Program Reviews

I learned a lot about cultural differences, which is interesting. We, the Japanese do not insist on our opinion, but Fijian children insist on what they think a lot. The children were always friendly and welcomed me to Fiji. On 1st day of volunteering, they asked my name and were around me with a big smile. They jumped to my back and asked me to teach them what they learned in their class. Although I chose a teaching program, technically I just translated English to Japanese for a Japanese boy who doesn't understand English and Fijian. There was a Japanese boy who came to Fiji because of his father's work. Sometimes I helped local teachers. When the local children raised their hands to ask me, I taught. Teaching was not easy since English is my second language, but it was interesting what I consider to teach them. Coordinators also welcomed me to Fiji. They were always nice and helpful. Honestly, I didn't eat the food in the accommodation at the beginning of this trip because it was completely different from the food that I eat in my country, but I could get used to the food in Fiji. It took a time to get used to the accommodation, but it was getting okay for me.

The volunteering consisting in renovating a school during the week and go to visit cambodia during the week-end. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to easily get abroad. The local teams was wonderful, They are young and friendly, so we spend a lot of time with them. They spend time to share they way of life. The food was mainly local food, so it is nice to discovered it, even if it is not various so get borred after few weeks.The accommodation was perfect, nothing to say more.

I loved my volunteer experience. From the beginning to end, I felt very safe and welcomed. There's someone in charge of picking you up at the airport and brings you to the house. I had my own room, with mosquito bed, AC and bathroom. Sometimes we would have no electricity or water. The school was for kids aged 3 to 8 with physical disabilities. Someone from the organization accompanies you every day to the school. Kids were all so lovely and special. I brought a lot of toys and games to give them, and they enjoyed a lot. The school is located on the beach, so every Friday we would go swimming in the ocean with them. We would go to school from 9am to 4pm, and from 1:30 to 3PM the kids would nap, so I would have some free time on the beach. Food was okay, a lot of rice and carbs.

The local team was amazing! Every single one of them was super nice and welcoming. They listen to your needs and make sure you are okay. I loved my experience with them.

We had good two weeks (4.8. - 17.8.). We have cleaned the cages, prepaired the food and feeded the animals. Really special moments were the contact with the animals. The team was pretty nice and like friends. Food and accomodation were good. Especially the second week with our guide LAURIANA PRISCA was fantastic. She gave us many information about the animals and organized much work for us, so that we could do something for the Park and for the animals. We asked for that. It was important for us. Every wish we had, she made them true. She was pretty friendly to us and spend also time for us during her leisure time. So we've learned many about the City and could also help to build new snakehouse, help to get food for turtles and Chamäleon and many more, just because of Priscas organisation.

What an amazing experience! Volunteering in Fiji was an experience I will never forget. Being able to provide much need care and knowledge to the local communities on health and nutrition was so rewarding. We got a real taste of the Fijian culture! I can't wait to be able to volunteer again. Masi and Mere were fantastic hosts! We dd have very little protein to eat (something I personally struggled with) and we did go to the shops often to stock up tuna tuna and more tuna! Acommodation was great. It would be great to have a refresh of supplies (BP cuffs and stethoscopes) to use as we had to do a fair few repairs on equipment.

Nutrition outreach and public health volunteering in Fiji, July 2024... The team of us who were placed in Moala were instantly taken in by the family we were living and were made to feel part of the family. I am grateful for this experience, for the people I met and for the wonderful people who cared for us throughout the 2 weeks. This trip has inspired me to pursue work in global health and the pacific islands, and I hope one day I will be back to reconnect with the beautiful people I met on this trip!

The kids are truly inspiring and made me stay here even in difficult moments. they give so much energy and love without even knowing. all the preparations for the graduation day were definitely my highlight, as the kids get so excited about it. The work in the kindergarten is more about teaching and really childcare. :) Accommodation was ok. only the 2 showers/toilets were bit hard to handle with 16 girls. I didn‘t expect anything regarding food in the Philippines as a vegan - but a bit more variety of vegetable or access to fruits during the day would be great.

I enjoyed the trip. It was nice to meet new people, visit new places and experience a new culture. The highlights include meeting the wonderful children of the school. This was a new experience for me and I’ve definitely gained some valuable lessons and skills from it. Another highlight is being able to explore and travel with the free time I had.

Gwen was very kind and helpful. The local Thai food in restaurants was incredible. The accommodation was nice but a little far from the city so it could be a little inconvenient at times to go there especially when Bolt drivers would cancel repeatedly because of the distance.

I am so blessed to have been lead by amazing dietician and naturopathic professionals who have inspired what I hope to be in this field one day. Words and pictures could never capture how life changing this experience was, and what beautiful souls these people hold. Pictures also don’t capture how challenging and uncomfortable it was at times, but it was worth it to change at least one persons life.

Thank you to the Fijian culture for teaching ME life lessons and for opening my eyes to so many things I was blind to before.

What a fantastic trip. Getting the opportunity to live in a village for a week was so incredibly special, and all of our hosts quickly became like family. The work itself was challenging at times but very rewarding, and I felt like we were making a difference within the communities that we worked in. We were also so lucky to have such an amazing group of women from many different backgrounds; definitely some lifelong friends made from this experience and their hard work and comradery made the trip all the more special. International nutrition is a field I've been interested in working in for 4 years now, and I feel that this trip has increased my skills, my knowledge base and my drive to continue with this work.

I would highly recommend doing this trip for the experience, the beautiful people of Fiji, the memories, the lifelong friends and the opportunity to spend time out of your comfort zone and build a stronger you.