Involvement Volunteers International (IVI)

Program Reviews

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Amelia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Community Support in Goa, India

Pickup was amazing and safe driving. Felt quite secure. Very yummy food. For someone who can’t handle much spice, the cook did a great job to cater to our needs. Maybe a salad but that’s just me.Outside of vol, I would relax at the house, explore around the streets to get supplies, laundry and atm. To the gym after 6pm. In free time, have a chill and look around the area a bit more as well. Such inviting environments, with the loveliest people/ children. To be able to try and brighten their day feels quite rewarding.

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Amy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I volunteered for 4 weeks at the women's empowerment project in Kathmandu, Nepal.

I am deeply grateful for the privilege of getting to spend time with these women. Many of them were married at a young age and received very little education, but their determination to learn is inspiring. Getting to know them has given me a deeper appreciation for all the opportunities I have had in my life and it is incredibly rewarding to be able to share some of that with them. I have been able to see the difference I have made in such a short time and I have enjoyed learning from them as well. The local team has shown such wonderful hospitality and I have felt supported throughout my time here. The food is delicious and I have enjoyed learning how to prepare some traditional food. The people are very warm and welcoming and I will miss them greatly. It would be helpful to have a curriculum to follow so that we are able to teach more effectively and help the women learn as much as possible while they are at the school.

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Ann-Sophie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I volunteered in Thailand at the Basic English Teaching project

I really liked the volunteering because it gave me so much insight on Thai culture and also on the school structure. It was interesting to see how different the individual schools and children were. I also really liked socializing with the other volunteers. The accommodation was good and I also really liked the pool. The Team was always nice and helpful and provided a great Support. The food was good especially on Thursday. Maybe longer blankets for the bedrooms and also more western food.

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Annais
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Bali healthcare program

Volunteering in Bali, Indonesia has been a WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL experience. I had the opportunity to volunteer for 3 weeks to a sixth grade group and I learned much more than I imagined. Bali and its people stay in my heart forever.

The whole team and people are WONDERFUL people and very professional, they always made me feel at home. My room and spaces always clean and everything very green and beautiful. The food was perfect for me, a lot of fruits and veggies. THANK YOU for so much.

Cons
  • More computers in the teaching center.
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Elke
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fiji, Nadi Animal Shelter

I had an amazing time at the animal shelter! Cuddling with puppies and kittens was definitely a highlight. In addition to the cute moments, there was also plenty of hands-on work like feeding, cleaning cages, and walking the dogs. I also got to help out in the animal hospital, where I cared for animals after surgeries and helped nurse weaker animals back to health. The best part of all was the puppy bath party – absolutely adorable and so much fun!

I also had incredibly kind and helpful colleagues, with whom I had lots of great exchanges. This gave me a real insight into life in Fiji. The experience was not only enriching in terms of working with animals but also culturally invaluable.

The accommodation was lovely, and the food was delicious. The animal shelter was easy to reach with the express bus, which made commuting simple. Masi and his wife are incredibly kind and always there whenever you need help. They really made my stay even more special with their warmth and hospitality.

I highly recommend this experience to anyone who loves animals and wants to have a meaningful, enriching time in Fiji!

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Mathilde
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I was in Thailand in Hua Hin. I did the renovation program and childcare.

It's an incredible experience that you have to do at least once in your life. It is a great pleasure to help these clerks. They are welcoming and caring people. All our coordinators are there with us and take care of us so that everything goes as well as possible and that we enjoy our humanitarian mission. The local team is superb! The food is very good too. It allows you to taste local food and it's incredible. As for the room, it is a dormitory for 6 people but it is possible to request a private room. What's great is that it's still time to volunteer we have free time to visit.

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Amy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Bali, Ubud - Healthcare Education

The trip was incredible!! I learned so much about myself and was able to do so much more than I anticipated I could. I enjoyed meeting people from other countries and forming friendships. I honestly could have stayed longer !!!

The food was amazing, I really enjoyed the food, the meal times for lunch and dinner were a bit too early but otherwise exceptional. Accommodation was fine, I didn't expect anything great, so it was exactly as expected.

Pros
  • The local team were fabulous, so welcoming and inclusive.
Cons
  • I would have liked more communication about what the program actually included, what exactly I would be teaching, who I would be teaching. For example, I was placed to teach by myself in classroom and had no idea about the syllabus I was meant to be teach
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Manisha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Indonesia , Bali - Turtle Conversation on Nusa Penida

Personally, I really enjoyed the volunteer work. The coordinators at the camp were all friendly. I was able to learn a lot about turtles during this time and I also had a lot of fun working with them. It was also nice to go beyond my own limits (for me it was snorkeling with the manta rays at Manta Point). I was very scared as it was the second time I had snorkeled in my life (the first time was a week earlier at the Gili Islands). In hindsight, however, I am very glad I did it and would love to do it again. I got to know people from all over the world, even though most of them also came from Germany.

I spent the weekends on Gili Island and in Ubud and was able to take a lot with me.
Culturally, I learned a lot of new things, but I was also able to develop a lot personally on this trip.

The coordinators were all very friendly and helpful at all times. The food was very varied and diverse. There was something for everyone (including vegetarian and vegan).
There is also a small, reasonably priced kiosk directly between the old and new houses which is always open until 9 in the evening. I was in the new house. We had a small pool, which was great for cooling off, as well as some seating and an area for sunbathing.

In the six-person room I was in, there were 3 of us for the first 2 weeks and just the two of us for the last week. So it was very relaxed. The rooms were also cleaned daily, which I found very positive. As it is still quite new, there were unfortunately no storage facilities or cupboards to lock up important things when you left the room. As there is only one key, it is unfortunately not possible to lock the rooms.

Cons
  • I would have liked a little more information regarding the organization of leisure activities. Through conversations with other older volunteers, I found out by chance how to go about it and what to bear in mind.
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Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Fiji - Remote Island Village teaching

What an incredible experience to be able to live in amongst the island community, fully immersed in village life. I really really enjoyed my stay and it was so amazing to explore the island in my free time. In the classroom, it was mostly helping kids one on one with the work assigned by the teacher, but for about 4-5 days I was in charge of my own class (because the teacher was away) so I organised and implemented different activities and work for the kids to improve their English. Not only did we help out with teaching in the classrooms, we also got to do lots of other community projects like beach cleanups, tree planting, preparing for the sports carnival, and cassava farming. Great for a really authentic experience of Fiji, but important to know that the living conditions can be quite challenging (no running water (so no flushing toilets, taps to wash hands, showers, etc), limited power/electricity, very limited access to fruit/veggies, and lots of different customs to adhere to). Overall a really positive experience that Im very grateful for :)

The host family was so awesome and made sure we were doing well, keeping us very well fed, caring for me when I saw sick, and constantly checking in on us. The food was SO DELICIOUS but I did struggle with the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially at the start because my body just was not used to eating so much rice and noodles for every meal. On the mainland, Masi and Mere were so so awesome, super friendly, often checking in on us and so quick to resolve any problems that came up.

Cons
  • The accomodation was good… it would have been nice to have a little reading light in my room because once the sun was down, i was no longer able to read or journal, but that’s a minor issue.
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Stéphanie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Philippines, Construction

My volunteering stay went very well. I had an incredible experience. I was able to discover a new country, a new culture and great people. I would like to thank again all the team who welcomed me during this stay. The team there is really great. Everyone is very kind and concerned that our stay goes as smoothly as possible. Regarding the food, I enjoyed every meal! The place is very pleasant to live in.