulder unexpectedly wanting some of my papaya, and swimming under a waterfall in the rainforest. My greatest accomplishment was capturing a Green Sea turtle, taking its measurements and tagging it for research. My advice for those who are interested is just DO IT! If you are on the edge about traveling abroad, do it. It may seem scary at first, but you will get use to it and meet amazing people and have incredible experiences along the way. Kaya truly cares about their participants. On my first trip abroad, I went with another company, and they placed me in a dangerous housing situation and never emailed me to check up on me. The next time I traveled abroad, OSU suggested Kaya, and I was so pleased. Kaya set me up with incredible internships, great housing, and routinely emailed me to check in that I was OK.

Kaya are good at helping you and making sure you have settled into your programme once you are there. They reply quickly and I received frequent emails from them just checking up on how I was. Looking after all the animals... (the whole experience!) was great. My greatest achievement was building a mud tunnel for Breezer the bush pig. Even when I wasn't working and I was just spending time with the animals I felt like I was helping them. My most memorable moments were seeing the stars, stroking the lions and leopards, time with other volunteers, the rhino walk, Victoria falls....everything. Some advice for future participants is to bring more than two pairs of shorts and three t-shirts. Also bring money for snacks - you will have chocolate cravings!

I think that I did make a difference in the children and the women that I worked with, this was concretely seen in the new information that the students learned but also more holistically in the differences in the children and women's demeanor (more talkative, asked more questions). I definitely enjoyed working with the teens the most. I loved being able to hear about their lives, and enjoyed watching them become more comfortable with us and become engaged in the material that we were teaching. My greatest achievement during the project was probably being able to engage the teen girls in the material that we were teaching, so that it became less forced and more fun. The most memorable moment for me was when I entered the childcare facility on the first day. It was a completely eyeopening experience the room was smaller than my closet and fit at least 10 to 20 students a day. There was no desks, no white board and barely any school supplies, it was completely different compared to America. To future participants I would say be openminded. The program that I did was called women empowerment and when I first got to India I was disappointed to learn that we would only be teaching English and Math as opposed to what I though we were doing (more empowerment based such as workshops, lectures, and more general teaching like 21 century skills). But by the end I was glad to be able to see results in what we were teaching. To those in the Women Empowerment program I would be sure to make lesson plans or learn effective teaching methods before going to India, (or maybe go in with a specific idea of what you want to teach), additional for house visits prepare a lot of questions. Kaya was a fantastic opportunity. I loved that the program was volunteering based, compared to other programs (where theres only 15 or 20 hours of volunteering tops) and I completed 50 hours during the two weeks. I also liked that besides for volunteering the program was largely independent, therefore allowing you to really be able to explore the city to the extent that you desire.

I enjoyed the Emergency and the Maternity wards, and I enjoyed every single minute of it, not just one task. And I liked as well as being with my Belizean Family. My greatest achievement was the medical part, being able to see and learn incredible things in very interesting cases and being able to help and participate like I wanted to. In the experience itself, meeting incredible people that I will never forget, and going back home (sad to leave) I feel I have made a difference, at least with the patients. I am a caring person, and I know from personal experience that when you are ill or hurt, being reassured by the medical team, and explained what is necessary to do etc. is very important for recovery. In this hospital, some doctors and nurses (not all of them) were just doing the medical part, leaving the human part aside. So I took to heart to fulfill this human part. And by seeing the patients smiling or relaxing, letting us do our work and then thanking us, I feel that I have made a difference. I would encourage future participants to ask questions to doctors and nurses, even if they don't want to answer you at first. Don't be shy, you deserve your place in the hospital and medical team ! We are all human, the medical staff can be rough at first (they don't know you or what you are capable of) but after a couple of days, they'll love you, so don't worry. Please tell others why you think they should sign up for a program with Kaya Future candidates should sign up if they are absolutely sure of wanting to pursue a medical career. You must be really motivated, dynamic, and you must take initiatives, nothing will be proposed to you. You must want to discover how the medical staff deals with such poor medical resources. You must sign up if you want to learn about medical procedures in different conditions, with less medical material, etc. You must sign up if you want to acquire medical experience, but for that, you must be really motivated and never give up on learning. You mustn't worry about the accommodation part. Nancy and Jaime, the volunteer's coordinators, and their children are the kindest people I have met. They will welcome you as their « family » and you will spend a wonderful time beside them.

Taking part in this program with Kaya allowed me to take part in meaningful, hands on work, which will have a considerable positive impact on the community in the future. At the same time, it also allowed me to be immersed in culture in a way I couldn't have experienced without the program. All of which are experiences I'll carry with me through all of my life both personally and professionally."I absolutely felt as though I made a difference. It was evident throughout how much my help at the site was appreciated and needed for the advancement of the project. My greatest achievement was completing the section on which we were working. Being able to see an evident progression over the time of my stay was very special. My most memorable moment on the site was finally seeing a completed pavilion (to that level) after a number of long days on the site. Offsite, it would be exploring the ATM Caves, an absolute must on one of your weekends off in San Ignacio. If possible, I would suggest finding out what element of the site you'll be working on before arriving. I feel as though this would allow you to gain some understanding of the materials and techniques you'll be using, allowing you to hit the ground running on arrival.

Kay does a very good job setting students up with a good program in a different country. The program I was with was great. I ended up having a blast during my stay! I enjoyed the food in Vietnam the most, it was delicious! I really enjoyed working at the children hospital. It was fun to watch the tasks the performed daily. My greatest achievement for me was getting off my sofa and getting out to try and make a positive change in the world!

When I chose to go volunteer in Costa Rica, halfway across the world, I was a bit worried that I would feel out of place and not be able to communicate with the locals. However, this could not get any further from being the truth, as I learnt that the Ticos (Costa Ricans) were very friendly and my level of Spanish, which was very poor on the first day, grew to the point where I felt confident interacting. There was plenty of attractions to do nearby and the town of Atenas was nice gave off a friendly vibe. During the weekends, there were plenty of different choices for excursions such as the Manuel Antonio beach (picture attached) and the capital of San Jose. Kaya also did a wonderful job of setting up communication between all volunteers as soon as they could, which led to an overall great experience with the other volunteers. For my volunteering during my two week stay, I was assigned as an English teaching assistant in a small rural primary school outside of town. My teacher was nice and made sure that I was helping in every lesson and the young children were very curious. In the end, if I had the choice to come back to Costa Rica again, I would absolutely recommend visiting this beautiful country to experience its vibrant culture and wildlife

I had a wonderful time in Belize, I spent two intense weeks that I will never forget, I came back to my country (France) my head full of beautiful memories and with so much experience in terms of medical discovery and learning. It was a human adventure, as I met really good people, kind and caring : Nancy's Family (Nancy, Jaime, their children, Tio...) As well as the medical team, Dr Chen, Dr Rivas and Nrs Landero, Lobos and Paredes. I miss them already, and look forward to seeing them again someday. It was also a very interesting placement in terms of medical experience. I came to Belize as a french First Responder with the Red Cross. I had qualifications in first aid and experienced maintaining patients’ vitals stable until hospital is reached, and want to pursue a medical career (as an A/E doctor, or in the Army). I learned so much in the hospital. First, I learned how the medical staff exercises with very poor medical ressources. It was very interesting to notice how Belize is late compared to developped countries like France in terms of medical progress and medical technologies (no monitoring machines, no bandages, very few anaesthetics...) You would never see patients being treated in waiting rooms, sitting on a chair in France ! I had the chance to see very interesting cases, patients being treated for many cut wounds with machetes, mirrors, etc. I saw bicycle accidents, everyday life accidents, as well as diseases like pneumonia, cancer, HIV, etc. We had a lot of domestic violence cases, with a female patient been shot by her husband in the leg, or a female patient being hit, brutalized, etc. This kind of violence against women is only the visible part of the iceberg, as women's condition in Belize is worst than horrible. Women are treated like a piece of meat by men, and I witnessed a lot of this lack of respect for women in the hospital. But all of this taught me so much, I came back home with a lot of experience as well as the desire to go back as soon as I can, because I felt that I made a difference in this country, and every volonteer can have the chance to experience this feeling, as every gesture matters and counts. And I want to go back, because, as a woman, I felt more than concerned about women’s conditions in Belize. And being able to help, to make my moves count, can make this country change, little by little. Being able to see, participate in the care of patients, being able to learn from talented and experienced doctors in such amazing conditions makes this volunteering placement unique and wonderful. I strongly recommend it to all medical students that are highly motivated and dedicated to the medical world, with a kind heart but strong determination to learn and get experience out of all that. The medical staff is at first quite rough as they don't know you or what you are capable of, but ask questions, take initiatives, smile, and you will find your place in the medical team.

Being at YanaCocha was the best 14 days of my life. Raul and Seb are the two most caring, honest, hard-working men ever and truly cared about everyone's experience while they were there. The animals were extremely well-cared for, spoiled mostly. ;) YanaCocha really tries to release every animal they can, and the area they take their animals to be released is known as Tamandua. It's their own facility out in the rainforest and it is breath-taking, and watching the animals be released out there is quite an experience.

Last year I went on my first service trip to Cape Town, South Africa at 16. Having already visited the city in the past but only on a superficial level, I wanted to come back to this place as a volunteer and see the more hidden aspect of the country (namely the poverty and remaining segregation) as well as connect better with the more disadvantaged community. My volunteer work consisted of assisting teachers in a community pre-school named Kuyasa situated in Khayelitsha, which is a township a few kilometers away from the Cape Town city center. As volunteers, we planned classes during which the children would practice their fine motor skills and improve their English vocabulary. So at the beginning of each week, we would meet up with the other volunteers and brainstorm activities which involved things such as drawing shapes, reading, recognizing colors and numbers... It was really fun to plan these classes and then see our ideas come to life and see the children's reactions. Every day we would start by singing songs and all the children would sing along and start dancing (this personally was my favorite part of the day). Then we would set everything up and each take care of a certain activity. It was the first time that I had a responsibility like this and being in charge of the classes really helped me become more independent and confident. Additionally, we also went to an after-school care program for vulnerable children. The service helps to keep children off the street and get them involved in homework support, craft-making, educational activities and reading clubs. We would also help organize activities and it was such an enriching experience. I got so attached to certain children in the matter of days and I have the best memories of playing and singing with them. On the weekends, we also had the opportunity to do certain activities around cape town. Since it is a pretty big city, we had a large choice of things to do. Personally, I went sky diving, went on a safari, visited the famous streets in cape town, went to a food fair… and did a bunch of other things! Overall, my experience there was amazing. Connecting with other volunteers from all around the world as well as the locals was truly unique and eye-opening. Despite being one of the youngest volunteers, I always felt safe, included and well-surrounded. I would definitely recommend this project to anyone considering volunteering!

I had the absolute best time in India, and i would not trade this experience for the world. It’s been a couple days and I am still trying to process how eye opening this experience was. I truly felt immersed in the culture and really felt like I had made a difference.

Signing up to volunteer with Kaya was very easy. The agents are always willing to help. I even talked to an agent over the phone to ensure that the volunteering project was indeed ethical and what I wanted. I chose the nutrition internship because it fit into my college coursework. The course was counted as a study abroad course at my university. Because I am studying public health, the nutrition internship in the Kingdom of Eswatini was a perfect fit. We were accommodated at Lidwala lodge. The lodge was safe, fun, beautiful, and clean. I made a lot of friends from all over the world at the lodge. It was also on the same premise as the volunteering office, which was very convenient. At the project, I conducted research as a part of an ongoing assessment examining the health and nutrition of children at various Neighborhood Care Points (NCPs). Specifically, I took anthropometric assessments of the children (height, weight, and MUAC measurements), plotted and analyzed the data, and studied common foods and cooking methods at the NCPs. Before I began my travels, I was nervous because I had never traveled alone before. I thought I could get lonely, given that I was gone for over 5 weeks. The opposite was actually true. Navigating airports was easy, and there were always people willing to help me find where I was supposed to go. In addition, I made incredible friends at my project and at the lodge. I never felt alone. I was surprised by many things throughout my time abroad. I didn’t expect to make so many meaningful friendships during my travel. I got to know other volunteers and locals very well. I learned so much just by conversing with such diverse people. Also, the avocados grew to be larger than mangos! Many aspects of the Swazi culture also surprised and intrigued me. I loved how polite everyone was to each other. It is custom to say “Hello. How are you?” in Siswati to everyone you walk by. Also, music and dance are woven into the culture so deeply that even the three-year-olds at the NCP’s knew how to bust-a-move. Much of the education at the NCP’s was taught through song, and the children loved to sing and dance along. This was one of my favorite aspects of Swazi culture. Overall, my research as an intern was the highlight of my experience. I got to know many children, teachers, and cooks at the NCPs. The teachers and cooks volunteer their time to run the NCP’s for the local children. I had so many valuable conversations with them about their passion for their community. I met some of the most powerful, strong, passionate and authentic women of my life at the NCPs. Traveling as a volunteer allowed me to experience a new culture for a much longer time period than a tourist might stay. Because I was in Swaziland for over 5 weeks, I got to know some of the local language, meet local friends, navigate the transportation system, and experience local customs. Additionally, by working at the NCPs, I got to experience many values, lessons, and customs that the local teachers taught the children. Talking to the NCP teachers gave me the most insight about what Swaziland truly is. A tourist would find it more difficult to get this thorough understanding of a culture. Even as a volunteer, I realize that there is so much more I could learn. I gained a lot of self-confidence through this experience. Not only was I able to travel to the other side of the world completely alone, but I was able to conduct an entire research project with minimal direction. I designed the study, conducted the field research, analyzed the data, wrote a research paper, and gave a formal research presentation within a 5 week time frame. Throughout the experience, I also strengthened my cultural competence and enhanced my global awareness. This experience has made me a more responsible global citizen. I encourage everyone to volunteer, but do your research first. Ensure your project is ethical and sustainable. You will not save the world by volunteering overseas, and you shouldn’t think that you can. However, volunteering at the right place can enhance your understanding about the world, which will benefit everyone. If you volunteer abroad, fully commit to the experience. Have conversations with local people, try using the local language, and take every opportunity you can to authentically understand the people you are working with. If you think of your time as a vacation and focus simply on doing the tourist activities, you are destined to be disappointed.

Kaya is an awesome organization to go through for travel! My advisers answer every question I had and provided me with so much information. They even went out of their way to help me find the perfect placement. I will definitely use them in the future :)

I definitely recommend this programme for other volunteers. I think that Cost Rica is a perfect place to volunteer and in your spare time you can also do lots of different activities and visit many places. Although, I would advise that you knew the local language, at least enough to communicate basic information, because some of the volunteers I was with did have some trouble communicating with their families.

The young mothers program is an excellent local initiative, for which Kaya helps in finding volunteers. The girls are well taken care of and shown how to become independent in their future life, go to school and learn a profession, learn how to take care of their children. As volunteers, a lot of time can be spent taking care of the children, but also teaching the mothers all kind of activities, dependent on the skills of the volunteers. I taught them english, and I taught one the mothers to play the flute. It was very rewarding, as the mothers are very eager to learn new things. And the children are adorable. A wonderful experience overall, with a very enriching contact with the mothers!

I spent 6 weeks on this course and I can honestly say this program completely changed my life. Yes, I know how cheesy that sounds but it's true. I arrived as a 17 year old from New Zealand with no real clue or idea what I was doing in life. I had dropped out of school and decided to go volunteer diving on the other side of the world. I didn't even know how to dive. I learnt to dive the weekend before I left and then off I was too Belize. I left with no plan on what I was doing in life and I came back with no plan yet so much had changed. I came back with a new confidence and excitement towards life. I realised that I didn't have to worry what I was doing today, tomorrow or next year because as I learnt on this program as long as you are enjoying life you are doing something right. At the time of writing this I am a week away from a 6 month trip overseas that I never thought I would be capable of before this program. This program is exactly what you dream it is, you wake up on a beautiful tropical island every morning and you go diving in one of the most incredible reefs in the world and help preserve its beauty. The staff there are mainly Belizeans and are hilarious and great people. You meet people from all over the world and are immersed in a mix of unique cultures. It is truly incredible. I honestly can not recommend this program enough, it far exceeded all my expectations. Do yourself a favour and book a flight to Belize.

I had great time in Borneo. The TRACC project has a laid back project with a great group of people. The theory behind the project was explained well and there is plenty of opportunity to learn as much as you want. The diving location is amazing. Whale sharks are frequently seen. The are a lot of fish species to see. There are plenty of activities to keep you occupied. Sunday is fun day and activities are normally planned for these days.

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I first applied to go abroad somewhere. I had no idea that this experience would be so rewarding. I got in touch with Kaya responsible travel who gave me choices & information relevant to my skills, we shared lots of info for a long time until we were both satisfied that Cambodia would suit me. It was a sewing project and this is what I teach here in the UK, so I felt comfortable knowing that I would be able to share my skills. Kaya looked after me from the beginning to the end, and guided me tirelessly through the whole project, here and in Cambodia, where I was introduced before I left to the team there. Everything was explained in detail what to expect, the do's and don'ts, the things that were expected of me and what I could expect from them. The whole process ran very smoothly, and when I arrived in Cambodia ( where I was picked up by the Tuk Tuk driver) I was given a tour of Siem Reap, the school, and the place I would be working. They were all just great and very welcoming, which immediately put me at ease. The whole 2 weeks was an adventure even though I was working. I really wish I could of stayed longer as I felt I was just finding my feet. ( I was told this before I went) but unfortunately I had commitments at home. I wrote in my journal every day, and now look back on it & smile. I felt so looked after, but was also given space to make the experience my own. The group were always there to answer sometimes idiotic questions without making me like they were idiotic. Cannot recommend this enough. Just do it, you will not regret it I can guarantee that, especially with this fantastic infrastructure that ensure your experience will be a lasting, lovely memory. Thanks to all the Kaya & KKO staff. Barbara, 58 yrs, from Leicester College

Incredible project, incredible community, incredible wild life. This project is the perfect way of combining volunteering and diving. In one of the world's best dive sites you can help contribute to valuable research into the conservation of some of the world's rarest species. You will be heavily involved in the gather and processing of data in the most idyllic beaches. There is also the opportunity to learn the local language (Portuguese) as optional classes are provided by the volunteer group. In addition to this you have the opportunity to help other volunteers help out at the local schools and kindergartens where they teach English or swimming lessons. The project is extremely well organised with everything taking into careful consideration including the arrangement of airport transfers. Three meals are provided as part of the project costs and the meals are a variety of local Mozambican and some Western foods. Cannot recommend this project enough - I have personal participated twice in 4 years!!!

I spent 2 weeks in Neapl. Originally I had signed up to work in a Kathmandu project, for a school which catered to "at risk children". However at the time of my arrival, a big festival was occurring and schools were closed for the holidays. I was therefore taken to "Her farm" which is also a part of the mountain fund projects, situated in a rural part of Nepal outside Kathmandu. It was an 1&1/2 bus ride & 2 hour trek to the village. When we arrived at the house I was greeted with music and dancing and instantly fell in love with the place. The village itself has a school where the children attend schooling and "Her farm" also has a classroom where extra English is taught, the classroom is basic however that doesn't stop the children's keenness to learn. They always attended with smiles on their faces, spoke in English as much as they could, and were always in the mood to learn new things. The biggest challenge I had with teaching at her farm, was trying to cater the needs of all the children who were at different stages in regards to their ability to learn and understand. Classes will run a lot more smooth if there's at least two teachers working there. The volunteer house had a couple women who live there with their children. A girl, who the mountain fund had "adopted", Plus girls and guys from the village and Kathmandu who worked and lived there on a daily basis. everyone was so loving and welcoming and treated me like family, keeping me involved in their daily activities. And if you ever wanted to go off the farm and do other activities for a few days, like trekking, the staff were always happy to help organise it for You. Overall I enjoyed my stay at "her farm", things ran as smooth as they could, and when inevitable changes were made; I wasn't left in the lurch. I will definately go back again in a few years!

My whole love for Africa started by a week-long trip in Uganda with my secondary school in 2013. A week just wasn't long enough but when I came back from the school trip I was told there would be another trip running the following year, and that the school would be willing to take me again. After chasing and chasing, I was finally let down in January 2014 that there wasn't going to be a trip going. Leaving me a short space of time to find a project, apply, book and fundraise. The very same night I was straight onto Google searching for a suitable project. Being only 16, it was a struggle finding an organisation to take me on – this was a huge let down for me seeing you have to be 18, or 17 on suitable projects. Having looked into many websites, flicking through brochures and spending hours on the phone, I finally found one to suit me. I came across Kaya Responsible Travel’s website and was ecstatic when I found the ‘Teaching and Community Assistance Project in Victoria Falls’ which takes on 17 year olds. It meant for me that I had to wait until July, so that I could turn 17 to go. Of course, as soon as I found it, I showed it to my parents and wanted to apply for it right away – but my mum being a typical mum wanted to contact Kaya first and find out all the ins and outs before I jumped in and booked something I was going to regret. So the next day mum contacted Kaya and was quite happy with the information she was given and finally gave me the green light to apply. I spent the whole afternoon making sure I filled the application form in with as much detail as possible, making myself sound amazing to ensure there would be no reason I wasn’t allowed on the project. The following morning, not even 24 hours after my application was submitted, I received an email to say I had been accepted onto the project for 6 weeks and there would be information to follow. As you can imagine, I was so excited I just wanted to get it booked so I knew it was set in stone. I was on my placement when the email came through so I had to sneak into another room to call my mum and tell her to login to my emails, read it in more detail than I could at work and get some flights booked. The emails were full of details of the project, my login to my personal Kaya blog and my placement administrator, introducing herself to me. The very same morning my flights were booked and I knew I was definitely going. Now all I needed to do was raise enough money to cover the costs through fundraising and then I would be on my way. It was starting to feel real, and so exciting! Having booked the project and my flights on the 16th January 2014, and my departure date being the 20th January 2014, I wasn’t leaving myself much time to raise some money. So the very same night I was sat with my parents brainstorming possible fundraising events. By the following evening, I had got 3 events planned, publicised on Facebook and advertisements sent to the local papers and magazines. My events took an awful lot of organising and planning but so worth it in the long run. My events were: • Partylite home party where the commission goes to me which raised £30 • Phoenix Cards home party where the commission goes to me which raised £20 • Coffee morning in the local church barn which raised £500 • Charity night with a band organised which raised £850 • Bollywood night which raised £500 Alongside these events family, friends, local organisations and others pledged donations to me making my project possible. Having raised all the money I needed to cover the trip, visas, flights and 2 extra items of luggage enabling me to take donations I soon found myself in the 7 day countdown. My final week I spent running around collecting the last donations of clothes, toys and resources. Spent a day or two packing, un-packing and re-packing my three suitcases (one for me and two full of clothes, nappies, toys, paper, crayons, dominoes, flash cards, ect to leave on project). It soon came around to 20th July 2014 where I found myself in London Heathrow Airport in the departures gate waiting to board my 11 hour plane to Johannesburg, then on to Victoria Falls. It was finally starting to feel real, and my dream was starting to come true. The flights were long but worth every second. I finally arrived in Victoria Falls airport where I was met by Katie, a representative and other volunteers who had arrived on the same day as me. We got into the mini bus, got an ice cold bottle of water and had a quick briefing of what was going to happen in our first day, but the induction carried on once we had reached Adventure Lodge – our accommodation. We got shown round where we stay, had a brief tour of town and then had time to settle in before we met the volunteers already on project and get some rest before a full day of inductions the following day. The accommodation was perfect for what we needed. Very basic of course but very suitable. I had a twin room, which I had three different roommates during my 6 weeks, we had an en-suite bathroom, shower sink and toilet, a full wardrobe, a cupboard with five shelves and three extra cupboards which we didn’t use. In the room there was two single beds, a bedside table and a shelf. There was a swimming pool which was quite cold but very refreshing, a bar area where we ate all of our meals and could buy drinks (or open a tab like I did!), and a shared kitchen area purely for volunteers. The food was one hundred times better than I expected. Breakfast was alternate days of toast and cereal, and a cooked breakfast. Lunch was usually something lighter pasta, French toast, pies with salad ect. Finally dinner was a variety, from meatballs with mash, to rice and beef stew, always served with squash and broccoli. We had access to unlimited juice and water all day every day and were always fed right up. (Don’t expect to go and lose weight – it doesn’t happen!!) The first day we were there seemed like the longest day ever due to the amount of information we were given. We began at the Lion Rehabilitation Programme where we got our safety introduction to working with the lions, then onto the full details of the actual rehabilitation side of the project and then onto the community induction in the afternoon. We were given a full welcome pack, terms and conditions and a travel information form to complete. It’s safe to say that our days were always full and very busy, but worth every single moment. The Primary School is definitely a school which I will always remember. When I first arrived it was still term time, so I spent my first two weeks teaching Grade 0 shapes, colours, numbers and the alphabet. There was 41 children in my class so it was quite a large number to keep under control, but once you gain their respect it was great! Using the materials I had taken with me I was able to make different coloured shapes out of paper, multi-coloured balls and flash cards with numbers on – it’s always good to be able to use visual aids when teaching. I loved my class and I loved teaching them. For my last four weeks it was school holidays so there were only 20 or 30 children in school at any time. The headmistress asked us to concentrate on reading during holiday club so each time I started with a reading book, then went on to do spelling tests and word exercises, then to finish off each week we did a craft activity. Whether we made bracelets, taught songs and dances or just did colouring sheets, all the children and staff always appreciated our time and efforts we put into their lessons every single week. The old people’s home will always have a place in my heart too. Although most of the residents struggled with English, they also appreciated us just being there. On Tuesdays we mainly concentrated on the upkeep of the gardens there. Watering the plants, weeding the gardens, building the ridges and also constructing a huge cage to protect the plants from baboons! Most people would turn their nose up at the gardening but when the residents appreciate the work you are doing it makes every bucket of water worth it. On Wednesdays we started by finishing off the upkeep of the garden, then at 10am every week we had a lady from a local church come to do a short church service. I really enjoyed the church – we used to start with a prayer, then a couple of songs, then there would be a passage from the bible read and then another song to finish off. Every week it was different. It was lovely because there would be volunteers mixed in with the residents, the two ladies that run it, our project leaders and the lady from the church all sat round enjoying themselves. It was definitely a heart-warming place with some very special people. The orphanage was my favorite part of the project. I think this is because we spent an awful lot of our time there so the bonds with the children were stronger. I certainly bonded very closely with two little boys who lived at the orphanage and I loved them as if they were my own children. I even took them into town for tea and to an indoor play area one night I was there! Every time we went to the orphanage all the children would chant ‘Makiwa Makiwa’ which is ‘white person,’ not in any offensive way, they were just always so pleased to see us. The time we spent there was precious, whether we were helping to prepare their meals, doing jigsaws, playing with skipping ropes, football or just reading books, the children loved every second. It was heart-breaking to leave but it will definitely be a place I visit again even if it is just during travelling. An isolated village which look after a huge vegetable garden, the reason it has been isolated is because all the people that live there have HIV or AIDS. Spending time there, whether we were pumping water, filling the well, carrying 20L buckets or water or just mixing with the locals, every second was appreciated by them. It was so tiring, especially as it got to 11am when the temperature was scorching, but I wouldn’t have changed the experience for the world. I just kept reminding myself that they have to do it every single day. The Lion Rehabilitation Programme was something very special. Spending one afternoon and one morning per week working so closely with a pair of 7 month old lion cubs, and a pair of 22 month old lion cubs was something else. Walking them through the bush, playing with them, doing meat preparation for their food and making toys for them was something I will never experience again. It’s a once in a lifetime feeling and I was so lucky to get chance to spend so much time with them. It was surreal being so close to a lion, which at home is an extremely dangerous animal. It was an incredible thing to do and it is something I will always remember. Sundays being our day off was a nice treat. I filled five out of six of my Sundays doing activities in Victoria Falls. The activities I did were Bungee, Antelope Park, Victoria Falls, White Water Rafting and Sunset Cruise. The bungee was amazing, if you are an adrenaline junkie then I would definitely recommend it. Antelope Park was something I would do again, from Victoria Falls you have to drive around 7 hours to Gweru which is where it is, but it is so worth the drive. I did an elephant interaction, elephant ride, horse-back safari, night encounter, lion feed and the lion breeding programme tour in just two days. The amount of activities you can fit in for such little money and such a short amount of time is impressive. Organisation and safety was outstanding. Victoria Falls is pretty self-explanatory but so beautiful. White Water Rafting was my favourite activity which I did there, three hours on the Zambezi going through the rapids as amazing. Finally the Sunset Cruise, it was a lovely way to spend time with other volunteers, cruising down the Zambezi seeing elephants, crocodiles and hippos as the sunsets – picture perfect. My whole experience in Victoria Falls was amazing. The staff were always there to answer any questions or give any information, they were all so friendly and supportive. They were always open to new ideas and up for a challenge. Other volunteers were all so nice, you get such a wide range of personalities, cultures and from different countries. I without a doubt have made friends for life. I have only been home one week but am still in touch with my closest four friends. The project itself was so well organised and we were always busy. We got such a big range of activities to do too from gardening, to teaching, to working with the elderly and to the lions. Kaya were so supportive the whole way along. From booking the project right up until now I am still in contact with Aureen – continuity of the same advisor is always good and she is so helpful. Any questions I had she was there to help. Even while I was away in Victoria Falls she emailed me twice or three times to check everything was going well. I will definitely book through Kaya again. I would definitely recommend the project and the company to anyone who is looking to volunteer in Africa. I can’t believe when I look back the experience I have had. It doesn’t seem five minutes since I was pestering my parents to let me book the project and now I am back home looking at photographs and reminiscing the memories. It was so sad saying goodbye as Victoria Falls really felt like home, but I kept reminding myself it wasn’t a goodbye, it was a see you later… I hope you enjoyed reading my review. If you are considering volunteering in Africa – just book it – you will not regret it for one minute!

I had a great time, good experience! People very friendly, also people from kaya send me email how I was doing. At that moment I was the only volunteer. But I would recommend Borneo to everybody. Homestay was very nice!

The whole program was amazing. I was picked up from the airport. My luggage had been lost, so the man who picked me up took me to get some essential items. The program itself was unbelievable. Waking up to elephants and spending all day with them is indescribable. I got to do everything with them, from feeding to swimming with them. It was so amazing to watch them play together and interact with their mahouts. The people who worked with the project were great. I was in tears when I had to leave because it was the best experience of my life.

Booking with Kaya was a great experience, and they were very accommodating for me even though I was only booking a few months prior to my desired departure date. They helped me to find a program that was a great fit for me- and they succeeded! The teaching project in Livingstone, Zambia was amazing! I didn't even have any teaching skills before arriving, but the staff and other volunteers are very helpful in showing you the ropes while you get used to volunteering. We started out the day teaching at the schools and then had a break for lunch. In the afternoon we participated in other various projects such as at after school reading clubs or the old people's home. I met so many lifelong friends through my project, and I would highly recommend working with Kaya to plan your volunteer trip abroad.

This trip was unbelievable! It was a fantastic way to see A fantastic culture. We just blended in with the locals and our guide was just amazing. The only downside was the week we were on the island there was no running water and we did not shower. We were in the water 3-4 times a day diving so it wasn't that bad. And the reason we couldn't shower was that if we used water we would have to waste fuel getting more water. If we didn't waste fuel then we would have the opportunity to see Whale Sharks. Which we did. That was an unbelievable experience. Every day of the trip felt like a completely different trip and every day was better than the previous (except for when we were leaving). Volunteer Experience: We learned a whole lot about the local culture and more than I ever expected about Marine conservation of the Reef. Living Situation: I enjoyed it completely but a most of the members of my group did not like that our hotels/hostels did not have air conditioning. Coming from Montana where we just had nine months of cold winter and going to the tropics where it was hot and humid was a big difference. I greatly enjoyed the accommodations because it felt more like how the locals would be living. Community Impact: We hardly saw any tourists and just blended in with the culture. We still stuck out being a bunch of light skinned people from Montana but it still felt like we blended a bit. Program Administration: Kaya did an unbelievable job at making sure everyone was happy and that everything went smoothly if a problem arose.

I decided to volunteer for the simple reason that I wanted to use my skills to give something back to the communities who needed it the most and to experience something completely different from anything I had ever experienced before. Being a computer programmer, when I found the Wild Coast Computer Literacy project in South Africa, I knew instantly that this was the right program for me. One of my main concerns before embarking on my volunteering experience was that I would not get along with the other volunteers in the volunteer house, and that they might all be really young. However, all my worries were wiped away almost immediately when I arrived as the experience of living together and all sharing the common experience of volunteering caused everyone to bond very quickly; even after a few days we were all close friends. And, by the time I left, I felt like I was leaving family, not only with the volunteers but also with the staff at the house and the office. Not only did I find it very easy to get along with the volunteers at the volunteer house, I also was amazed about how easy it was to meet different people at the local backpackers where the volunteers often spent our evenings. I loved the friendly atmosphere and spent many evenings mixing with people from all walks of life. The friendly atmosphere was not limited to the backpackers; I found all the locals in Chintsa very friendly and the town was a small, beautiful, intimate place in which I really felt like part of the community. Even the local shopkeepers knew my name and would always take the time to have a conversation with me even if I wasn’t buying anything. I found it refreshing to spend time with such different people than those I would normally hang around with back home in England; the new friendships I forged whilst in Chintsa are one of the highlights of my experience. My main highlight was undoubtedly working with the children. I was completely taken aback by the fact that they were so alive, happy, and full of energy despite the fact they had nothing. Their boundless energy and enthusiasm meant that it was impossible for me to feel even the slightest bit down whilst being in their company. The fact that the children really appreciated me being there was an immense feeling and witnessing the children progress even in the short time I was there made the whole experience feel all the more worthwhile. There was no doubt in my mind that the work being carried out on the project would have a positive impact on these children’s futures and I was pleased to have been a part of making that difference. It wasn’t just the people that I met that made my time so memorable, the beauty of the area and all the wildlife I encountered whilst there made my experience even more enjoyable and unique. Going outside for a 15 minute break between lessons and seeing giraffes, zebras and ostriches wandering past was a completely surreal experience! Overall, I feel that after you have volunteered something inside you changes. I feel more alive than before and hungry to go out into the world and experience more of life. I believe my whole perspective of live has changed. This experience taught me so much about myself; learning not to put myself first was one of the biggest things and I definitely think that the experience has turned me into a more considerate person. I am already saving for my return visit and I am hoping that my company will donate a satellite terminal for them to use on the mobile computers project.

I had saved up some money and wanted to travel somewhere new in the world, but I wanted to do something more meaningful than paying to stay at a resort, etc. I thought it would be great to experience a country by working with the people who live there and by making a physical (as well as monetary) contribution to their projects. As this was my first time volunteering, but also my first time on a big trip abroad by myself, I (along with my family) had several worries before I travelled. The main concern was the safety of the country I was visiting and of the project I was working on. Most of my other questions were rather minor such as the availability of methods to contact my family at home, how to get around in Ecuador, what the accommodations were like at the Centre, timing, etc. Kaya was very helpful and addressed all of my questions/worries. One of the Kaya coordinators told me that volunteering is probably the best way to travel solo, as you have the ability to meet new people and others in your situation. That helped me to be less nervous about going alone. There were many highlights I would say. Just being able to see and learn about new species in the world (especially the Amazon Rainforest) was great. Specifically spending extra time with the species that were not going to be re-released into the wild (the songo songo and the coati) was very special and meaningful. I loved taking a tour of the new project site and the family’s plantations by trekking into the Amazon. They let us try different fruits they had there and it was just interesting to experience how they live and work every day. Getting to explore the nearby cities on weekends was also a fantastic cultural experience. Lastly, one of the components of the project was to teach in the local school every other week. From what I read, soccer is a big sport in Ecuador so I decided to bring a soccer ball as a gift to the children. They absolutely loved it and were so happy! Some of the volunteers and the kids played a pick-up game and we all had a lot of fun! It was very touching to see how much this one simple gift meant to the children. I feel lucky. Not everyone gets to have these experiences and I am very happy to be fortunate enough to have done this. I learned so much about myself and about other cultures (through the Ecuadorian people and friends visiting from other countries). I also feel awakened after this experience. I feel that my adventures have just begun and that I want to continue exploring and learning about new places in the world. I have made plans to learn new languages, as I can see how important and valuable it is to an experience and to improve yourself as an individual. In certain ways yes, this experience has changed me. It has definitely made me more flexible as a person. When you travel and volunteer abroad, you don’t have as much control over your surroundings or what happens, so it teaches you to let go a little and just let things happen. It has made me more calm in many situations since I’ve returned home. One thing I didn’t expect with this experience was to think differently about my career path. I participated in this project to work with animals, but what I didn’t expect was to enjoy the teaching aspect of the project as much as I did. It made me realize that I love interacting with people about things that I’m passionate about. I am now looking to transition myself into taking my knowledge of animals and the environment and using it to get people excited about getting involved and caring about the living world outside of themselves. I would recommend that anyone considering this project actually has a genuine love or appreciation for animals. The work isn’t necessarily the most glamorous, so if you don’t truly care about the animals you may not take as much pride in your work which is only going to affect their living conditions and well-being. The main purpose of the Centre is to look after the animals and, as a volunteer, you are there to help them with this objective. You shouldn’t expect to be catered to or to be living in style. One last thing I would fully recommend anyone participating in this project or volunteering in Ecuador to do is to learn Spanish. You don’t have to be fluent by any means, but the people really appreciate if you try and can communicate on some level. It really makes the experience that much easier and enjoyable. I went to Ecuador and to the project knowing very little Spanish, and I personally wish I would have made the effort before I came to Ecuador to learn a bit more than I did. Even if you make an effort while you’re there to pick up more is a good idea. Travelling is all about learning new things. I have learned that although you may have expectations for a trip, it likely won’t turn out exactly the way you think it will. You may think this means your experience won’t be as great, but in reality it just means your experience will be different. You’ll learn or experience things that maybe you didn’t expect to, but they’ll mean just as much and they’ll teach you different things about the world and about yourself. This is one of the most important things I’ve learned from my experience- to learn to be flexible and to understand that you can take new (and unexpected) things away from a trip. Volunteer Experience: I personally love animals and love working with and learning about them (especially new species I have no knowledge of). I was also interested in working on a project involving the environment and conservation. Personally I was deciding between going to Africa or South America, but the project in Ecuador interested me most because it seemed to focus on improving the mental stability and well-being of the animals at the Rescue Centre. In the mornings, you would help prepare the food for the animals and then proceed to clean the cages and provide the animals with fresh food and water. After lunch, your duties could include constructing new structures or fixing existing structures for the inside of the animal cages or helping to fix things (cages, steps, etc.) around the Centre. Some animals were also fed later in the afternoon. Every other week, the volunteers and staff would go to teach a lesson about various environmental issues to the children at the local school. This involved some brainstorming for lesson ideas by the volunteers and preparation of teaching material (drawings, posters etc.) The daily duties are necessary to keep the Centre running smoothly and to ensure that the animals stay happy and healthy. The teaching aspect of the project is important so that the children can learn about the environment (locally and in the world) and why it is important to conserve and protect it.

I was worried that I would not be able to find the person who was supposed to pick me up from the airport. In the end it was all easy! There was a small trouble in Mozambique but it was easily solved. The highlight of Kenya were the animals and to get know the Masai. I also made a lot of new friends there. In Zambia it was to hold a chimpanzee and in Mozambique to see a 3 metre long shark and mantas. I wanted to be in a big family and to get know the people so that they would accept me as a friend and not just a paying tourist. This feeling was the most important for me. I really want to do more projects, travel more and help were I can. I care a lot about the way animals are treated. It made me more confident about m self, I grew a lot there. That it is the best thing that you can experience! You will meet a lot of people, get to know different cultures, be free, learn a language really easily, make friends and most importantly, grow in yourself. Kenya was just great! Volunteer Experience: Kenya: Every volunteer was really important for the project and their manager. They gave you a good feeling and you really felt, that you are changing something. You had responsibilities. And so you felt important. At the end I had amazing experiences and had tears to say goodbye. Zambia: There was not too much work here. You walked up the cages, cleaned them, feed the chimpanzees and that’s it. The work at the end is ok, but there were lots of workers! Mozambique: There was a little work here but we were out of luck because we didn’t see very many mantas or whale sharks. Living Situation: Kenya: It was easy because you had everything which you needed. The accommodation was good, clean, you had hot water sometimes, and that was a real luxury. The first day when I arrived I felt at home. It was perfect accommodation. The food was great, we had always enough to eat, although we were 5 hours away from the next bigger city…so it was amazing. I would recommend this accommodation to everyone. It’s really great. Zambia: The accommodation was ok. You stayed with some other volunteers in a bungalow although the beds were not as comfortable and the internet signal was very sporadic which made it hard to stay in contact with family and friends. The food portions were also small so I would have liked them a little bigger. Mozambique: We lived in a beach-house which was amazing. There were around 9 people in one dorm, so it was really warm. The living room was big and nice. The kitchen was ok too. Program Administration: I had a really good preparation with Kaya. They helped me a lot. I booked my trip quite shortly, but Kaya helped me everywhere. It was really nice to have Kaya, which could help me about quite everything. A really good thing is the documents about every project which they sent me per mail. They knew the most important things, which was so helpful.

Make sure to get involved in as many things as the project offers! The last thing you want is to go home and think "I wish I'd done that whenI was there." Don't let fear hold you back. I almost let my fear stop me from riding an elephant, but as soon I was on him, I didn't want to get back down! (Though I had to because my legs were aching!) I have just booked a project to go to Cape Town with penguins and I'm in the middle of working hard to save up so I can go back to Antelope Park! This all means that I have to be extremely careful and I've sacrificed many nights of partying, but I know the end result will be totally worth it! Volunteer Experience: In Antelope Park, I found everyone to be extremely friendly. I have never smiled at people so much in my life! Everyone I saw in the park all said hello and asked me how I was and they all seemed to be genuinely interested in my answer. I wanted to work with wildlife as I have always had an interest in animals, whether it was my own pets or animals in the zoo and when I saw the Antelope Park project I knew I had to go and have a hands on experience with one of the world's most beautiful animals. Living Situation: Whilst I was in Zimbabwe, I got to experience things that only a handful of people get to experience. The lifestyle there was so refreshing that I was glad to get up early in the morning and clean out lion enclosures, a task that some found less than pleasant! After living this and getting home and repeatedly telling family and friends about my time there, I realised I wanted to go back to Zimbabwe, but I also realised that there is so much more of Africa to see, encouraging me to do some more research into other projects and spotting the project in South Africa with penguins, I had to snap up the opportunity! Program Administration: Well structured, they take the volunteer opinions into account.

It has motivated me to do more. I wouldn’t necessarily do the same kind of thing again, but it has helped me motivate and focus on where I want to make a difference. It was satisfying getting to learn how children are selected for sponsorship and families chosen for the build a home project – getting to understand the mechanics of the system, meet the families and see that they need the help. t’s good that there’s age diversity in the participants. The communities seem very supportive. I really like the fact that families in the community get an income through the homestays. It’s been excellent! Volunteer Experience: Fantastic, really happy about that. It was satisfying hard labour – really good. Very hard work but just what I was looking for. Living Situation: I was appalled at the overpopulation and how it persists with such fixable circumstances. So would you say that is one of the primary challenges facing the Philippines at this point? Yes - population growth and the role of the church in that, how they may be hurting the population. There are not enough jobs and that’s because there are too many people and not enough birth control. Community Impact: I think that the experience of living with a family is very valid and helps with an understanding of the context of the society – the families and the children and the challenges they face. So I would say that was one of the best parts, 50% of it being the building and 50% being the homestay experience.

I wanted to go to South America as I wanted to brush up on my Spanish, which I have largely forgotten since I learnt it at school! Peru and Ecuador sounded like really diverse countries with a lot to see, and I was intrigued by Belize because of it’s British colonial past and combination of Caribbean and Latin American culture. I chose to volunteer as I wanted to do something more meaningful than just travelling as a tourist. Volunteering allows you to get closer to the local people, their cultures and customs, and see how they really live. It’s also a great way to make lasting friendships. I really enjoyed all the projects, especially as I had the opportunity to try a variety of completely different things. I was fortunate enough to work with incredible people in all three projects and made friends who I’m sure I will keep it touch with. But the most gratifying thing was seeing the difference that the projects are making, and knowing that my effort was worthwhile. Did you have any worries before you left? Yes – as I’ve never done anything like this before and didn’t know what to expect, no matter how much research I did. Some of my concerns were sensible (What if I miss my flight? Did I pack enough clothes?), and others less important (Will there be hot water?). But once I arrived and got settled in I soon forgot them – there’s so much to do and you’re so busy you don’t have any time to worry! It would be impossible to come back from an experience like this and not be changed. Seeing how people live in most of the world has given me a new appreciation of how fortunate we are compared to others. I had the opportunity to meet some truly inspirational people while working on the projects which has encouraged me to reconsider my options for the future, and hopefully do something to make a positive difference. What would you say to others thinking of volunteering? Do it! It’s normal to have concerns (I did) but there aren’t many problems you can’t solve with a quick phone call or a few carefully chosen words from a phrase book. I can’t adequately describe the experience, but I can say that I’m already planning my next adventure – once you get bitten by the travel bug you can’t stop! Volunteer Experience: In Peru, I worked on the Animal Rescue Sanctuary project. As well as feeding and cleaning the animals, I helped to build new enclosures. I also showed tourists around the sanctuary to educate them about the importance of the conservation work. I volunteered on the Fair Trade and Agroforestry Internship in the Amazon Rainforest, which is a fair-trade tea producer, in Ecuador. I worked in their charitable foundation and was involved in two projects. The first was an Economics project to find out the cost to a farmer of growing the tea, to ensure the price paid is fair. The second was to conduct surveys in the communities to find out what problems people face. This information would then be presented to a committee of farmers, who would decide how to spend a fund set aside for community development. My final project was in Belize, where I helped to construct a sustainable home and organic farm for orphans, who are forced to leave the state-run system at age 16. The aim of the project is to provide a stable home and allow them to concentrate on studying or gaining skills for employment. I helped to build the roof which was really hard work in the hot sun, but rewarding to know that I have left something physical behind. Living Situation: I was surprised at how friendly the people are and how easy it is to have a conversation with total strangers – this takes some getting used to when you live in London! I also picked up Spanish much quicker than I expected as everyone is really patient and willing to help as long as you make an effort. There were so many – including visiting Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca in Peru. But the absolute highlight has to be my visit to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. The animals have no fear of humans and instead will come up to investigate tourists, making it a great destination for anyone interested in photography. Seeing firsthand the clues which led Darwin to his famous discovery was fascinating and it was amazing to learn that some of the tortoises which were around to greet him on his arrival are still alive today. They were very different experiences. Whereas volunteering allowed me to stay in one place and really get to know a single community and make friends there, travelling round allowed me to get an overall flavour of the country and experience the diversity of different places. For example, in Belize I was based in the West in a largely Spanish speaking area near the Guatemalan border, but I also travelled to the Cayes (islands off the coast to the East), which has a Caribbean feel. It was interesting to see how different these places were, despite being only 70 miles apart. Program Administration: The sign up process was really straightforward and I was given lots of help and advice as I was planning my trip. I was also given help choosing the projects, as I wanted to do something related to my skills and experience.

It is the most rewarding and humbling experience. It makes you put your life into perspective and how we are all motivated by money and material things. These people have not one quarter of what we have but they know no different and are happy with their lot. The project creep into your heart and you leave a little piece of your heart with them. Did you have any worries before you left? Would it be safe? – yes perfectly as long as you are sensible and don’t take any risks. How would the flight connections work? – JNB airport is huge but there is always someone to ask if you get lost Will someone meet me from the airport? – greeted by a friendly face and my name on a board Where will I be staying? – in a lovely house in a lovely village Did anything surprise you? How friendly the locals are, if you spend the time they love to chat to you. The children love any attention you can give them The children are not angels but cheeky little imps that you can’t resist. You experience their culture and their way of life as opposed to just seeing the tourist parts. In a very small way you are making a difference If anyone was thinking of doing this project I would say DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!!!!!! Volunteer Experience: I volunteered here 5 years ago and have always wanted to go back. The place, the people and the children always stay in your heart. Living Situation: The house is comfortable and warm. It is not slumming it by any stretch of the imagination. You have comfortable beds, running water and 3 meals a day. The added extra is the house mama who looks after the cooking and the cleaning of the house. You feel very looked after, even spoilt. Community Impact: The people, the place and the children are all truly special and will always hold a place in my heart A typical week of my time on the project: Monday morning – off to run Grade R (reception class – aged 5 -7 years old) at the farm school, this morning we are learning the letter A and number 1. We are learning to write, colour, play games and a story all in English to help the children learn the language. Monday afternoon – off the orphanage to play with the children, do arts and crafts and teach computers. A small privately run orphanage where any help is welcome and the children love new people to play with. A very humbling place but happy children. Tuesday morning – Grade R at the farm school. Its arts and crafts day! Today we are making play dough for the children to mould and play with. Then we are decorating Giraffe masks to wear and play outside as giraffes. Tuesday afternoon – Sports with the village children at the sports field. The sports field has been creating in the last couple of years through fundraising and volunteers hard work. The village now have a football pitch, changing rooms, volleyball pitch and soon to be completed netball pitch. Volunteers help teach a variety of sports to the children. Wednesday morning – Grade R at the farm school. It’s the letter B and number 2 today. The children practiced writing the letter and number, some have only just started school so haven’t even learnt to hold a pencil, others need to develop this skill. Wednesday afternoon – We spend the afternoon together going on dune walks, walks along the coast or boat trips! Anything organized by the team! Thursday morning – Grade R at the farm school. Its arts and crafts day again!!! This time we make cars from cardboard boxes and play with them outside. Next we also make bracelets from bottle tops and pasta necklaces Thursday afternoon – the school concert. The whole school sings for the tourists in the hope they can earn donations to help their feed a child scheme. It is a truly amazing spine tingling experience that you shouldn't miss. The children have amazing voices and have no musical instruments, just them and their clapping and stomping. It makes you hair stand on end! Sports afternoon – you rush back just in time for the second sports afternoon of the week. Sport is very important part of the volunteer project. It is hoped that by keeping the children active and giving them something to focus on, especially the teenagers, it will divert them away from early drinking and pregnancy. Plus the fact the younger ones absolutely love it! Friday morning – Back to Grade R for more writing and learning. Its letter C and number 3. We always finish the day off with a story and songs. The children can sing a few songs in English and its where they practice for their starring role in the school concert. Friday afternoon – is afternoon off. You can hit the beach, swim in the sea, go to Buccaneers the backpackers across the beach (also where to go for party time!!!), have sundowners cocktails at Michealas restaurant or hang out in Barefoot café. Saturday and Sunday are your own – you can go on safari, ride quad bikes, go mountain biking, cultural tours and visit Mama Tofu and her village to learn about the local culture and customs, organize weekends away to Hogsback mountains or Cape Town or just hang out and enjoy the chilled out vibe of beautiful Chinsta.

The project is a unique place, but they went through a lot of troubles over the years according to ecologic disasters, poaching, the economic situation of the country. They really need the help of volunteers to take care of the animals they are rescuing and the ones they unfortunately can’t put back in the wild for various reasons. We had a lot of responsibilities and could participate in all the tasks. We were really close to all the animals and even had baby times to spend with little monkeys or other small animals. When we were there, there was a young lion that they took out for a walk around the orphanage, we got to go with them and even touch him, it’s impossible to describe what you feel in this moment. What does travelling as a volunteer mean to you vs travelling as a tourist? It gives a true meaning to your trip and you discover the local life as you would never do as a tourist. We have spent a lot of time with owners and their family, heard true stories about their experiences and their everyday life. You have so much more to share around you when you come back from such a trip, and helping others gives a special satisfaction. I feel lucky to have lived such an experience and even more concerned about animal rescue. I feel stronger as I did things I thought I would not be able to. Now I want to continue this project and find a way to support the centre from home. Volunteer Experience: I am an animal lover and wanted to live a unique experience as a volunteer while discovering the real Africa. It was a full immersion with wildlife animals. We had a briefing every morning to know our tasks for the day. It went from taking care of the nursery where they keep small injured animals, to cleaning and restore cages, collect plants for the antelopes or straw in the fields, and last but not least, feed the big cats and collect bones in their cages. We also had the opportunity to help the people working with the big cats to prepare the food, I would have never thought I could be able to do this but it was an amazing experience. Living Situation: We slept in a hut together with my friend. As it was winter time it was very cold at night but our hosts gave us extra blankets. We had hot water in the showers that we shared with other volunteers. We were always eating all together, having breakfast in the volunteers’ kitchen and lunch and dinner at the house with the owners. We were happy to go in town sometimes to buy extra snacks as you get really hungry after working all day. My only worry was not to see lions or other big cats. As it is an orphanage you never know which animals will be there when you come. But instead I got to work every day with a dozen of lions, 5 leopards, and other big cats. I will never forget the sound of their roar… Program Administration: I first tried to organize this trip from a local agency in Geneva and unfortunately they could not find anything available fitting my requests. I was delighted to find Kaya while searching the web for a solution. You managed to identify a fantastic project for me and convinced the representative to accept me and my friend even though we were coming for a short period. Thanks to Kaya I could spend my birthday as I wished.

I feel that while I was there I made the children’s lives more enjoyable – they may not have received the attention I was able to give them had I not been there. Would you volunteer again? YES!! Anything else? As a young traveller, I am truly grateful for the opportunity I’ve had. Volunteer Experience: I was working in an orphanage looking after the children. They were adorable and I really value the time I spent with them. Living Situation: Really great – Ate Joy was amazing and you really feel like a part of the family. It was something I was quite worried about but experiencing the different culture was great and I have also learnt about other parts of the world from other volunteers, which is really nice. Everyone has been lovely and the homestay has a great atmosphere, with people always coming and going. As heartbreaking as some things are, such as being asked for money by street kids, you have to try and distance yourself – you can’t help everyone. Also do everything you can – from visiting other projects to meeting up with other volunteers, say yes! Don’t worry about being younger than everyone else – other volunteers will treat you the same and everyone, no matter what age, gets homesick sometimes Program Administration: Do you feel Kaya were supportive throughout your preparations and during your stay? Yes. They were great with answering any odd questions I had, no matter how silly, and being checked up on while I was out there was really nice.

Kaya was really helpful throughout the sign up process. I had lots of questions to ask before I signed up, which were all answered and once I had signed up I was given a lot of information to prepare for it. The advisors kept in contact with me throughout my preparations and eased any worries that I had. It has opened my eyes to a totally different culture and how people can get by on relatively little. It has definitely made me more appreciative of what I have at home, and made me realise how much I take for granted. I would definitely recommend volunteering to anyone who wants to try something different, or meet new people. I loved the fact that I met people who took a totally different outlook on life compared to me. Thank you Kaya, I would love to travel with you again someday! Volunteer Experience: I helped out at a rural clinic by assisting the nurses in preparing vaccinations, taking weight, blood pressure, pulse rate and breathing rate measurements. It means that you are going to help the people you are meeting, rather than just observe them. I like the fact that I was helping to improve the service provided to the people, even if it only made a tiny difference. Living Situation: Yes, I had never travelled alone before, so getting through airport customs and having someone to meet me at the end was my main concern! The excursions to various islands were incredible! Also, hanging out with the local girls in the area on a regular basis really made my trip fun. Community Impact: I had wanted to experience a totally different culture, and after to speaking to an advisor about the main things I wanted from the experience she recommended the Philippines. I’m really glad I stayed with a homestay family. They were so accommodating, especially because I’m vegetarian. I didn’t find the basic facilities as much of a problem as I expected because I had been pre-warned a long time in advance, so had a lot of time to get used to the idea. Everyone was so friendly, despite their hardships. I was also surprised at the level of poverty in certain areas. Until I went there I had no idea that so much poverty existed there.