Volunteer Programs in Kerala, India

I participated in the Women’s Empowerment programme in Fort Kochi, Kerala, with IVHQ and had a truly wonderful experience. The IVHQ team were very quick to answer any questions and solve issues which came up before departure, which I found to be very reassuring. The local team were consistently available, approachable, and responsive, and their support made a real difference throughout my stay. The accommodation was comfortable and well maintained. The bedrooms had bunk beds with en-suite bathrooms, and even with four people sharing, they felt spacious. The rooms were cleaned daily, and I found my bed to be very comfortable. I also really enjoyed the meals. There was always plenty of food, with a great variety, and the quality was consistently excellent. There is no evening meal on Sundays which give volunteers the opportunity to try out the numerous restaurants in Fort Kochi – more taste experiences! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Fort Kochi and would happily recommend the programme to anyone considering it. If you’re unsure, I would definitely encourage you to just go for it. Fort Kochi is a very safe destination and particularly well suited to solo female travellers of all ages.

I had an incredibly rewarding experience volunteering in childcare in Delhi, India. From the very beginning, the organisation was well-structured, supportive, and genuinely committed to making a positive impact on the local community. The placement allowed me to work closely with children in a safe and nurturing environment, where I was involved in daily activities such as assisting with learning, playtime, and providing general care. It was both challenging and fulfilling, and it helped me develop important skills such as patience, adaptability, communication, and cultural awareness. The house coordinators and caregivers were absolutely wonderful. They were kind, attentive, and always made me feel welcome and supported, creating a warm and comfortable home environment throughout my stay. The local team and coordinators were always available to offer guidance, which made the overall experience even more meaningful. Being immersed in Indian culture, particularly in a city as vibrant and diverse as Delhi, was unforgettable and broadened my perspective both personally and professionally. I would highly recommend this childcare volunteer programme to anyone looking to make a real difference while gaining valuable hands-on experience and cultural exposure.

I thought the project was wonderful. All of the ladies were so nice to me and made me feel welcomed. I liked that I got the opportunity to plan lessons myself and lead the group. The homestead was always kept clean and lights and fan switches were clearly labeled. There was always tea and fruit and I liked the location of the building too. Everything was always clean in the house! The kitchen staff were so friendly and even paid attention to the portions of what I normally eat and adjusted it accordingly. Everything was delicious. My driver to the airport was on time and friendly. The driver for Munnar trip was so well-informed, and great at knowing the good spots as well as making me feel safe while traveling. The staff support was the best part about the program. I ended up alone in the program and they were always telling me the best spots to go and even helped plan my time here! Munnar was SO fun! Highly recommend to anyone who comes here. The Spite garden was the best. i liked the yoga classes and shopping around town. The tuktuk drivers were a little annoying to me and drive me places I didn't want to go but the Holi celebration was so enjoyable!

The guidance and preparation resources made me feel confident to give it a go. I had no concerns or worries as a result. IVHQ is a wholly trustworthy organisation which wants all volunteers to have a great experience. The programs represent great value for money. You will meet many other volunteers who hold similar values to you. There will be plenty of interesting discussions round the dinner table! In a sense, you will feel part of a family.

The resources met my expectation while enhancing a smooth transition with the local organisation I was affiliated to. The local team was remarkable in many aspects. Their respective projects were well run, streamlined and very well managed. My teaching coordinator was caring, professional and incredibly helpful and supportive. I had a positive feedback from the students and I do believe they truly enjoyed our mutual collaboration during the program. Getting out of your comfort zone is the first step towards your inner transformation. The connection you will build over your experience with locals as well as with other volunteers will unfold a wealth of opportunities in your life.

Take the step and do it! As my first solo trip Kerala, India was the best possible location for me and the program I wanted to commit to. I always felt safe, the other volunteers were so welcoming and the local team really guide you throughout. Working with the ladies on the programme was the ultimate reward, their light, love and compassion was just overwhelming. It will stay with me forever. I’ve done some volunteering previously on more of a local level but the integration of travel and the immersion of culture really has made this experience off the scale. It was hard leaving India, but I’d love to return again. IVHQ were great from start to finish and I will definitely consider another project in the future!

I’m very satisfied with the program and would love to volunteer again but next stay longer. The accommodation was spacious. Very humble and quiet. All my expectations have been met. The food was exceptional and was very pleased with the staff.

I have loved volunteering on this programme. Honey has been an excellent and supportive teacher. The students have been wonderful to teach. I would not improve anything on the programme as it has been great. Accommodation has been comfortable and clean. I have enjoyed staying here. Food has been excellent and have been provided with lots of different things. The ladies who work here have been very friendly and always ensuring we have eaten :). All transport has been great

The women’s programme is a fantastic project evident by the women’s enthusiasm and love of the attendings. The accommodation was lovely and clean. At times very hot if lots of people in one flat. The food was incredible. Some of the best food I have eaten in Kerala was made here at the volunteer house. The Transportation was fine.

Such a great work within the community to help, provide women with the opportunity to connect and develop skills for employment. The food was incredible! Thank you for all the lovely dishes and the care from the team to look after us.

I couldn’t be more satisfied! Had 0 expectations before coming and they were exceeded in every way. If I could stay longer I would have. Everything was perfect and it now feels like home for me. Let me stay forever, please! Highlight was all the women passing their exams, couldn’t be prouder of them, and seeing their confidence increase over the weeks was the entire reason I came ? The accommodations were better than expected, felt super safe at all times, room was spacious and surprisingly cool - shred space was comfortable and I found the beds comfy too. The hangers weren’t really usable but the rails are perfect for storage. The food was PERFECT! So grateful to Renuka and Baby for always making delicious tasty meals. Accommodating our needs and giving us a proper taste of Kerala. I’m a little bad with textures so it took me some time to get used to not just eating toast and pasta, but so many dishes blew me away. Prawn roast and chicken biriyani specifically <3 I didn’t need any transport for my project but walked most places easily and got cheap tuk-tuks from Junchan. Ubers also very easy to get from here and Shamla was really helpful in arranging airport pick-ups and drop-offs without any hassle.

Very satisfied. I loved the women’s staff, and time in Kochi. It was absolutely amazing. Having a syllabus of vocab, grammar and literature to follow could be helpful to add continuing. The accommodation was fantastic! Staff was able to accommodate upgrading me to AC, kept my room clean, and it was overall very comfortable. Location is perfect. The cooks are incredible. The food was delicious. I loved every meal I had. They are so talented and accommodating. They were able to make my changes and take requests. Only thing that could possibly add some extra magic would be offering fresh vegetables in addition to fruit!

I enjoyed working with the women English students and co-teaching with Raychelle. Honey’s orientation and ongoing support was very helpful. I enjoyed the freedom to create lessons around a topic. The students were pleasant, motivated and fun to work with. The schedule gave me time to both prep and relax and be a tourist. The accommodation was sufficiently clean. However, I was unfortunately not comfortable. The bed was a little too short and uncomfortable, and it was difficult to get adequate air flow. I would recommend getting larger beds with softer mattresses and installing more conditioners. The food was tasty. I enjoyed trying local dishes, and the cooks were very friendly. One thing that might be nice is to have masala tea with breakfast. Having transport included from their part was helpful. I found the drive right upon exiting the airport. I also appreciated having the opportunity to visit the children’s classes. And I appreciated the kind and helpful staff team.

I loved teaching here - the women were so excited to learn and very determined to improve their English. Famidha is an asset to the program. Without her, I don’t think my teaching would have been very effective. She confronted so much and is extremely dedicated to the program, the women and the teachers :) . The accommodation was good for the most part. I don’t like that every window has bars - how would you escape in event of fire? There should be a smoke alarm and sprinkles in every room. The food was excellent! Baby cooks with heart and all of her meals were delicious. As for transportation, tuktuks are convenient + cheap. Loved the Mannar trip! Our guide “Do’s?” was amazing and made the trip so memorable. I liked him very much, he was so accommodating and friendly.

I had a fantastic time and met so many lovely ladies. I will remember my experience forever and have learnt such a lot about the culture and people’s lives. I hope I have made some difference. Also loved my time with Cecily - Palliative Care nurse. Excellent accommodation. The only improvement I can think of is a bigger bottom sheet for the bed. I have spent most nights sleeping on the orange mattress as sheet untouched as soon as I climb in <3.

I have been very satisfied - The whole house is fantastic. If any improvements, maybe it could be a better insight into what the women gain most from before you start. That way, it will be quicker to work it right. The accommodation is very spacious and clean- but could do with a little upgrade to make it more inviting. The food was really really good - and, the care for getting it right according to preference and taste so lovely <3. The transport was timely and safe!

I am very satisfied with the project, it has been a very rewarding experience and I am looking forward to coming back. Accommodation is good, I however feel that the bunk beds itself could be better, it is slightly difficult to climb up and down. The food has been fantastic, it was lovely for them to always ask what we wanted. The transport does seem slightly expensive, so I have been finding my own transport.

I found the project to be extremely rewarding and gave me real insight into the Indian culture and opportunities to connect with local women in the community. I was a little surprised by the amount of work required to prepare each lesson and would have loved a bit more proactive suggestions of how I could have prepared prior to my arrival in India. The house was very clean and comfortable. Wifi was a bit spotty but overall ok! I would love some hand soap in the bathrooms next time. The food was amazing! So good to try all types of authentic Kerala food and was so yummy. I’m sure the next batch of volunteers would be interested in learning more about the food, perhaps even a cooking class? The transport to/from the project was great and easily explained by the coordinator. I’d suggest adding a general pricelist somewhere in the house to let new volunteers know what prices to expect and what is reasonable.

It was the best thing I have ever done, apart from being a mum, the whole experience will stay with me forever. Do it - you will love the culture, people and mainly the beautiful children. I feel I got a lot out of this experience. I planned the lesson for the next day and I feel I have done some really good stuff - the children seemed to enjoy the lessons. I tried to make them fun by making play doh and doing a lot of prep and bringing a lot of equipment to help explain the topic. I did fund raising and I was so happy to receive over £1000 from donations from people back home to buy two water filters, plants for a garden project, lots of food, clothes and a study table.

Through this fellowship, I've been able to work on UNICEF and UNESCO environmental education training and capacity-building projects. While the project placements vary, my experience has been one that could not have happened any other way, as an American citizen figuring out how to work and live in India. The entire AIF team is so supportive, and while I would say the experience of living and working in India is not for the faint of heart, this is the best way I can find for anyone to do that, and to come away with incredible professional growth and experience to show for it. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in the development sector but only those who are ready for a challenge.