Program Reviews

My experience in Tanzania was incredible. I feel like I had a lot of information passed on to me before I entered the country which was really helpful and upon arrival the information was mostly accurate. I felt I was very prepared and everyone was there to help. It was mainly all solo travellers which made it so easy to make friends that I will definitely keep for life. My time there was absolutely life changing, I could not recommend it enough. I feel the only thing that could be a bit more explained is where the fees go, with the program being quite expensive it would be nice to know exactly where the money goes.

Feeling blessed✨
The imperfect and daring balance between its strong flavour of danger, its impossible chaos (which somehow, unexplainably, always gets to be solved) and its unique beauty, along with the elegance with which it pulls off all its imperfections, is what makes India so fascinating to me.
From the moment you arrive, you feel just totally overwhelmed and your 5 senses so completely overstimulated that you think you can't take it anymore..but that's when India surprises you all over again..✨
The cows, the monkeys and the dogs round every corner, along with the fear of a monkey-attack coming from the tree above the entrance to your house; the mountains of rubbish littering the roadsides; the pollution and heaviness in the air to the point that everything, including the sky, appears faded; the sweat clinging to your body in the scorching heat; the dangers everywhere, from the rabid animals to the food you eat and the water you drink; the overpowering and ever contrasting smells down every street; the fear of mosquitoes and disease...
And then there's the people: the brilliance of the colours of women's sarees and the sparkle of their jewellery, the melodic cadence of the language, the head bobbing, the jingle of all the bangles and the intensity of their stare...
But most of all it's never-ending chaos: the jostling crowds, the incessant congestion of the Indian traffic, its maddening confusion dictated by the rhythm of its never-ending honking and the blast of indian folk music coming from every tuk tuk🛺..
All these small details of daily life in India are aspects that really hit you when you get there, but that you slowly get accustomed to and grow to love and finally miss once you've left.🥻🐒🇮🇳
This is my photograph of India, a country magical in all its contrasts and that will forever have a place in my heart.❤️

Thank you IVHQ, I'm so grateful for the opportunity you gave me to combine two of the things I love the most; getting the chance to travel and visit some beautiful places, while at the same time investing in my future as a doctor made this experience really meaningful to me.🌍🩺
But most of all, it was really special to volunteer in a country where so many are in need of help and I feel like working in the slums made the experience even more fulfilling. It was truly heartbreaking to see the living conditions of people in the slums and really humbling to be able to experience their day to day life, even if just for a few hours each day. It also brought me to see the most beautiful aspect of it: all those people showed a strong sense of belonging towards their slum and the community they had built together. It was moving to see how much importance those people give to taking care of one another, taking time out of their daily activities to dedicate it to accompanying their friend, their sick mother or an elderly neighbour to be seen by the slum doctor.
This experience really made me realize how unjust the world is and how it's so wrong that our opportunities in life are so strongly dependent on the country and family we're born into; it made me realize how many things we take for granted.
I was also deeply touched by how each medical volunteer, however inexperienced, is immediately made to feel appreciated and welcomed into being part of the slum community.
Feeling like I could make even just one person feel slightly better each day and bring a smile to their face despite all their challenges truly filled my heart with emotion.🥹❣️

It was also really special to share this experience with other volunteers from all over the world. I learned that although every volunteer comes from a different past, is at a different moment of their life and has chosen to volunteer for different reasons, during their time as a volunteer everyone is facing the same daily struggles, in a foreign country and away from home. And it's having this kind of experience, this small but so meaningful fragment of our lives, in common, that I feel created this strong sense of mutual understanding between us and brought us even closer together.
Every single one of you was an important part of this experience; thank you for the unforgettable memories we created together.❤️

16.09.23 - 06.10.23🙏🏻🌍🇮🇳

This program was particularly memorable for me as I was able to embrace and be immersed in a new culture, lifestyle, language and environment. I was able to work with locals and be educated in their practices on the farm. I have a new appreciation for the work that goes behind a cup of coffee and other produces. Staying with a host family was also special as I was able to bond and make friendships with my “host siblings” and “parents”. I was made to feel at home even from across the world, which was a feeling to be grateful for. This is my second trip with IVHQ, and will definitely not be my last.

Whatever your reason for going you’ll end up having the best time of your life and crave more and more the moment you’re home. I’m already planning my next trip, volunteering is a good way to meet people and provides a lot of structure that can sometimes not be easy when travelling on your own.

Doing something worthwhile is so fulfilling and you’ll find different aspects of life you haven’t encountered before.

It can all only serve to make you a better person with more skills and more people that you know around the world. Can’t ask for much more than that

Volunterring in Fiji was my first travel experience ever. Being 18 and experiencing a whole other world, I can say nothing less than that it was worth it and it's given me a whole new perspective of the world, and has made me a bigger and I'd like to say better person. The other volunteers are mostly quite good and amazing, super nice and welcoming, however the ages vary and the average age out of the 35ish people I was with was 21.Quite young as well. Some volunteers can be immature, drama stirring or otherwise noticeably not here to volunteer and instead horse around. Also the ratio to female:men was about 5:1, not that it matters but majority of females rather than males. Sometimes awkward, not everyone gets along as well with everyone, so naturally groups form and sometimes found self stuck between them. Alot of people talk about alot of people. Nonetheless I enjoyed my time. The locals and staff are amazing as well as the culture, it's super friendly and amazing to learn about as well. I'll definitely be volunteering someplace else, and one day be returning to Fiji 100%.

I loved been able to immerse myself in the local culture.

Completing a childcare programme was so recording to give back to the local communities in Fiji.

I especially enjoyed been able to teach the children about a programme I am passionate about - orangutan conservation.

Also the Fiji food was absolutely delicious
The people are great and you meet lots of friends along the way that you will treasure forever.

Thank you for the experience and memories I will volunteer again in the future

Overall my time in Nusa Penida was amazing. I was a little nervous going into the trip because it was my first solo trip and wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Upon my arrival in Bali, everyone was so sweet and welcoming which definitely eased my nerves. Additionally, working with the turtles was a crazy experience and I'll never forget my time there. It was so amazing to care for the turtles for a few weeks and then release some into the ocean. If I could recommend something for people volunteering in the future, I would say that a bunch of people met at the orientation week before heading to Nusa Penida, however, I didn't do the orientation week and felt completely fine. I still met so many people from around the world and quickly adjusted.

Having early retired it has always been an ambition of mine to volunteer abroad. The whole experience was life changing. From the moment I got off the plane there was someone there to take me to my accommodation. Throughout the programme there was always someone to answer any questions and give support if needed, I never felt alone. My skills were tailored to the Community work I got involved in and it was truly rewarding, an experience I will never forget. Don't be put off by age, its just a number, take that leap of faith and take that trip! you won't regret it. IVHQ were amazing and I cannot recommend them enough.

Everything was very simple and it went smooth; three months-time of correspondence prior the volunteering and two weeks-time while doing volunteering - everything was very simple!
I am satisfied a lot, with the amazing experience I had with IVHQ. Mariana is very good and experienced program manager, solving any doubts which I was having and sharing any kind of documentations I needed, on time. The program was explained into many details, followed with few reminders via email, with "to do" things, not to forget any thing, and to be prepared very well before the trip.
IVHQ - very recommendable.

Genuinely, I had am incredible two week time and adventure volunteering in Rio de Janeiro Brazil through IVHQ.org and the local Jive team. I went into this blind not knowing what to expect, and it's fair to say it left me with the impression to do it again. I had an awesome time volunteering all thanks to the incredible people and staff at the "Vila Olimpica Da Gamboa". The staff were welcoming and showed me the ways of the Rio cultures. I had the chance to to take in all the beautiful sights, sounds, and tastes of the amazing Carioca culture. You can’t say you’ve really “been” somewhere unless you attempt at least to make new connections, or plant a tree 🌲 (😅), otherwise you’re just visiting. Happy to say I didn’t visit Brazil, but I’ve “been” to Brazil because of all the connections and friends I made here in Rio from different places that will last a lifetime, I'm sure.