Program Reviews

I loved my time in Ghana, i felt like I was able to see the country well with PMGY. The weekend trips are amazing and 100% worth doing. Be aware that you will need to pay the taxi drivers any time you want to go somewhere, which can add up. The workers at the house are all lovely and welcoming! The accommodation is very basic but secure and safe with the guard by the gate. The food is traditional Ghanaian food, which is lovely to try and adds to the experience. The afternoons are free for you to do what you like, but I was always exhausted from placement so used the time to rest.

PMGY is a very trustable company with assistance available at all times. I did two projects in Southeast Asia and had the best time. I started with the medical program in Vietnam; it was nice to experience the way of working in the hospital there, but I think this program would be better for students at the beginning of their study. There is not a lot to do and the doctors do not always have time to explain what is going on with patients or to answer your questions. After this project, I went to Bali to do the English teaching program which was the best thing I have done so far! The people were amazing, the weekend trips well organized but most importantly: the project definitely made a difference for the community. The kids were really happy to see you and they were eager to learn. I am thankful that I got to experience this!

If you’re considering going to Sri Lanka, definetely do it! I had the best 9 weeks of my life there, and have made so many amazing friends and had so many amazing experiences.
I was supposed to stay with PlanMyGapYear in Sri Lanka for six weeks, but ended up extending for three more weeks because I found it so amazing there. And if I hadn’t already made plans after that, I would have extended for even longer.

Everyone comes to PMGY with an open mind and is ready to make new friends and experiences. Not to say that the local team in Sri Lanka is amazing. They do everything in their power to make you feel welcome and happy, from several afternoon activities during the week to checking if you’re okay if they sense that something is wrong. The local team practically becomes family while you’re there, and they do so much to let you into their culture and everyday life.

The projects in Sri Lanka are very well-organised, and I woke up and really wanted to go to project every day. I can especially recommend the turtle project, but from what I have heard from everyone else who was there during my nine weeks, all of the projects are amazing. PMGY Sri Lanka also has a lot of different projects to offer, so if you’re not loving the project that you originally chose, you can always switch to another volunteering project.

I am definitely gonna go back to my second home in Sri Lanka, and I would recommend everyone to go and get an experience of a lifetime with PMGY Sri Lanka.

The India trip with PMGY was an unforgettable experience. The people, food, and places we saw were incredible, and I gained valuable experience working in a different healthcare system which will truly serve me well as a physician in the future. It was super convenient being picked up from the aiport for free. Every day during the week we would be given a placement and spend a few hours at a different site working with the patient population alongside the doctor who would help us perform different skills and communicate. Drivers for PMGY made it super convenient getting around the city. On weekends, when we were not working, we had the opportunity to travel to and explore different parts of India. Vishy, the coordinator for the India program, was super nice and helped make planning these trips super easy. The volunteer home was next to a school, and during our free time we also had the opportunity to work with young schoolchildren in an academic setting. Sometimes in the evenings, the kids would be playing in the park next door, and we would set up football matches. Aside from the work, the other volunteers and coordinators in India were amazing and I was able to form lasting relationships with so many people. Aside from the experience I gained from working in India, I think the people I met will be what I miss the most. I will never forget this experience and highly recommend it to anyone looking to travel, explore a new culture, or gain medical experience!

I had a wonderful time in Ghana with PMGY. The projects were interesting, the weekend trips were amazing and the people are the best. The people in the house, the drivers and the people in the projects are wonderful. They help in every situation and are always there for you. Also in the projects are people who help you and explain a lot of things to the volunteers. Also at the volunteering house you have always a great time with the people who are working or living there.
I went to both of the weekend trips. They are awesome. The cape coast trip is perfect to relax and the one to Mole Nationalpark gives so much new experiences.
Also I had a look at 3 projects. At the medical one I had a great time and saw 4 births. At the school project I met a lot of wonderful children and also in the orphanage it is great and a lot of fun with the children there.
Kumasi (the city where the volunteer house is) is a wonderful city. Not to big and not to small. The people there are so wonderful, everyone wants to talk to you and they are very interested. Also I felt very safe there. You can do nice things in Kumasi. I enjoyed my time in Kumasi very much.
I would like to go to Ghana with PMGY again and I can just recommend to do it.
I am so thankful for my perfect time in Ghana.

Staff were friendly and the experience was absolutely insane. Seeing the big 5 in their natural habitat was an unforgettable experience and the weekends allowed for you to personalise your trip. Accommodation is modest but more than worth the money you are paying. I felt safe throughout on the reserve and when travelling during the weekends staff provide transport for you and can organise activities (e.g. quad biking, horse riding, skydiving, bungee jump, swimming with seals). Mama Africa (Faith), Ali G and Felix were absolutely amazing and made us all feel at home straight away. You will meet amazing people and see incredible things. The only slight criticism I would give was the tasks at the Game Reserve were usually the same each week so became slightly repetitive. I would recommend going for 3-4 weeks.

This is an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience! I only signed up for 2 weeks since I was unsure of what to expect and ended up trying to extend my trip. Unfortunately, my boss at home didn’t let me stay any longer but I have plans to come back in the future. The whole PMGY India team makes you feel at home and is very helpful with any needs you may have. I did medical volunteering and was able to take vital signs, dress basic wounds, distribute medications, and give injections all under the supervision of a physician. In my two weeks, I was able to view surgeries at the local hospital and work in a rehabilitation/ physical therapy clinic, an ultrasound clinic, a laboratory, elderly facilities, and the slums. There is a school right next to the volunteer house which allows you to play with the children and help teach them English during your free time. I highly recommend this experience to everyone. You must be open-minded to new/ different cultures to get the most out of your experience!

PMGY Sri Lanka was such an amazing experience! The local team is amazing, they help you with literally everything and they do it with patience and care, they want you to have the absolute best experience possible! The programs are so great and rewarding as well! I did the childcare program and loved it, the kids are so sweet, you make a big difference and it’s so clear when you see the kids, that you simply won’t want to leave once it’s time. You can also switch between different programs or combine multiple programs in one day. The country itself is also amazing and beautiful! During my time in Sri Lanka (six weeks) I was able to see so much of the country. In the afternoons there was more than enough time to explore close by, the local team is more than willing to help you set this up. We had daily activities at the house, such as street food tours, badminton nights, karaoke, organized by the local team. I did all the weekend trips and I highly recommend them; you’ll get to experience the culture and see the beautiful nature. On the weekends without a PMGY organized weekend trip, you can still go away for the weekend together with other volunteers and, for example, go surfing in Weligama (if you have the time, you should definitely do this)! There is so much freedom to do whatever you want, I felt safe and cared for the entire time I was there! I would 100% do it again, so if you’re in doubt, go for it! You’ll meet so many wonderful people, you’ll make the best of friends, the volunteering is amazing and rewarding and the country is so beautiful! you don’t want to miss out on this amazing experience!

Hi,

I’m 26 years old (turned 26 when I was doing the volunteer work) and I did 4 weeks of volunteer in the childcare program in Bali. It was my first time traveling out of Europe on my own and for that long.
I had an awesome time during these 4 weeks. The staff at PMGY Bali was so amazing and they were all so kind. They made our stay in Tabanan really enjoyable as they organized some evening activities as bonfire, culture nights or quiz-games etc.
Working in the childcare program was truly amazing and wonderful! The children (as well as the teachers and daycarers) were so so nice. The children were always so great full for everything you did and thought them. They give you so much love and are so happy to get the chance that you teach them. You would never see kids acting like that in schools in Europe.
Also the fact that you only work from Monday to Thursday and that you have the weekend free to travel is so nice as you can organize your trips to see the beauty of the island!
So taken together my time here was really wonderful and an amazing experience!
Not everything was always so great obviously. Living with so many people and so many different personalities under one roof can sometimes be a bit difficult but that’s part of the game!
So to conclude, I can only suggest and recommend everyone to do such an amazing experience as it is really worth it! I would immediately do it again if I could!

Thank you so much to the PMGY team and the PMGY team in Bali for everything! I will not forget this!!

Jil

If you're considering volunteering with PMGY Sri Lanka – do it. The time I spent there from October 15 to December 17 were the best months of my life. The volunteer work was super rewarding, I made so many incredible friendships, and the opportunities to travel and explore the country meant there was never a dull moment.

I volunteered with the dog rescue project (@bringthemhome_srilanka) for my entire time there, and it never got old. Besides falling in love with the dogs at the shelter, it was beyond incredible to get to be a part of the early stages of this project. Ashika is super open to working with the volunteers, and I always felt super heard when I came to him with concerns or ideas for the project. I also did three weeks at the girls home in the afternoons. I so wish I had more time with these girls – they're some of the coolest, funniest, and smartest kids you'll ever meet. I highly recommend spending some time volunteering with the afternoon childcare project.
Some memorable volunteering moments:
- Three new tiny puppies came in on my group's orientation day. Me and the other dog project volunteer at the time got to give them names – Mocha, Peanut, and S'more <33. I got to watch them grow up over my time there (and we had the same first day which I thought was adorable).
- There was a turtle release in my first week and there were enough turtles / few enough volunteers that we each got to release one of the babies. Incredible experience.
- English lessons at the girls home, then playing hangman with all the new words – so many laughs!
- Spent a day doing Christmas crafts with the girls and dancing and singing to Christmas music.

There was a ton to do in our free time as well. Some out-of project activities that are definitely worth doing:
- Waterfall hike (about 45 minute tuk tuk ride away from London House) – hilariously chaotic experience in the rainy season; super quick and pretty stroll in the dry season.
- Badminton nights
- River boat tour (beautiful way to spend an afternoon; don't engage with the guy outside of the boat with the tied up baby crocodile though – blatant animal abuse)
- Hang out at Coral Rock – the pool's super nice and, depending on the season, so is the beach
- Visit Chicken Chop down the street – the guys who work there are super nice and the food's really good, plus it's only about a 5 minute walk from the volunteer house
- Mask museum in Ambalangoda
- Tsunami museum in Hikkaduwa (really emotionally intense, so go when you're in an okay space for that)
- Day trip to Galle

I did both PMGY-organised weekend trips (cultural triangle / Kandy weekend, hill country / Ella weekend) and highly recommend doing both if you're able. And I'll never forget my weekends in Weligama, love Hangtime Hostel with my whole heart.

The local team was super helpful and accommodating – we had weekly house meetings where they would check to make sure everything with the food and house was okay, if projects were going smoothly, if anyone wanted to change projects, what evening activities we wanted help organizing, etc. In between that, if we had any questions or needed help with anything the local team was super accessible and helpful. Ashika and his team go above and beyond to make sure volunteers are safe, comfortable, and having a good time. He approved multiple extended curfew requests, helped us to find and organize all kinds of reliable third-party activities and day trips, and just generally always had all of our backs. One time, I called him in a bit of a panic from a weekend trip I was on with some friends in Ella – one of my friends got pretty sick and I was freaking out and didn't know what to do. Ashika talked me through it, told me what the nearest hospital was and helped me come up with a plan, allowed me to return a day late, and even helped me figure out the bus schedule since I would have to travel back on my own the next day.

Originally, I'd signed up for 6 weeks and was super nervous that it was going to be too long, but the first 4 weeks flew by and I didn't want to leave at all. Even at the end of my extended time, it felt too short – I will definitely be back :))