Program Reviews

For a lot of people, the thought of going to a place you've never been before on you own can be really scary, and for me that was exactly how i felt. Myself along with four others were lucky enough to be the first volunteers to step into London House, the new beautiful volunteer house in Ambalangoda and we were welcomed by Ashika, the most amazing coordinator you could ask for and instantly i felt at home!
I did 7 weeks volunteering at the girls orphanage and my final week at the turtle conservation. One thing i wasn't that aware of before i came to Sri Lanka was that i would be teaching english at the orphanage for the first 1h30minutes so i came with no resources and occasionally struggled to think of lesson plans, however it was so rewarding seeing the children develop, and their love for english grow. I am so happy i spent my final week volunteering with the turtles. Even though the routine each day is very similar, somehow every day got better and better! There's something so special and heartwarming about caring for turtles! I was lucky enough to take part in several turtle releases and witness a hatching.
Every weekend we would go off travelling and I definitely saw more of Sri Lanka that i expected! I went on both the Yala and Culture Triangle weekend trips which i fully recommend. Busses and trains especially are ridiculously cheap (Amba->Kandy which took over 6 hours by train cost 290rs/£1.50!) and you'll usually find hostels for around £5 a night. Whether i was walking through Ambalangoda or staying away in another backpacker town, i always felt safe and was so nice to know that if we ran into any problems we had in-country support so there was always someone to call/message.
The accommodation was so amazing and as mentioned above, I was staying in the brand new volunteer house. The sisters cooked the most amazing food for us and there was not one meal that i didn't enjoy. They even tried to make us feel at home with fish and chips once a week!
Before booking my 8 weeks with PMGY, i was unsure how long to go for and was worried 8 weeks would be too long but i was so wrong! It went way to quickly and didn't want to leave at the end of my time there! You get so attached to the country, along with the relaxed way of life there!

I could not have wished for a better two months in Sri Lanka with Plan My Gap Year and i'd like to thank Ashika and the coordinators Manoj Sani Ishan Kasun Jagard and NC for the amazing support!

I've spent 3 weeks in Ghana doing the orphanage project with PMGY. The trip exceeded my expectations and everyone was so welcoming. What I loved the most was how laid back things were, the culture, the projects and life in general. There was still structure which was good as I like to be organised.

The project itself has taught me so much. Working with the children in the orphanage has filled my heart completely. I cannot describe how much love I felt everyday from the children. Any negative worries or feelings were always forgotten about when 10 children were calling your name, hanging onto you and running up to you to give you a hug. I am so truly humbled after this project. And I feel that my life has changed forever in the way I view things. I know to appreciate everything I have because I've seen now first hand how happy people are when they don't have very much.

The orphanage staff were at times challenging, and the mothers weren't always the most welcoming. But this made me want to be there everyday even more to give the children love and affection they craved. During my time at the orphanage I spent donation money on taking the children swimming, fixing the slide and painting it, buying everyone ice cream and booking an operation for a child to have his hernia removed. All of the above felt so rewarding.

I feel so lucky to have been blessed with the opportunity of this trip by PMGY. I think it's absolutely amazing what the company does and the support you receive. I had people joking to me before coming to Ghana - don't get kidnapped & be safe. I couldn't have felt safer. There were times I thought wow in the uk I would never do this, or in the uk you couldn't walk in busy places without someone trying to steal your bag. In Ghana it's so safe and everyone is so kind.

The house itself was the perfect home to live in to experience the Ghanaian culture with a few western luxuries. The powercuts were part of the experience and lifestyle and although at the time I wish the power was on, I'm grateful to have experienced how people live there. Seth, Florence, Christie & Kwame were all so helpful. Seth was always there to answer any question within seconds. Bringing us home ice creams, taking us to see the village children to hand out clothes & showing us the compound houses they lived in, random trips to KFC and sitting with us in the evenings. He was so professional as well as a friend you could talk to about your day. Everyday he'd ask us all how placement was, and help us if we had any concerns. As for Florence she's amazing and works so hard. She would make sure the house and our rooms were clean and that we felt at home. We went out on many occasions with flo or with her directions. She was so much fun and on my last night made it so special by getting up and dancing with everyone at daddymens bar.

I could go on forever about how amazing the whole experience has been. PMGY are truly an amazing company and have thought about every answer to any question you may possibly have. All the information I needed before my trip was in the handbook and any advice I needed was always answered quickly.

I would recommend PMGY ghana to anyone and encourage them to book. I can't wait to carry on exploring different countries through PMGY.

Thank you Seth and Flo for making my time so memorable, forever thankful!

I will keep this short and simple because this is the way I am. I've been to Kariega reserve for 4 weeks, been surrounded but lions, allies, rhino. There isn't actually word that can describe this experience because it's just magic. I've been dreaming this probably for my entire life. I was so happy to speak with baboons in the morning, helping young turtles to survive, been able to live the bush experience

i took part in the elephant experience program in late Jan, which is non-peak volunteer season for PMGY, and i think this made my experience more enjoyable as it meant there were fewer volunteers and so i was able to get to know everyone well. i was surprised when i arrived that i was one of the only non UK participants and at first i was worried about this, but it really didn't matter at all as everyone was so easygoing. i was amazed at how closely we were able to interact with the elephants at the project, being able to hand wash them for almost an hour each day was really incredible. i also learnt some pretty interesting things about the elephants, as well as the Sri Lankan culture, which i really enjoyed. it was really a once in a life time experience.

My experience in Ghana has been amazing and one I will never forget, and I’m so grateful that I was able to have the opportunity to volunteer at the orphanage in Kumasi.

Volunteering at the orphanage was really interesting and I’m so happy I did it. Though at times it was quite challenging due to the different treatment of children in Ghana compared to England, I was able to make a real connection with some of the children and become really close with them over the six-week period I was there. It was so rewarding seeing those kids, who normally were quite shy at the beginning, become more and more confident and comfortable around me as my trip progressed. It was also so great seeing certain children develop as a character whilst I was there. It was the most rewarding experience, and I will miss the kids so much.

The support I got whilst staying in Ghana from going through the company PMGY exceeded my expectations. The staff and the co-ordinators who lived at the volunteer house were all so supportive and so welcoming, I became to feel so at home. I knew that if I ever had an issue or a problem I could go and speak to Seth or Florence about it, and that’s something you’d never get if you volunteered in a foreign country independently, and I’m so thankful for all the support they gave.

Ghana is a great country and I hope to return! I always felt safe and secure, and always comfortable in my surroundings. There was a real community feel amongst people in Ghana, which I really admired, and people were so friendly and always willing to help.

I loved living in the volunteer house because it was such a social aspect of the trip, and it was lovely to go home after volunteering and talk about your day with all the other people you live with. It also makes it so much more fun living with people around your age, I had such a good time and made some really good friends that I know ill stay in touch with.

I had such an amazing experience, and it truly was one of the best things I have ever done, and I know it’ll be something I’ll treasure forever.

I signed up for community renovation and development work with PMGY Sri Lanka for two weeks in January and it has been the best experience! This was the first time I had ever decided to travel alone and pmgy was the best choice. I signed up online and immediately was given links to a handbook and webinars that I could attend in order to address any issues that may arise before deparing. From the moment I landed, Ashika (who is the coordinator in Sri Lanka) got in touch and made sure that everything was in order. I have no complaints about my stay at all. January being the off season was quiet, but it only meant that i was able to bond well with the others in the house. The coordinators were all so welcoming and truly do make your trip a worthwhile experience. They even help you organize trips over the weekend and themselves organize plenty of things for us to do as a group. I honestly felt like I had become part of a huge caring family and was very upset when I had to leave. 2 weeks was just not enough and having said that I definitely want to go back again!

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge all of the people who made my experience in Ghana such a memorable one.
When one travels, one does not know what to expect.
Though this is part of the thrill, it can also be a source of uncertainty.
I was impressed by the kindness and camaraderie amongst the Ghanaian people, and felt this same sense of friendliness directed my way.
The same can certainly be said for the staff of PMGY.
I feel that Seth does an outstanding job of being attentive to the needs of volunteers.
I felt safe in Ghana, and felt that if there were to be any sort of emergency, that Seth and his staff would have known exactly what to do.

There are challenges in Ghana, as there are in every country. Some infrastructural issues make living in a place such as this an adjustment. I presume, however, that most volunteers expect this ahead of time.
Other than infrastructural challenges, the weather and, at times, transportation, can be of concern. I would suggest that future volunteers prepare themselves for the hottest climate they can imagine! Though transportation can feel hectic at times, I did experience very few issues in this area.
Again, these are issues that volunteers should be ready for and expect.

I did my best to do some teaching at the school- and to inform students of infrastructural issues and how to improve them. Jobs are key, because a functioning economy provides a government with means to provide for its people.

The school and orphanage can both be challenging environments, but there is plenty of room for fun.
The orphanage provides an open, flexible environment with significant opportunity to positively impact children.
I spent most time at the school. At first, I found it to be a slight adjustment, discovering my role and a balance between observation and participation. Over the course of a few weeks, however, I befriended Grace, who works with the youngest kids, Florence, and Peter, an absolutely outstanding teacher.
I feel proud and accomplished from my time at the school. I taught 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, as well as 2nd grade, and in the nursery. I took the kids to gym for some exercise. Unsurprisingly, this was their favorite part of the day.
As a final note on the school, I would like to point out that the hiring of Florence at PMGY will provide a resource for the challenge of transitioning to trying to contribute here.
Most volunteers have had nothing but praise for her.

I would like to end this recommendation by pointing out the unmistakable joy that one observes and experiences in Ghana, both from the children and the local people.
PMGY has done a wonderful job establishing a post in Ghana- their staff is communicative and helpful- and they have created a place where foreigners can feel at home.

Its certainly something id recommend to everyone and its especially cheap as a location to stay
Over that the staff is extremely freindly and are essentially the nicest people ive come across abroad. I would generally strongly recommend this sort of trip to anyone as the experience is definetly one of a kind. Its especially good for students as it looks good on a CV as it helps with regards to personal statements helping with college applications.

Overall its something I personally would recommend to anyone and everyone to do atlest once i. Their life

The volunteer handbook and the pre departure support was good. However, I was not fully aware of where I was going to in Nepal or what sort of school I would be in. When I was in Nepal i was looked after very well and after asking lots of questions managed to find out some more information about where I was going. However, I was only made aware that I was the only volunteer going to Chitwan when I was in Nepal. Due to the time of year that I went (late Dec to early Jan) there was likely to be less volunteers but emails and the handbook hinted there would be other volunteers too. This was not a problem in the end but it would have been nice to be aware of it before hand as it was not easy coming into something very new and different on my own.

The family I stayed with were so lovely and made me feel very welcome, the Nepalese are such good natured, kind people.

Furthermore, the school was also so welcoming, both students and staff were lovely. However, I assumed I would be teaching basic English, but I was put into a secondary school where their English speaking and writing was of a very high standard. I know I was only there two weeks but I did not have any structure to my day, I was certainly thrown into the deep end. Although I tried to plan lessons it was difficult to know what they wanted me to teach. But it was enjoyable to be able to help them with their English pronunciation and teaching them about England.

Chitwan is a lovely place and I asked to go there as I had previously visited Pokara and Kathmandu before and wanted to visit somewhere new. The national park there is very interesting and the area is quite busy. However, I would say Pokara and Kathmandu are much more lively and Pokara is a very beautiful place which I would highly recommend!

My advice would be to definitely do some volunteer teaching, but do it for longer than I did and ask more question before you leave about the school or situation. It is definitely all part of the adventure not knowing everything however so don't worry too much!

Sri Lanka was a wonderfull experience in my opinion.
At first I was a bit worried that my total budget of €2000 would not be worth it, but luckily I was wrong te be worried.
I now know what the Money is used for and next tot that PMGY takes amazing care of all the volunteers. They will invest part of that budget into your own experience and it's worth it. This was my first time with PMGY and it definitely won't be my last.