Program Reviews

When I received an email from Global Volunteers that a new program was available in Nepal, I knew that I had to go. A big part of my decision was that Stephen would be team leader. My granddaughter and I had spent a month in India in 2015 with Global Volunteers, living in the guesthouse with the other volunteers along with Stephen and his family. It had been an exhilarating month! In addition, there were two Nepalese families that I would be able to reconnect with, from friendships made 8 and 20 years before.

From the moment that my friend and I arrived late (due to travel complications), we were well taken care of. The Buddy Hotel was a great place to call ‘home’ for our time in Nepal. Situated in a centralized location, we could explore the area on our own and were able to seek out friends of friends who operate a tour business there.

Since the program was so new, we were tentative about what to do and quickly learned that flexibility is key! Especially with the younger children (kindergarten and first grade), we found that tag-teaming saved the day…when one activity grew stale, the other person jumped in with a new idea.

Meeting with the women at the Soroptimist location, for teaching English and just plain visiting, was definitely a highlight. They were so eager to interact that we couldn’t go wrong…using photos from home, charades to describe things, and sometimes even words. We were left wishing we had more time to spend with them!

Nepal is a destination not to be missed!

My husband and I recently spent 2 weeks in St. Lucia with Global Volunteers. It was a fun and rewarding experience! Our group of 10 was led by a well-organized and caring leader who was always going it of her way to make sure we were happy and comfortable. My responsibilities included working at a preschool in the mornings and teaching women how to sew in the afternoons. I loved seeing the proud faces on the women when they completed a project. I hope that someday they’ll be able to use their skills to make an income. We’ll definitely do Global Volunteers again!

I am going to be doing my 4th stint in Poland this July. I first went with my daughter, then I took my niece, then I went with a friend I met the year before in Poland and this time I will be going by myself but know two volunteers who will be there. The children are amazing. They are so eager to learn and use the English language. Lessons are taught through song, games, books and general conversation. The staff is so friendly and accommodating. I seriously need more space to explain the impact this program has had on me, my daughter and my niece. I have done other programs with global that I have loved, but something special keeps me coming back to Poland.

The experience was transformative on so many levels. The level of poverty hit me in the face the first day of service, but I was also blown away by the people I met... Our guide Chemida was compassionate, strong, and extremely knowledgeable. The teachers at our school where we worked were resilient and resourceful, doing so much with so little. But who impressed me the most were the children at the school where we volunteered, especially one particular child, Carlos. He was only four yet could read at the 3rd or 4th grade level. Yet he struggled with his behavior. I hope the extra attention I gave him helped to reassure him and encourage him to pursue his academic progress.

Overall, the experience was wonderful. I cannot say enough about how well organized our two weeks were, and the food was next-level delicious. There wasn't a day that I didn't clean my plate.

If you want to make a difference in a place where the beauty of the island, the riches of the resorts stand in such stark contrast to the people who are poor but resilient -- I highly recommend this program to you. Truly an inforgettable experience.

My husband and I volunteered for 2 weeks at the daycare at La Sagrada Familia in March. We were amazed at how patient and caring the teachers and staff were and how welcoming everyone was toward us. It was a very rewarding experience - I would highly recommend it to anyone who has a desire to become immersed in the Peruvian culture. The program was well-run, the accommodations were safe and comfortable, the food was fantastic, and our leader was super organized, attentive to our needs, and fun!

Over the course of 3 weeks we visited several schools and multiple classrooms in each school, all teaching English. The youngest students were grade 7 and the oldest were university graduate students. I had the opportunity to interact with about 1600 students, so, while deep interactions were not common, our team was able to have a huge impact in giving students an opportunity to interact with a native English speaker, and to receive a message of people to people friendship. While the classes were fun and the students were incredibly welcoming, the real enthusiasm and meaningful interactions often took place right after a class when they were freed from the formality of the classroom. This program was an extraordinary experience.

I would note that, while this program is expensive for the volunteer, participants often learned that we were not only unpaid for our work, but we covered all the costs of our participation in the program. This was meaningful to them and, I felt, contributed to their deepened appreciation of the program.

My husband and I recently returned from two weeks volunteering with Global Volunteers in Xi'an China and I would like to share with anyone interested in volunteering in China that this is an excellent program if you are interested in interacting with the Chinese people. During our stay we were able to work with excellent Chinese English teachers/professors and very motivated students. We were able to work in different universities, all of which were welcoming and pleased that we were able to work with their teachers and students. In addition to volunteering, on the weekend we were able to experience the historic and vibrant city of Xi'an, which should be on every "must do" list for tourists. This was an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

I loved my experience volunteering at La Comunidad de Niños Sagrada Familia in Peru. Sagrada Familia is a community that ministers to the homeless and abandoned street children in Lima, Cuzco and other places in Peru. It provides them with food, education, safety, homes, medical care and, above all, love. The children come from difficult backgrounds but I have never in my life experience such love and caring.

The community is based in a compound in the middle of a very poor neighborhood to the north of Lima. The poverty can be a bit shocking, but the compound itself is very safe and the local people were very warm and welcoming. Sagrada Familia is a relatively new partner for Global Volunteers and while we were there they were still discussing ways the volunteers who visit can help the community, but there is no question that we made a difference. As Miguel, the community founder noted, just the fact that we came to see them is inspiring to the children. I split my time between helping construct new classrooms and teaching English to a sixth grade class. The hand made thank you cards I received from the class when I left are something I continue to treasure.

We volunteers stayed in the nearby seaside resort town of Ancón in a comfortable family run hotel. It was the off season, so things in town were relatively quiet, but the food was excellent and we were well taken care of.

Global Volunteer begins all their trips with a day of training to help the group get to know each other and understand what kind of experience they can expect as volunteers in the community. I really appreciate the values of community partnership and service that they bring to their programs. This was my fifth trip with Global Volunteers and it was by far my favorite and the most rewarding. I will be going back.

I have been on a number of volunteer trips, and, the Peru Global Volunteer program is far and away the best one that my family has ever been on. The organization supported (Sagrada Familia) houses, feeds and educates children in need. These children and the supporting staff are so loving and appreciative of the support provided that it makes for a meaningful and memorable experience. Global Volunteers provided training, support (including translators who accompanied the volunteers), and local leadership that ensures that there are focused, purposeful assignments. The transportation, meals & accommodations were excellent. We had a mix of volunteers ( college students, older retirees, families with young children ) that made for an exciting group. On a side note, Peru is an awesome place to visit. Most all of the volunteers traveled in the country after the service assignment. Our family went into Lima over the weekend and did some local tours, and, after our 2 week volunteer work, went up to Cusco for a week to see the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu ( a must see destination ). Volunteer programs are not all the same; I have been on ones with very unfocused or lack of meaningful assignments, some where the poor accommodations, food and safety concerns become a distraction to the purpose of the trip. This is NOT the case with Global Volunteers and Peru .... it was a fantastic location with an organized, professional staff that is engaged in supporting a group ( Sagrada Familia ) that needs and appreciated the volunteer efforts.

My daughter and I have volunteered with Global Volunteers for 2 years and we are looking forward to working again soon! It is a fabulous opportunity to help and experience new cultures. The best part is meeting the local people! Our work in Quito, Ecuador was headed by Maggie Bjorklund and she was fantastic! The program was very well organized and we always felt safe. We spent two weeks doing labor work at a pre-school and loved playing with the children and assisting the teachers. The hotel we stayed was very comfortable and everyone was very helpful. Our daily breakfast was ready in the mornings and our lunches were delicious! We also had some free time to explore the city and to try typical Ecuadorian foods. I highly recommend Global Volunteers! It will exceed your expectations!