Program Reviews

I was in Cusco for a month on a childcare volunteer trip with a good friend of mine. We were at a school and daycare mix doing childcare and we loved it. My friend worked with the two-year-olds and I worked with the three and four-year-olds. The kids were just great! While we were there, we got to see so many beautiful places and do so many cool things!I loved the kids, the local team, the host family, meeting new people, the food, the beautiful places we visited, the alpacas and llamas, the rich history, the memories I made. My friend and I came together and had the best and most memorable experience. I highly recommend visiting all the ancient sites. There is so much to see in every direction you go and there is definitely something for everyone. Pictures don’t do Peru justice, it is just so breathtaking.

I wish I had great things to say about this experience but I really dont.
I signed up for the Bali construction and renovation for 2 weeks and left after 2 days. The sanitary conditions as well as the safety conditions for the work were unacceptable.

I am really upset because I really wanted to help the locals doing this program. Instead, I feel like I was scammed and lost the $800 I paid for. I wonder where this money is going frankly because its definitely not going in the accommodation. Everything was dirty and smelled so bad, we did not have water at night to use the showers and bathrooms, the food was not nutritious nor good. What a shame.
Dont waste your money and time with IVHQ/Green Lion, you will be very disappointed.

We wanted to go on a service trip as a family during summer holiday and found a child care program in Morocco that enables our teenage daughters to volunteer with us. The main coordinator at IVHQ was always helpful with our questions leading up to the program, and its online resources were well thought out and useful. The local team and the host family were very warm and welcoming, and we had an amazing experience immersing in the local culture and tradition, while volunteering at the day care in the morning and sightseeing in the afternoon for a week. We had to put our heads together to come up with lesson plans and use the language skills fully (French and English) and it was great to see our kids engaged with activities with local children. It was enriching and rewarding, and one of the best family holidays.

I cannot put into words how much this programme has changed my life, it has shown me how much power my words and actions hold while allowing me to experience a completely different and beautiful culture to my own, engaging thoroughly in the language, the festivals and the food. The local team were so warm and welcoming from my first day, and were always there to help me and the other volunteers. I wish that everyone had the chance to take part in this amazing opportunity, since it left me a changed person, giving me a physical representation of the difference I can make from such a young age!

So how was this experience unique? How else could you gain the trust of a wild elephant, by learning how to wrap its 'kuchi' and feeding her every day? I learned a lot on this trip, and absolutely loved my time with the two 'approachable' elephants; the Local Team was very clear about how the rest of the elephants were wild, and could be unpredictable. Now that I'm back home I miss the smell of the place, the mud and the leaves, and I miss not hugging my favourite pachyderm. While in Chitwan I gained a snapshot of the daily life of the Mahouts, and I appreciated the hospitality of the entire team. I recommend this journey.

We can’t thank IVHQ enough for the life forming experiences and opportunities they have given us. I participated in the healthcare education program and it was absolutely amazing. From planing the trip, to receiving support locally and making new friends that feel like family, this organization was there for us every step of the way. On my first day of volunteering I knew immediately I will be volunteering through this organization again. There have truly been no flaws and I am forever grateful. The local team was so amazing it felt like a big family and we had a blast together. Never did we feel alone or worried. Thank you so much.

Amazing experiences from both the local team and IVHQ team - perfect balance of exploring and volunteering.
Each team provided me with exemplary information to correctly prepare me for the trip.
The children we met were all amazing and I loved spending time with them - taking them on a field trip was the most amazing experience to see their faces.
Local team provided amazing meals every day and accommodates to all dietary needs and preferences.
Always felt safe and knew if I had troubles the local team would support me.
My only wish is that I had stayed longer.

This is my second time to volunteer abroad through IVHQ. I really had a great experience and the organization especially the program manager assisted me to prepare everything I need before the volunteer program. The Local Team both in Fiji and Bali were very friendly and helpful. In Bali, I did Turtle Conservation project. I had so much fun from cleaning the turtles and their tank and feeding them. Also enjoyed exploring the beauty of nature and culture of Bali. I'm excited to plan for my next volunteer program again with them.

This experience is cool because it is a great way to give back to a community while participating in a different culture and touring. The local team was so supportive and I became close with other volunteers in the staff but also other volunteers and everyone else staying in the hostel. Almost instantly, I befriended people and later went on all my adventures I was there with them. So much fun, the most memorable experience of my life, and shaped what I want to do as a future career (possibly work with kids). The teachers I worked with were the sweetest and great for me to pick up language skills that once didn't seem achievable without being immersed in this environment. I cried when I was saying goodbye to the teachers and was comforted by them as if I were their son. A very sweet experience to say the least. Now I yearn to go back ASAP.

The house was great and I had no issues with space or the other volunteers or family, they were all super nice and fun. Getting to my placement was easy and safe, and getting the necessary things for everyday life was made easy due to helpful hosts and easily accessible markets and currency exchange places. If you felt you didn’t love your placement it was also easy to change, and times were quite flexible. The family made it feel like you really were a part of the country, which was really cool especially during events like Argentine soccer games.