Program Reviews

Having the opportunity to plant baby coffee plants and trees underneath the canopy of a lush rainforest was the definition of gorgeous. Meeting new people and sharing an organic (pun intended) experience is healthy for the soul. We also explored the beautiful 200 plus acres along hiking trails. The wildlife is incredible including sloths, birds, monkeys, and many more fantastical creatures. A camera is a must have.

This program was amazing!! I like the program because it was started and managed by a Haitian that is from the local community. Also, everyone in Haiti was so welcoming and accommodating, and made every effort to maximize our experience. I gained a completely new perspective and was able to make some great friends, who I still keep in touch with months after the program. VFP was a good deal for the money that I spent and it was good to see the actual construction and vision of what the program will eventually create.

Michael

After spending an entire year searching high and low on the internet for an organization that would not scam me out of paying thousands to do volunteer work, I finally came across Volunteers for Peace, ironically enough based out of my hometown (though I had never heard about it before). As a 17 year old I was not hopeful that many programs would be available to me; or if there were international camps for minors, the price would be skyrocketed. As of 2011 the price for all teen camps was a flat $500, regardless of length, location, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many options available to me and found my three-week camp in Germany. Chelsea and Meg are very helpful and helped my family to be reassured of my safety during international travel. I made 16 amazing friends at this camp and still keep in touch with almost all of them; in fact, this summer at age 19 I am participating in another camp through VFP in France, and will meet one of my German friends from 2011 in Paris before it starts. I can speak on behalf of a VFP Europe participant that the organization has reputable intentions and I look forward to additional projects with them!

I spent 2 weeks at Peace Village in Thailand in February. I was struck by the juxtaposition of old and new in Thailand; a cell phone tower next to a temple for example. I have to say the Thai people have an energy and way that exudes kindness.

The project was a really nice balance of work, culture, relaxation, cultural exchange and fun. We were a group of 8 from 4 countries and I was the only one from the USA. The project was focused on sustainable gardening so at times the work was hard. We planted and cared for vegetables, moved compost piles, planted herbs and did general renovation and improvements on Peace Village. We also had the opportunity to visit the Ministry of Sustainability where we saw all different types of energy projects.

I loved the whole experience, the balance, the people, visiting markets, traveling by train, visiting temples, the food, new friends and everyone at Peace Village.

I was 47 years old and decided to volunteer through Volunteers for Peace in Dharmasala, India in July, 2011 I was told the average age was of participants was 28. Without my age included, it was 22. Believing that we all needed to be there, I became a part of a 22 member team lead by two facilitators from FSL-India. We lived and worked together for three weeks. We came from all over the world, with half of us not speaking English, but that didn't prevent the creation of community both for one another and for the two rural Indian schools that we served. As a parent of three children in American schools and as a teacher, I was amazed at the lack of facilities and comfort that were afforded to Indian children in their schools. But, quickly, I realized that the lack that I perceived was the norm for them. I saw children in school's who couldn't even afford to have their own pencils and yet they thrived and loved learning and being with one another. There was also a lot of gratitude shown to the volunteers from the school officials, teachers and students for the time and effort spent beautifying their classrooms and play grounds and the games and songs we sang to strengthen their knowledge of English. As a nursery school teacher, long out of the classroom, my moment was playing the guitar and
having fifty Indian children sing the song Kumba. All in, was the perfect opportunity to give and to learn on many different levels. I look forward to volunteering this summer in a rural school in Kenya.

Volunteering in Vietnam, through VFP, was a great decision for me. In two weeks, I was able to help entertain handicapped children in an orphanage, make books for blind children, and teach English. Also, I lived in a volunteer house with local and foreign volunteers. We were all able to explore together and hang-out at the end of the day. I highly recommend volunteering in Vietnam through VFP.

I found Volunteers for Peace on my own while searching around online and my trip to Mongolia was one of the best experiences in my life! I was fortunate to travel to Mongolia to assist with the construction of a new shower/ bathing quarters for an orphanage that is located a few miles outside the capital of Ulaan Bataar. This was a wonderful trip! I was able to make bricks using a brick making machine and see the process of local building techniques up close. I also met a Taiwanese team that installed an eco-toilet created by Jaxa, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. An example of interprofessional collaboration at its finest.The opportunity to experience this trip was provided by Volunteers For Peace.

Volunteers For Peace offers opportunities for students to travel abroad and it is very affordable.I was able to pay for the airfare and I didnt have to worry about meals or housing...the food was very good! We prepared food as a group and I met great people... Room and board plus meals were provided which cuts the cost drastically for an international experience. Many students would like to study abroad with their school for a semester but for various reasons cannot afford the cost or cannot commit the time.I could not afford a trip with my university and this trip filled the criteria I was looking for. No complaints and great memories!!

I participated in a two week workcamp in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, teaching English at a local high school. It was my first time to Mongolia, and it was an amazing introduction to the country and culture. The volunteer group stayed in an apartment near the school, where the seven of us slept on mats on the floor and took turns sharing cooking duties. The students we worked with had a high level of English, which made it a very fun project. We were able to have a lot of interaction with conversation activities, games, and music. We spent the second week doing presentations. Each volunteer talked about their home country and the students were split into groups that presented on different aspects of Mongolian culture, such as food, traditional dress, holidays, sports, music, etc. It turned out great!

On the weekend, the entire volunteer group pitched in to rent a van and went to the Little Gobi Desert to stay with a nomadic family in a yurt. I will never forget riding camels in the moonlight, or staring up at the river of stars in the night sky.

In addition to teaching, we also visited an orphanage, and went to several important cultural sites.

I particularly enjoyed working with the same students for the duration of the project. We really got to know them well! In all, this was a great volunteer experience!

I attended a VFP cultural exchange workcamp in January of 2007. The project was in a small village in the most rural, and poor part of Thailand (Issan), where no foreigners had ever visited before. We stayed with a family, and from the first day, were welcomed as members of the village. During our time there, we learned Thai language, taught our language to students at the local elementary and high school, met with members of the nearby police department to teach them some useful English phrases (“Please slow down.” “May I see your license.”), visited a monastery, helped on a farm, learned traditional Thai dance, and much, much more. At the end of our two week stay, the entire village threw a party with everyone dressed in traditional costume, giving dance performances, and sending us off with a very moving goodbye/thank you ritual. I will always feel that we are family.

There is no way that I could have gained such incredible cultural insight, developed such strong relationships, or had as many “real world” experiences as a tourist. This volunteer camp absolutely exceeded my expectations.

I spent 4 months working for a very small organization called paramedical educational trust, located in Tamil Nadu, India. This experience was everything I was looking for. It was well organized, efficient, affordable and most important it was sustainable as the project was locally based. I loved my living situation, because I was able to spend a lot of time with the woman who runs the organization and her family. They made me feel a part of their family and I will have that connection with them for the rest of my life. I felt I had a wonderful support group in India. This organization understands the importance of providing support in country as well as at home. Working for an Indian organization, FSL India, as well as VFP prided me with a lot of support. I felt safe and happy throughout my time in India. There honestly is not much I would change about my experience, except for making it last a lot longer!