Program Reviews

Get a real world perspective on the impacts on development projects while having a the adventure of a lifetime. Interact with the local community and get to know the people around you in your volunteer placements. These are friendships that will last a lifetime.

Day to day experiences include:
-Community interactions
-Service Placement work
-Class and discussion time

The program also allows you to travel around Tanzania and see all the beauty the country has to offer.

When you come back you truly aren't the same person.

I recently returned from a volunteer trip through Amizade to Crownpoint, New Mexico (Navajo Nation). I am personally from the United States and went through my community college. The biggest thing about this program for me was that wow, there is an entirely different yet similar culture right in my backyard (well maybe a day of traveling away haha). We went sight seeing to Santa Fe where there is a beautiful cathedral and MANY shops downtown (GO TO TIA SOPHIA'S THEY HAVE THE BEST AUTHENTIC NEW MEXICAN FOOD EVER); Gallup where there are many shops, most of the Navajo teens hang out and shop here, and boy, can you find amazing deals; Canyon de Chelly where you hike 2.5 miles down into the canyon and see GORGEOUS ruins and the echoing of this little cave makes the experience surreal because it sounds like there are people working, you also get this great sense of accomplishment once you climb back to the top; Window Rock where there is a huge hole in this large rock and I cannot describe how beautiful it is when you can look at it with a cloudless blue sky; and Chaco canyon where there are ruins of the Pueblo Indians and the ruins called Pueblo Bonito are a MUST SEE because they are the most intact and you get to walk through them including the insides of rooms! I volunteered in the kindergarten classroom, although you can be in basically whichever grade you want. The kids were so cute and intelligent. The best part was the last day when myself and several others from my group got to teach the kids how to sing "I'm a little Tea Cup" and other really fun songs. The worst part was leaving. I have a picture where its a bunch of blurry kids and myself. One boy wanted a picture but ALL the kids started swarming to get in the picture and shook my phone so much it came out blurry! It was SO FUNNY! I miss those kids. I could go on and on. We also help in this library that is the only one for miles! It's in the process of being set up and we sorted hundreds of books and placed them on the shelves. It was completely fulfilling and fun. And we all worked together so well that it made us feel even closer. The last major part of the program was the presentations. We had so many people come and talk to us about everything and anything. Ms. Jean White Horse talked about the Long Walk where the U.S.A government moved the Navajo over 300 miles by walking them through harsh conditions. So many die or were killed if they did not comply with the soldiers' orders. We had a medicine man explain so many traditional views of why things are the way the are and how you can be healed. They are really big into the balance between humans and nature. Everything you need can be found in nature. He was absolutely spectacular!!! We also got to learn how to weave and go to a sheep camp where they get their wool. We learned about how if companies start uranium mining the pure (delicious) water will be contaminated for a very long time resulting in many MANY health issues. Gosh, there is so much more but I must limit myself. Just go on this trip if you're open to new things. There is SO MUCH to learn and it's really eye opening. Aside from all this there is beautiful authentic jewelry and pottery to buy. Every aspect of this program was wonderful and by the end I can promise you will be tired, but it is SO worth it.

This was the ultimate way to spend the final winter break of my undergraduate career. I saw so much in 10 days, fell so in love with Bolivia, and met so many people---I cannot fully express the immense impact this program has had on my life already. We did volunteer construction work on a community center, working side by side with the people who would benefit from our service. We ate together, we talked, we learned, we saw walls go up, beams come together--all with the silhouette of the Andes on the horizon. It was a surreal experience. So much positive energy, so much reflection. The creative writing class we all took (6 students) really helped harness that energy, and forced us to ponder big issues and tiny details all at once. It's great to see a study abroad option that is so focused on creating an equal exchange, and bringing different cultures and communities together for a mutually beneficial and enlightening experience.

Our whole experience was absolutely wonderful. Each day was a new adventure- starting out with the delicious breakfasts prepared for us by our host families. Then we would go to the park to help clean it, and we even had time for many recreational activities- such as jumping off 20ft cliffs at Rick's Cafe! In the evenings, usually we went to the AOC to help with the students of the computer class- all of whom were going to graduate by week's end. We were totally emerged in another culture- and every part of our experience was memorable. There was almost nothing I would change about our experience and I highly recommend if people get the opportunity, to try something like this.

This program was awesome! Amizade did a wonderful job creating a busy and exciting volunteer experience. Our group had a guide (Francis) who was with us at all times to ensure we got where we needed to be. We worked very hard, and had many opportunities to take in the local culture as well. We took trips to the beach, to the slave castles in Elmina and on the Cape Coast, and toured a cocoa plantation. We also had the chance to visit an orphanage and bring the children there small gifts. It was a humbling and eye opening experience. I felt very safe while in Ghana, and the staff at Amizade made sure everything was executed very smoothly. We were fortunate to stay in a newly constructed hotel that had running water, electricity and even air-conditioning!

The community in Jukwa is extremely open and friendly, and the people who live there love to share what they have. We were presented to the village chief, who welcomed us to his community. He made us feel right at home, and was grateful for our help in creating the new library in Jukwa. The chief was very concerned with our well-being, even taking time out of his busy day to stop by our hotel when he found out one of our participants was very ill with a stomach bug. He made sure to let her know that he would help her in any way he could, should she need it. We felt included and welcomed in the community, and it made the experience that much more incredible.

I would go back to Ghana in a second if given the chance. Its a beautiful country with beautiful people, and it was without a doubt one of the best experiences of my life!!

Amizade does a phenomenal job of mixing service and the serious nature of the work with the social and cultural aspects of southern Poland and the medieval gem of Krakow. No matter how much you think you know about the history of a place, I discovered that true understanding is lacking until you serve the community whose history you are studying. Our group had the incredible opportunity to work with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on preservation efforts. Yet we weren't just given menial tasks; we were entrusted to clean and preserve the invaluable shoes of Holocaust victims. Simply put, wow.