Program Reviews

I started with the cultural week, which was a nice introduction to the place and its culture (I would just recommend to reduce the amount of time dedicated to the "commercial" part/the shopping).
Volunteering was amazing. About special needs words cannot describe how beautiful it was spending time at that home. We were many volunteers, all sharing this thought.

Teaching to the village kids was very nice as well: the place was wonderful and the kids very kind and polite, and so happy to learn. I really enjoyed it!

The local team is amazing. All the coordinators were very kind and helpful, they are flexible and they constantly check with you if everything is fine: thanks everybody!

The food was good, with veg/non-veg options.
The accommodation is ok, everything is clean. I appreciated that when I asked to change my room with a different one, and after some days, they immediately agreed; it shows that they care.

Everything was amazing! Cultural week was very interesting and I really enjoy it, it was a nice introduction to a different culture. Volunteering was amazing: volunteering with the elderly was so rewarding. In the afternoon I volunteered with the slum kids, which was another great experience.

Local team was wonderful. Harseerat and Kallyan are so nice and helpful. They supported me during volunteering (they volunteered with me, and you can see how the kids and the elderly love them), and they helped me to experience all aspects of the local culture (food experiences included!). I was the only volunteer but I never felt alone.

Food was delicious, always fresh and varied.
Accomodation is amazing, not only the house/room, but the location as well. I have really loved this program, keep on!

Anything was great, i could depend on Green Lion for everything. Because of the health-care situation in Kenya, I was in a little healthcare center, but i really enjoyed it, everybody was welcoming and friendly, i could learn about the culture, the people and their diffrent medical treatments.
The team was amazing, everybody was really friendly and i could spend the weekend with them to get a closer look into the communitys. They provided delicious food and if i was on a trip the hole day, they packed me lunch. The accomodation had some little flawys, but the team could always help. Everything went smoothly, thank you for this experience!

My daughter (18) and I (54) had a great time volunteering at the elephant project.
First of all everything was very good organized by involvement volunteer international in combination with volunteer world. All questions were answered quickly. We felt very good beeing taken care of while doing the booking, preparing the journey and during our stay.

We were taken to the elephant camp by a private driver five days a week. The trip took one hour each way. However, it passed quickly as every day there was something different to discover on our way there.

Beeing with the elephants was an amazing, unforgettable time. There were five elephants (50/60/10/4 and 1 year old). Our daily work started with cleaning the area, removing the elephant pu and leftover food, feeding them, preparing vitamin balls, going for a walk with them, bathing them in the river, sometimes collecting wood for a fireplace.
We had one hour lunch time. We got every day very lovely food and fresh fruits and had enough time to relax and observing the elephants.

The Manager, a very nice man, liked to tell us many things and answered all our 100 questions ;-)
We learnt so much about the elephants.

It was an amazing experience. As well as having an international exchange with the other volunteers at the accomodation. It was so interesting to hear and learn about the other foreign countries.

During our stay and our time at the elephant camp we were accompanied by a Thai coordinator. She was doing the work together with us and was the whole time available. We had a great time and it felt (still feels) like beeing friends.
We learnt so many things about the country and the locals.

The coordinator at the accomodation and all the other staff as the cook/housekeeping and the driver were very very nice, made feel us very comfortable, tried to assist and help whenever needed. We felt very good taken care of at all times.

The food was traditonal Thai food, always nicely prepared. Every day we got fresh fruits. The cook even asked us if we had a favorite dish she might once prepare.

The accomodation was very fine. It was a big villa, quiet located at a pond, next to a golf course. Everything seemed freshly renovated and was very clean. We booked a private room and therefore had a bathroom and toilette at our own. The other volunteers shared a room and had bathrooms outside on the floor. However, there were many bathrooms, so each person had one bathroom for himself.

Three days a week we did an excursion/visited a market together with the other volunteers. Therefore we had free transportation.

We also had tabletennis and bikes we could have used.

It was amazing! I learned so much about myself, what I want in life and about this new country. I spend 8 weeks volunteering and 2 weeks on my own. I felt safe and comfortable :) The people in Zanzibar are really nice and you can do a lot of excursions in your free time.

Comments on local team, food and accommodation.. The local team was the best part of my trip, they took such good care of me both physically and mentally. They are so kind and helpful, it felt like I was at home :)

The food was really nice and the accomodation as well, it was clean and it felt safe.

I loved my experience with the team. I worked in a small centre in the area of Basmane in Izmir with African children and women in Izmir Turkey. I was teaching English and Math as well as helping with general duties around the centre such as serving lunches, cleaning, looking after the younger kids. I also filmed a small documentary film for them to help them to raise funds for the centre.

We were able to travel on weekends so I visited Ephesus and also local towns nearby when I could.

Highlights were meeting the team and the kids. Lots of dancing and playing Uno with the kids. Making ceramics with the women. Visiting the local souks.

Everyone was incredibly welcoming. I enjoyed the volunteering, although sometimes would have been good to have been a little busier. Having said that working at the centre could be very hectic sometimes. But lots of fun.

Izmir is an interesting city so there is plenty to see and do. I staying in the Imece flat which was very convenient to work. I hope to go back one day.

I spent this trip working in Basmane center. I worked with refugees, arranging activities for the children and completing 1:1 sessions with teenagers. We completed workshops with the mothers too such as ceramics. It was a pleasure working with them all and getting to know them. The people working at Basmane were amazing and I will miss them dearly. I hope to return one day to reconnect with everyone. My accomodation was at the founders apartment and it was convenient and local to the tramway and shops. We had lunch daily at Basmane and then for breakfast and dinner there are plenty of supermarkets to make your own food or you can visit the many restaurants.

I loved working with the children every single day. The children never failed to be polite and enthusiastic about their learning. They were a dream to teach by always wanting to improve and to better their understanding.

The teachers at the school were friendly and helpful. The town was a lovely place to live for 2 months. I felt that I really got to know the local people and to embed myself in the culture!
The team were friendly and helpful. The food was healthy and delicious. We had 3 cooked Khmer meals a day. The accommodation was comfortable although hot showers would have been nice!

The trip was good. Meet people and the turtles are so cute. Nusa Penida it's a beautiful island. And volunteering was a really great experience because you know you're helping and giving time to make a difference. The accommodations are really nice and also the food lot of vegetarian food. Maybe having more local food would be better I think.

The local team is great :)

The local team organized it very well. Everything went smoothly. It was great to meet other volunteers involved in other projects/programs. We became aware that we were the first to experience the road trip part of the project.

Highlights - It was a bonus to explore more of Vietnam with someone from the area. She also had an opportunity to visit her family. The sleeper buses must be experienced!

Volunteering—We wish we could have participated for two weeks; five days was far too short. The dedicated team at the kitchen was wonderful to work with, and the local team support ensured we were okay! Giving back in the kitchen.

Local team members had key roles; executed with a high level of professionalism and care. Everyone was very approachable. A great level of English. We were kept informed. A social event was held on Monday nights so new volunteers could meet others.

The food and accommodation were very satisfactory. We were spoilt as the staff created a private room for us with a double bed; thank you.