Volunteer Abroad Programs

I had so much fun on this trip, it was the perfect balance of volunteer work and traveling. We had guided tours as well as alone time to explore with friends and the staff were so amazing. I have recommended this experience to so many people.

Please insert a short title that best explains your experience abroad, and then tell us about your experience in detail so we can spread the word. Please insert a short title that best explains your experience abroad, and then tell us about your experience in detail so we can spread the word. Please insert a short title that best explains your experience abroad, and then tell us about your experience in detail so we can spread the word. Please insert a short title that best explains your experience abroad, and then tell us about your experience in detail so we can spread the word.

My time on the Okavango Wilderness Project was incredible. This conservation experience was rustic yet comfortable. With no electricity (although Wi-Fi was available), this was not a luxury safari camp, and that's just the way I like it. The Okavango and Botswana in general are world-class wildlife destinations, and that means a considerable economic incentive for conservation that is provided by wildlife and volunteering. During the day, we recorded data regarding target wildlife species on established transects or searched for interesting wildlife. This data will establish some baseline population numbers for species of interest to the Botswanan government. I am a zookeeper by profession and a birder. The profuse and gorgeous bird life was as interesting to me as the more famous charismatic mammals. While I enjoy working with zoo animals, there is a different and very special excitement involved in seeing such a vast diversity of species in the wild. I encourage all participating as volunteers to think beyond an interest only in the Big Five: elephants, lions, leopards, African buffalo, and rhino. We did see all of them except for rhinos, but the full array of fascinating wildlife should be embraced. We slept in a tented camp and, as a safety precaution, stayed in our tents until dawn. This was not a fenced camp, and all of the wildlife was free to come and go, especially after dark. This was part of the excitement and the charm. During the night, we heard lions roaring in the distance and hyenas vocalising in what sometimes seemed to be inside our camp. This is the real deal. All of the animals are completely wild and should be treated with due respect. One particularly outstanding wildlife sighting was seeing the endangered African Wild Dog. Botswana is a core country for the less than 6,600 total population of Wild Dogs left in the world, as the Okavango has the largest Wild Dog population of anywhere in Africa. We saw the Alpha female waiting outside the den, her pups below ground and out of view, while the pack was out on a hunt. One of the pack members returned as we watched while they fed the Alpha part of the kill they had made. Our three Okavango staff members who accompanied us were skilled and knowledgeable, and we all became friends during our experience. I was one of two volunteers during each of my two-week stays and enjoyed the friendship formed with the other volunteers. All in all, it was a real plus that we had a three staff to two volunteer participant ratio. I appreciated the obvious commitment of the Botswana team and ACE to wildlife conservation. All in all, an amazing experience. I want to do it again!

My overall experience with African Conservation Experience (ACE) was smooth and straightforward, with clear and friendly communication right from the start of the trip-planning process. After sending my original interest email, I was contacted by an ACE consultant almost immediately afterwards. My detailed talk with my consultant was informative and, overall, was just a fun, enjoyable conversation with someone else who also enjoys wildlife. Once everything was planned and my trip was ready to go, I couldn’t speak highly enough about ACE. The information provided to me about the project I had chosen was really straightforward and accurate. In no way did I feel like the wool was being pulled over my eyes. ACE handle pretty much everything for you! The only things you have to manage yourself are packing your own bag and getting yourself to Johannesburg, South Africa. The major thing that I want to mention is that during my stay at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, I had a medical emergency (unrelated to the volunteer work). The volunteer coordinator for Moholoholo had to take me to the emergency room, where I stayed for two nights and had minor surgery. While I was staying in the hospital, the communication between ACE and Moholoholo made my life endlessly easier. The in-country ACE team were in touch with me throughout my hospital stay, going over the potential future options I had, as well as keeping Moholoholo's team in the loop. One staff member from Moholoholo was back the next morning after dropping me off, and he had returned with a full bag of my stuff so I could be comfortable with my belongings (phone charger/headphones, etc.) while I was in hospital. I had nothing to worry about regarding my trip. I was able to focus completely on my health while the doctors handled my medical issue. It’s also worth saying that the hospital near Moholoholo is amazing. It's a brand new private hospital, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about if something happens and you need to visit. Despite my medical emergency, I ended up going back to the conservation project to complete my incredible trip, which was only possible because of the support I received in-country. The only advice I would have for future volunteers is to take out some South African Rand at the international airport when you arrive so you always have enough cash to do the fun excursions available on Sundays.

Going to Sri Lanka was an experience I’ll never forget. During my time there I got to meet the most wonderful people and experience so much culture I never knew had existed. From the moment I got there till the day I left I felt very safe within my accommodation as well and the staff members who would help me with anything I needed. I would recommend.

I came to IPBio hoping to make a positive impact on local biodiversity and the surrounding community, but my expectations were exceeded in every possible way. It truly was a 10/10 experience! The work is easy enough to pick up quickly, but varied and interesting enough that it doesn't become repetitive or boring. Most importantly, you genuinely feel like you are making a difference, which sets it apart from other volunteer programs. Getting the opportunity to see amazing wildlife up close, including sloths, monkeys and caimans, while on the job makes the experience even more special. The volunteer house is lovely as well, especially the pool, and Alter do Chão and Santarém have so much to offer, meaning there is always something to explore during free time and weekends. The beach was my favorite place to be! On top of all that, the other volunteers were incredibly nice, the staff were always helpful, welcoming and supportive and best of all there is a cat. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better experience and would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone looking for a meaningful, fun and rewarding time volunteering!

From working with kids in a nursery, to seeing beautiful tours, and spending 2 weeks in the Amazon jungle!.. i've learned so much about my self, and the people of Peru. By far my favorite project was the Panthera sanctuary. Aldo and Cristobal are amazing people who made me embrace ALL... Of the jungle, but i've never felt more energetic and driven. the location is beautiful and rustic, with a scenic view of the river. We were able to help reforest, monitor and document animals, as well as do other activities like play volley ball, go fishing, and night animal monitoring. Oh and dont get me started on how delicous the food was, we got breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Amazing. Im reminicing as i type this. 100% recommend doing this project as well as looking into the other incredible projects Maximo has to offer. You wont regret it!!!

I did the Archaeology and Jungle Conservation programs around Cusco. They were all very well organized and Maximo made it very easy to learn how to get from place to place. I think similar programs would require much longer stays or affiliations with university programs. My feedback to future volunteers is to take whatever amount of bug spray and sunblock you think you need and triple it. If it is the rainy season, bring water proof clothes and boots.

The cultural information shared by host families was amazing. We came to celebrate our 25th anniversary and the archaeology dig was great with a wonderful host family. We will be strongly recommending this program to all our family and friends. We cannot wait to come again. Muy bueno!

I have had great experiences working with IVHQ for four straight years. The representatives are always friendly, professional and easy to work with. They have helped me to not just enjoy my time in other countries, but feel like I've made a valuable contribution. The variety of experiences that they offer and contribute to makes it easy for me to continue working with them year after to eat, and if it wasn't for IVHQ I might not be volunteering year after year like I have been. Looking forward to many more years of working with them.

I thank future4africa for allowing me to live this amazing experience! You have been there a dream! The people are amazing, from the population, the future4africa team and the volunteers. You constantly receive love, joy and attention. I have had different experiences such as seeing the operation of the hospital, teaching in a school, visiting villages, playing with children, doing a safari and a thousand other things that will remain forever in my memory. I totally recommend living this experience with future4africa, you are constantly taken care of, they will give you all the love in the world and you do endless activities.

I spent a month in Bolgatanga (Ghana) with Future 4 Afrika in a Education program. I went to a school and gave classes to the children in the morning and we did other different activities in the afternoon, like going to orphanages to spend time and play with the kids. It was certainly the best experience for my life and I recommend it to everybody! It made me change my way of seeing life. All the people working in this NGO are angels and the took care of us like we were family. I can’t wait to come back!!!

the best experience of my life❤️ spending time with the children, teaching them and having the opportunity to see the Ghanaian culture and its reality is something I will never forget. I totally recommend Future4africa since they helped and accompanied us from the very first moment, they are so awesome people!!!

I spent almost four weeks at Future4Africa and truly enjoyed my time there. During this period, I gained many new experiences and had the opportunity to work both in the primary school and in the community with the children in the afternoons. The time with them was incredibly rewarding and brought me a lot of joy. A special thanks goes to Joshua and Samuel, who put so much effort into making my stay unforgettable. They not only organized everything perfectly but also took me on trips to show me the country, its culture, and the beautiful nature. This gave me a very authentic insight and made my stay even more valuable. I can highly recommend Future4Africa to anyone who would like to get to know a new culture, work with children, and at the same time make a positive impact.

J'ai vécu ce dernier mois la plus belle expérience de ma vie. Nous avons été entourées de personnes bienveillantes dans chacune de nos missions, qui nous ont accompagnées de façon à vivre notre expérience de la façon la plus impactante et bénéfique possible. Les missions proposées étaient très intéressantes, nous avons la liberté de proposer des activités & autres occupations, nous étions très libres dans nos propositions ! À côté de cela, l'association se souciait chaque jour de notre humeur, notre journée et notre ressenti, et elle a tenu un rôle accompagnateur réellement présent. Nous avons pu faire des rencontres incroyables, et passer des moments d'échange que nous ne pourrons oublier. Nous avons aussi eu la chance de découvrir de nombreux endroits du Ghana, et d'en apprendre plus sur les cultures locales. Je n'ai qu'une hâte, c'est de revenir, pour continuer de travailler avec eux sur les nombreux projets qu'ils ont pour l'avenir, pour toutes ces personnes qu'ils aident au quotidien ! Merci future for africa 🙏🏼 *** english *** This last month has been the best experience of my life. We were surrounded by caring people on each of our missions, who helped us to live our experience in the most impactful and beneficial way possible. The missions proposed were very interesting, we had the freedom to propose activities & other occupations, we were very free in our proposals! On top of that, the association was very attentive to our mood, our day and how we felt, and played a really supportive role. We were able to meet some incredible people, and spend some unforgettable moments of exchange. We also had the chance to discover many parts of Ghana, and learn more about the local cultures. I can't wait to come back and continue working with them on the many projects they have for the future, for all the people they help on a daily basis! Thank you future for africa 🙏🏼

Everyone should go out of the comfort zones, and try a volunteering experience. It opens your mind and makes you realize what it really matters in life. I've learnt a lot, and I've learnt to value what I have. Future 4 Africa offered me this opportunity and they were even better than I expected. They took care of me in every single moment of the programm. I've had a really good time with them and I will for sure come back! Incredible people and incredible hearts! I just can say thank you.

Thanks to Future4Africa, I spent an unforgettable month in Bolgatanga, Ghana, as a nurse. I participated in various projects involving healthcare, education, sports, an orphanage, and a library. This experience was incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally, allowing me to learn, grow, and contribute to the local community. I am deeply grateful to the amazing team for their support and dedication. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I cannot wait to return

My experience in Ghana was extremely positive and enriching. I carried out several missions related to education, water supply, and the construction of sustainable, affordable houses adapted to the hot climate. The association provided excellent support and comfortable living conditions, making my integration easy. The local community welcomed me warmly and showed great appreciation for my work. This experience allowed me to discover a new culture, develop new skills, and contribute to meaningful projects. I am very happy to have supported this association and its valuable work for local communities.

Volunteering in Chiang Mai at the elephant sanctuary and teaching English is something I will never forget. We were treated so amazing and provided with great safety. The workers were so kind and wanted us to have a great cultural experience.

I had a really good time teaching English to the Ticos here. While I was teaching them English, they were also teaching me Spanish which I loved. I’d love to do it again one day if possible. I think many people should consider this if they want to be immersed in culture, give back, and learn.