Volunteer Programs in South America

I found the program very enjoyable. It was easy to fit in and meet other volunteers. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Everybody who is willing to embark on such journey will definitely not be disapointed!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

Everything was excellent, great support from Maximo Staff. Good introduction session as well as bases covered. And good offers of support from Maximo staff. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

You guys were great! There was great support, info, and involvement. Thank you!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

My experience in Peru with Maximo Nivel was above excellent. I had such an amazing time. The atmosphere of my project, school, homestay, and city of Cusco was so comforting, especially as a solo traveler. Everything was excellent!

Throughout my placement in Croatia, IVHQ provided me with the relevant help and support needed to make my stay as stress free as possible. I would highly recommend this company and encourage anyone contemplating a placement.

I learned so much while being here. The internship didn't even feel like work but more like an aadventure while also gaining experience and ECTS (Uni Credits) on the side. The team is amazing and the atmosphere while working was always very relaxed while still getting a lot done with being surrounded by the great view and friendly people.

I learned so much while being here. The internship didn't even feel like work but more like an aadventure while also gaining experience and ECTS (Uni Credits) on the side. The team is amazing and the atmosphere while working was always very relaxed while still getting a lot done with being surrounded by the great view and friendly people.

My experience at El Terreno was an amazing opportunity to learn about architecture in a completely different context. Working alongside local people allowed me to understand how traditional construction methods, native materials, and the environment can influence the way buildings are designed. I really enjoyed being able to combine what I have learned through my studies with hands-on work in the community. Beyond the architectural experience, I also appreciated the cultural exchange and the opportunity to learn from the people of the Andes. It was a valuable experience that helped me grow both professionally and personally.

# Gender Internship Testimonial > El Terreno was a very nice place to meet people from all around the world, work with local people, and learn about the way of life of a small community in the Andes. During my Gender Internship, I had the opportunity to connect with community members, learn from their experiences, and gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural realities that shape everyday life in rural communities. The experience allowed me to broaden my perspective, develop a greater appreciation for different ways of living, and understand the importance of working together with communities. It was a meaningful experience that combined cultural exchange, personal growth, and valuable learning.

El Terreno was supposed to be a brief learning experience for me, a way to immerse myself in hands on work and building techniques. What it was in actuality, was the creation of a place where people and place come together in harmony. From the local community welcoming us with open arms and teaching their traditional techniques, to the days off spent with strangers who turned into friends; El Terreno reminded me what it means to be at home. It is not a place, but a feeling, that with the right components can be transported anywhere. A little piece of my heart will always remain in the family and home that we built.

My experience at El Terreno was truly special. During my time in the Architecture programme, I had the opportunity to work directly with the community and learn more about local construction methods, traditional materials, and the importance of architecture that responds to its cultural and environmental context. What made the experience even more meaningful was being able to contribute to a project that had a real impact on the people around me. Knowing that my work helped make a young man happy was a simple but incredibly rewarding moment that I will always remember. El Terreno gave me the opportunity to learn, create, connect with the community, and see the personal impact that architecture can have. :)

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship at El Terreno and feel accomplished in all the work we completed. I loved being able to work directly with the community and build meaningful connections with locals. I think the El Terreno internship program is unique in this way, because you are able to fully assess problems and opportunities in the community to ensure your project is actually beneficial. I also loved the freedom to develop the project plan throughout my time in Atandahua. There was so much support behind me in all my tasks as well as setting up meetings with people in so many expertise. I also got to meet so many interesting people from all over the world with similar goals. The lunches were also amazing and I am definitely missing them now. I am so grateful for my time at El Terreno and I would definitely recommend this program if you are interested in meaningful community development.

La experiencia fue inolvidable! Me gustó el plan de la semana y también las actividades en cada foundación. Simon and Laura are very accommodating, welcoming and are always open to feedback. Luisa who accompanied us to many foundations was great at including everyone and set a great example with the kids. Thank you for all the memories! I recommend this experience who anyone looking for a family feel way of experiencing the culture in Colombia and want to be involved in some great local social projects. I stayed with a Colombian family and I would highly recommend this option.

I will carry this experience in my heart; it was absolutely wonderful. Volunteering was one of the best things I've ever done, especially with animals, where I met so many kind and joyful hearts. It was so lovely to share moments here with such a Maximo Nevel of care and be a part of it. I'm grateful for being made to feel welcome and for the opportunity to help. Thank you so much for everything.

I will carry this experience in my heart; it was absolutely wonderful. Volunteering was one of the best things I've ever done, especially with animals, where I met so many kind and joyful hearts. It was so lovely to share moments here with such a Maximo Nevel of care and be a part of it. I'm grateful for being made to feel welcome and for the opportunity to help. Thank you so much for everything.

I will carry this experience in my heart; it was absolutely wonderful. Volunteering was one of the best things I've ever done, especially with animals, where I met so many kind and joyful hearts. It was so lovely to share moments here with such a Maximo Nevel of care and be a part of it. I'm grateful for being made to feel welcome and for the opportunity to help. Thank you so much for everything.

I will carry this experience in my heart; it was absolutely wonderful. Volunteering was one of the best things I've ever done, especially with animals, where I met so many kind and joyful hearts. It was so lovely to share moments here with such a Maximo Nevel of care and be a part of it. I'm grateful for being made to feel welcome and for the opportunity to help. Thank you so much for everything.

Overall I had an amazing time at the jungle project from the people to the activities itself I have no bad words to say. Emily, Cristobal and Aldho were amazing and made the experience super enjoyable.

Volunteering in Brazil ranks among the most eye-opening experiences of my life. As an American, spending time there showed me a completely different way of living. The children I worked with had very little compared to what we're used to, yet they were some of the most joyful, welcoming people I've encountered, sprinting out to play soccer and pulling me into their world despite the language barrier between us. That same warmth met me everywhere I turned. Brazilians who spoke almost no English still made me feel like one of their own. From the hostel staff to my coordinator Vivian, whose energy and warmth made her easy to talk to from day one, to my fellow IVHQ volunteers, an international crew I genuinely loved being around and still stay close with today, the sense of belonging never let up. Spending three weeks actually living within a different culture, rather than just passing through it, gave me a new perspective on how vast the world truly is, and how much of what I considered "normal" is really just an American mindset. Success isn't only measured in money, careers, and jobs, the way it often is back home. I watched people define a good life in entirely different terms, and thrive doing it. Beyond the volunteer work itself, I also got to experience Brazil as a country: Christ the Redeemer, its beaches, the favelas, and food unlike anything I'd had before. Exploring the favelas came with its own eye-opening moment. At one point I ended up somewhere I shouldn't have been and found myself surrounded by armed men who weren't police, which was one of the most nerve-racking moments of the entire trip and one where staying calm mattered a lot. It was a stark reminder that real immersion also means staying aware of your surroundings. Even so, it was the mix of giving back to a community and fully experiencing a new place, harder moments included, that made the trip what it was. If I could give one piece of advice to anyone doing this program, it would be to go in with an open mind and stay grounded in who you are. Arriving in Brazil was eye-opening in ways I didn't expect, from the buildings to the visible poverty, it forces you to see a version of the world you don't encounter at home. Don't let the language barrier scare you off either. I remember stepping off the plane and realizing almost no one around me spoke English, and I didn't speak a word of Portuguese. It was intimidating at first, but it stops being a barrier once you let yourself lean into it. The pace of life there is different too, and in a good way. It's slower, more grounded, more cultured. There isn't that constant rush to get to the next thing that I feel so often living in America, and honestly, that shift was one of the best parts of the experience. The culture is incredibly welcoming overall, but I'd still tell people to stay aware, especially in the favelas or any unfamiliar area. Most people you meet will be genuinely kind, but not everyone has good intentions, so pay attention to where you are and who's around you. Go in open-minded and respectful, but don't let that openness turn into carelessness. Volunteering abroad is something I'd recommend to anyone, and something I'd do again and again.