Program Reviews

Ghana 2017 ❤
Returned home with the fullest of hearts and most incredible memories after the best adventure in Ghana with PMGY. Although there were times which were challenging, even heart-breaking, I was so fortunate to be surrounded by the absolute best group of people and any hard day always ended in laughter.
Ghana is the most beautiful country, full of culture and natural wonders. Sitting under a waterfall or being charged at by an elephant, moments like those are once in a lifetime, heart stopping, jaw dropping experiences that will stay with me forever and the biggest thanks to Seth for taking us on the best weekend to Mole so we could encounter sooo many cool things!! The native people are so friendly, everybody wants to be your friend and give you their number. If ever lost or in trouble, there were so many people that wanted to help and there was never a moment I felt unsafe.
My trip was made by the life changing teaching project I was working on. I’ve fallen in love with Divine International School and the amazing students and staff I had the privilege of meeting and working with (Madame Florence being one of the most incredible women I have ever met) and not a day will pass when I won’t think about those children, who were so full of light and energy in the face of adversity. A highlight of the entire trip was teaching a class of 10 year olds ‘Oh When the Saints’, a song I sang with my friends at Primary school and hearing them sing it around school, put their own native dance to it, even turn it into a skipping song!! The abundance of joy the children had was mesmerizing. Many lived in the slums that could be seen outside of my classroom window, were without a parent, or both parents and lived in absolute poverty - no bed to sleep on, many came to school without having eaten any food that day, children as young as 9 working on the streets to pay school fees, yet in the classroom singing and dancing it would be hard to believe these children lived a life of any pain or suffering. The sponsorship programme that we have started to formulate will hopefully enable some of these wonderful children, who are in most need of support, to keep attending the school, to give them a safe place to be a child who loves to sing, dance and play and equip them with the necessary qualifications and education to leave school with better, fuller prospects for their future.
Thanks to my time in Ghana I have such an extended appreciation for life, how fortunate we are to have been born into a society of free education, health care and security, our sewage runs underground, our taps run with safe water, power cuts are a rarity. We mourn the loss of a child dying and celebrate births free of fear the baby may not live past the age of 2. There is so much hope for countries like Ghana, abundant in natural resources, with large workforces and a population longing for prosperity and with my whole heart I hope that one day children will have lives as provided for as ours in the developed world.
The biggest thanks ever to Seth for being the coolest bro, keeping us safe and going above and beyond for me when I most needed it and to the other volunteers. To go to a completely different part of the world and meet the coolest people who I feel like I’ve known forever, was unreal and I’m gonna miss them all and this amazing experience, so so much

The volunteering in Sri-Lanka gave me the chance to have different experiences in a relatively short time. Everything was negotiable, in that sence that you could put together your own program beside the fixed hours of the volunteering program. The staff was always ready to help with that. Thus during the programme you get to see Sri-Lanka in many ways. I loved working with the turtles and the elephants. You can get quite close to them and that makes the work more meaningful. Sometimes I felt like there was not enough work for all the volunteers, which resulted in moments of hanging around. But overall the vibe was good.
Regard to housing, for me it was more difficult to adapt to the setting. The house was sometimes to full in my experience (must be different if you are a student ;)). And this could be an age thing but why is there a TV in the middle of the space? Doesn't volunteering in such a beautiful country is an opportunity to have a time off from television? A cozy space outdoor, to sit in the evening is more binding for a group, in my opinion.
Anyway, I loved the way everything else was organised and I want to thank Ash and the staff for
the good care and the great food!

I did teaching English for 3 weeks in Sri Lanka and it's going to be something I remember forever!

The program itself was brilliant, in such a short space of time I really felt like I had a connection with the kids and actually taught them something. There was help planning the lessons if you asked for it, otherwise it was down to you, which I enjoyed as it meant thinking of new ways to teach. You defiantly got out of it what you put in, so if you lesson planned for a few hours you would have a lot more fun and it would run smoother compared to improvising.

The house (London House) was so much more than I thought it was going to be! Such a lovely big house with areas to socialise and really felt like home. The Sisters were brilliant and everyone there really made an effort to get to know you which I really liked.

The weekends we were free to go and explore Sri Lanka if we weren't doing one of the trips which was good fun, there are lots of places to go that you hear about from the other volunteers.

It's safe to say I've left with some really good memories and friends I want see when I'm home.

I would 100% recommend this to anyone, there are different projects for different tastes and you can try out other ones when you get there.

Thank you PMGY!

I had the best time out in Sri Lanka for the month of February! I volunteered on the orphanaged project which was such an amazing experience and I feel so privileged to have been a small part of the lives of the girls I met. Not only was the programme incredible but pmgy offers so many more unexpected opportunities, some of which were life changing! The weekend trips are great for seeing lots of things in one weekend but having the opportunity to do travelling with other volunteers alone is great fun too.

I have had an amazing time in Sri Lanka the support staff are so helpful and are more than willing to help you with anything you need. The programmes are great, the animal projects are great definitely worth doing. The orphanage project was amazing, such a great experience, you really get to know the girls and see the difference you make with them over your time there. I would highly recommend PMGY Sri Lanka!

Had a wonderful 2 and a half months this year in Faridabad. Vishy and his family were so accommodating and willing to help with anything whilst the projects themselves were interesting and enjoyable.
Weekends were completely flexible also meaning it was easy to travel around if you wished.

The only issue I may have raised would be it can be overcrowded within certain projects at times but Vishy tried his ultimate best to make sure this didn't become an issue.

I visited Chitwan Orphanage in Nepal, which now holds a special place in my heart!
The information given before hand was extensive and you were given all the relevant contact information for your journey.

The host family you stay with when you reach Kathmandu was so lovely, couldn't have asked for anything more!

Although the journey was long, the time at the orphanage was so precious, the kids were absolutely lovely and I've met a friend for life in another volunteer!

Not only that but I was able to add a safari on to the end of my trip after saying goodbye to the children (which was extremely sad!) which was amazing. Nepal now definitely holds a special place in my heart!!

I spent 2 weeks in Ghana with PMGY taking part in a combination of the teaching and the orphanage programme in Kumasi. 2 weeks have never gone so quickly! I worked primarily in boys block at the orphanage with the young babies which was one of the best experiences of my life, taking care of the boys, playing with them and helping with jobs in the orphanage. When at the school I spent time in the older children's classes, helping by marking books and providing support to the teachers by helping with tasks. On the last day at projects the group of volunteers I was out in Ghana with organised a sports day for the children and I have never seen children so happy. It was an incredible day but just emphasises the need for support from volunteers in these projects to help provide this kind of experience for the children. I loved every second of the volunteering but the one thing that I wished I could change was the scale of the issues that these children have to deal with every day from not being able to pay to go to school to growing up without the unconditional love of family. This being said the projects were very positive in making changes to the people's lives in question with the orphanage providing care to 105 children that otherwise would be homeless and the school educating children with the hope of giving them a better life with an education and employment.
Throughout my time in Ghana I couldn't have asked for more support from the PMGY team that lived in the volunteer house. Anything that we needed was only 1 phone call away. We also got the chance to really get emerced in the culture as there was always a member of the team that accompanied us to nights out or weekend trips including a trip to the Kumasi cultural centre and trips out to the local bars where we were shown dance moves and listened to Ghanaian music. We also spent many nights sat chatting outside with both Seth and Florence where we could voice any issues or ask any questions but also get to know everyone and make friends that will last forever. These people are some of the best I have ever met.
The culture in Ghana is one that takes over completely with everyone welcoming you to the country with open arms and huge smiles that leave you feeling like you belong in the society. This was especially true with members of the staff at the projects but even on the street everyone would say hello and ask how you were. Even when we were out at night or walking through busy areas in public I never felt threatened or unsafe as if you were ever confused someone would always help you if you asked.
I would recommend PMGY Ghana to anyone as an incredible experience that truly will change your life. I have made friendships that will last forever but more than that you get the chance to become part of an incredible family that do such great things every day in an effort to improve the lives of people in the local area. For that I am so grateful to PMGY and everyone that made the experience what it was. I can't put into words how amazing it was and I encourage anyone who is considering doing something like this to book that flight. You will love every second.

My time in Ghana has come to an end and two weeks seemed like such a long time at first but it has flown by and I honestly don't know where the 2 weeks have gone. I wish I could stay for longer. My time in Ghana has been life changing, so inspirational and also educational as well. Seeing the cutrul differences and the lifestyle is never what I imagined. You always have expectations of things but my time in Ghana has changed those expectations completely. The pmgy team are incredible, so friendly, caring and always, always there for you when you need them. I couldn't of felt more welcome if they tried. Before coming to Ghana I felt a little worried for my safety as you hear stories about some countries in Africa not being safe, I have not felt un safe at all during my time in Ghana, the majority of people are very welcoming and kind and friendly. For my placement I done the orphanage programme and I wouldn't have changed that for a second. My time I spent with the children will stay with me forever, to just see their smiles on their faces made my heart melt and I couldn't of asked for anything more. Helping the children and just making them smile for a few seconds makes a whole difference and you don't realise that until you have done that and been here. Knowing the children at the orphanage don't have parents and that is most of their lives now just being there is so upsetting but to know you can still make them smiles makes it all worth it. I also went to the school which I loved also. The children are always so welcoming and so excited to see us. I had so much fun with them. I would completely tell anyone who is thinking of doing something like this to definitely do it and don't hesistate! I would recommend pmgy to anyone who wants to do volunteer work 100%! Thank you for having me, I wouldn't of wanted to spend it any other way or with any different people. Also the other volunteers have been great, friendly and we have all got on so well and it completely feels like another family. Even when we're not at project we're still always having fun! I will always remember my time here in Ghana and most definitely come back! ❤

I participated in PMGY Ghana staying in Kumasi for 4 weeks. I loved the experience I had! Everyone in Ghana is very friendly. When I was going over I was previously worried about my safety but when I was there I had no concerns and felt as safe as you would in your home country. Kumasi itself is quite a big city with lots of markets and hustle and bustle. I found it very helpful to learn some simply saying to get around the town and be polite. But basically everyone speaks English. The staff at PMGY programmer were extradionary and took very good care of me. Florence and Seth being the two main staff were kind and always able to accommodate things for you. I always felt comfortable asking them questions and being at home with them. The staff definitely have a big impact on your time in the country and I think Seth and Florence turned my experience from great to wonderful. I did the mental health placement and the orphanage programme. I am fourth year pyschology back home and the practical experience at placement is an opportunity you wouldn't get at home. Although sometimes the mental health placement can be slow you won't be able to get the opportunity in your home country to be in that position. The orphanage was beautiful one thing I liked about it was that it was open all day as I know some other programmes volunteers are taken there after the children finish school. But the orphanage in Ghana is brilliant as there is children to work with at all hours of the day. Both programmes you have to give little pushes and hints to staff so that you can get more involved as they are not always used to volunteers. Overall my experience in Ghana was one I will remember forever and I have made friends over there that will last a lifetime.