Program Reviews

(English translation): I spent 2 weeks in Peru, it was really amazing I recommend. Already the project with children (3 to 5 years) was indescribable, the feeling of giving them a little help and love is just great. Then 'my family was very endearing, I talked a lot with each of them and I have good memories! The food was also very good and they suited my tastes. Finally, the excursions to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley were impressive. Everything was very well organized and I had a great time, really. In the afternoons I went to visit the city which has lots of places to see! I recommend 100%, a significant social impact with visiting places around! Perfect
Do not hesitate, come and discover the Peruvian culture, the city of Cusco, the Inca monuments! And enjoy to help children in 'need :)

(Original text):
j’ai passé 2 semaines au Pérou, c’etait Vraiment incroyable je recommande. Déjà le projet avec les enfants (3 a 5 ans) était indescriptible, la sensation de leur donner un peu d’aide et d’amour est juste géniale. Ensuite’ ma famille était très attachante, j’ai beaucoup discuté avec chacun d’eux et j’ai de bons’ souvenirs ! La nourriture était aussi très bonne et ils s’adaptaient a mes goûts. Pour finir, les excursions au Machu Picchu et à la Vallée sacrée etait impressionnante. Tout était très bien organisé et j’ai passé un super moment, vraiment. Les après midis j’allais visité la ville qui a plein de lieux à voir ! Je recommande a 100%, un impact social important avec la visite des endroits autour! Parfait
N’hésitez plus, venez découvrir la culture péruvienne, la ville de Cusco, les monuments incas ! Et profitez en pour aider des enfants dans’ le besoin :)

Overall, I had an amazing time here. The staff were very patient with me and taught me how to perform various tasks in the clinic. I worked mostly in the department of niño sano and they showed me how to measure the weights, heights, and head perimeters of the babies. They also let me help with the vaccination of babies. It was a lot more paperwork and documentation than I had expected but I enjoyed learning and experiencing the amount of work the staff have to do every day. I was able to learn more about the health system in Peru because they let me perform various paperwork and documentation. I had taken Spanish for 4 years in high school so I was able to understand and speak enough Spanish to communicate with the staff. I recommend that people interested in this program should have a basic grasp of Spanish going in as most staff only speak Spanish (only one or two spoke a little bit of English).

I realized how the healthcare was so inaccessible to so many. I also realized how the economic state of the country can lead so many people to violence and poor healthcare. The small number of technology available was also very shocking. It was a very humbling experience to witness so many unfortunate families and children. I would love to come back after becoming a medical professional some day and treat them too.

When I saw people waiting in line, it broke my heart to see that there wasn't a technology that seemed to expedite any process. there was only one doctor and several nurses that shuffled papers around that somehow one of them eventually gets lost. However, the one important thing I learned in this clinic is that we can gain happiness from the smallest things in life. It's not about going big or becoming successful, but to build relationships that we can both help and depend on. These little things are eventually what help us to become a better person with a better perspective of the world.

I had a really great time volunteering in Peru. It made me understand the real problems that healthcare workers and normal citizens in Peru face. Lack of iron supplements, lack of computer software for patient record, and a large group of underprivileged families working to vaccinate their babies. I would not have understood these problems without fully experiencing the Cusco city and volunteering in a health clinic outside of US. I only wished that I had some Spanish background to communicate with the clinic employees and help them better.
I also was able to travel to Machu Picchu, and this was an invaluable experience, something that I would have never done if I did not volunteer here. Cusco city was also amazing with its amalgam of Inca and Spanish culture. Food was especially cheap and amazing!

I was a part of the Childcare Program in Kenya for 2 weeks this March, and I must say, it was the best experience I've ever had! Being surrounded by the little ones, playing with them, helping the house mothers in preparing food, and other chores - days passed by the wink of an eye. Kenya surely has a lot of reasons to be explored, but I think I made the best choice to volunteer there, at the Children's Home. Joe and Paul have been amazing hosts for us. Also, I had the chance of visiting the school one day, with my fellow volunteers, and it has become the most memorable day of my journey. At one point, I found myself surrounded by 50 kids, who just wanted to be loved. How incredible is that! I hope to go back again someday, to meet my little friends ❤

It was the most incredible experience I've ever had, and to be honest, I left a piece of my heart there with the children in Kenya. I was a part of the Childcare Project in Nairobi, and got to work at a children's home in the outskirts of the city. There were 5 of us, visiting this home and supporting the kids. Around 75 kids live here, of whom nearly 30 are infants and toddlers (between the age of few days to about 3 years). These are mostly abandoned kids, and getting to know their stories were extremely heart-wrenching! From the very first day, I felt like I was destined to be there and bonded with the kids, who are hungry for love. It was wonderful to see how happiness doesn't require much, and their innocence filled the place.

I had a great time playing with the children, feeding them, telling them stories and much more. It was actually difficult on the last day, to bid them goodbye.

I also got to make some friends from other parts of the world, as we lived together at the volunteer house. Over dinners, we talked about our countries and social structure, which was indeed quite interesting.

As an animal lover, I absolutely loved volunteering at Thai Elephant Home Nursery. The elephants were rescued from poor situations (such as logging camps) and given a great life. The animals were so well taken care of and loved by their caretakers. I learned about the day to day care of the elephants and was able to participate and get to know the animals as individuals. The tourists were given the opportunity to learn about and enjoy the elephants...it was not just about making money. The staff was dedicated, friendly and so enjoyable to get to know. It was a great place that I recommend to animal lovers and travelers of all ages. Please check out my book about my experience, available on Amazon: "Maetang to Koh Chang" by Katie McGee :)

Overall, this has been one of the most inspiring weeks that the rest of my group and I have ever experienced. Our tour guide and country coordinator, Jorge, was extremely accomodating, patient, kind, and very passionate about his country. He helped us immensely with everything we had to do with the school and our host families. When our own team leaders could not handle certain things, he stepped in and made everything go smoothly. We appreciate all he has done for us. During our project, my team and I helped to renovate a school for children between the ages of 3 and 5. We painted ad repaired tables and chairs and also painted the classroom. For us, this experience felt like it came full circle. Many of us are the children of parents or grandparents that were not able to get a proper education. We have all been fortunate enough to get an eduaction and see different parts of the world because of the sacrafices made by our parents. Seeing how excited these kids were to learn and how involved their parents were really inspired us. We hope that the work we have done really makes a difference in the childrens´ education.

My experience in Cusco, Peru was absolutely amazing. The VolSol staff was very helpful when I first got there and was very accomadating when my flight time changed last minute. The host family that I stayed with was awesome and the food they my host mom made for me was delicious, I loved everything that I tried. This was my first time traveling completely alone, and it was amazing to meet so many different people during my excursions to the Sacred Valley, Macchu Picchu, and Rainbow Mountain. Even though I was traveling alone I met and kept in touch with so many new people and ended up meeting up with them many times over the course of my trip to explore Cusco. Working in the clinic was also super beneficial. I learned so much from the doctors and nurses and even got to give a lot of vaccinations. This has been my favorite trip that I have taken so far and I would highly recommend it to literally ANYONE.

Translation:
It has exceeded my expectations by a thousand, the family has been affectionate, kind and always to tempt our needs we made each day a different trip of typical Peruvian food, they took us to places to try the best dishes!
In the kindergarten super comfortable with the children drawing, teaching them to play new games, always with a welcome with a smile and a hug of those who hurt, I was painting the street mural ... I leave a small memory 😁
The organization of the excursions have been perfect, subject of schedules, almost always arriving the first place to be able to enjoy without the passing of people, which is appreciated, the insurmountable guides, the agency to tempt to all our questions
I would repeat with my eyes closed.

Original:
Ha sido una exprerencia IMPRESIONATE¡ha superado mis expectativas por mil,la familia ha sido cariñosa ,amable y siempre a tenta a nuestras necesidades nos hacian cada dia un tipp diferente de comida tipica de Perú,nos llevaban a sitios para probar los mejores platos !!
En la guardería super agusto con los niños dibujando,enseñandoles a jugar a nuevos juegos,siempre con una bienvenida con una sonrisa y un abrazo de los wue hacen daño,estuve pintando el mural de la calle...dejo un pequeño recuerdo 😁
La organizacion de las escursiones han sido perfectas , tema de horarios ,casi siempre llegando los primeros paea poder disfrutar sin eceso de gente,cosa que se agradece,los guias insuperables ,la agencia a tenta a todas nuestras preguntas
Volveria a repetir con los ojos cerrados.