Program Reviews

This experience was great and life-changing. The housing was better than I expected it would be, and the orphange was in worse conditions than I pictured. But it was very humbling overall. It made me realize how blessed i am and to never take anything for granted. I met some of the nicest people during my time in Nairobi, Kenya. From the mother at the orphanage, the neighbors, the tribe members, all of the children, and so on. This was my first time out of the country and it had a lot of impact on my life. I will be returning back to Nairobi with a few others next time; my organization will be volunteering together.

I joined teaching program in Vietnam where I met some great people, some wonderful students and was very impressed with the program and it's goals. The overall living experience was excellent but the heat and humidity take some time to get used to.

I Really enjoyed it. I learned from the students and made me appreciate the culture and people more than I could hope for..their desire to learn was so refreshing.

Meeting other volunteers..exploring the city..and believing I had a small impact to helping the students progress and learn about my culture as I learned about theirs, these are the highlights of my trip to vietnam.

India has been on my bucket list for a while, however as well as seeing the usual tourist attractions and heritage sites I wanted to see more of the day to day life and culture and give something back to the community.

After much research I decided on Vol Sol as their 3 week Summer Programme offered a good combination through a varied itinerary at a reasonable cost.

On booking I was provided with a login to my Vol Sol account, which contained a fully detailed itinerary and helpful information on visas, climate, culture etc and Sahil, our coordinator was always helpful with answering any questions.

On arrival in Delhi airport I was met by a smiling Vol Sol face and transported to the volunteer house, which was in a nice residential area of south Delhi and situated in a gated community with plenty of markets, shops and restaurants within walking distance.

On our first day we had a detailed orientation from Vol Sol explaining our first week in Delhi, which would be in a volunteer school where we would be helping children from the slums to improve their English.

Travel to and from the volunteer school was by auto rickshaw, an experience in itself given the Delhi traffic. The children ranged between 4 and 14 years and were of mixed ability but so willing to learn and absorbed everything like sponges. It was hard work but so rewarding.

Saying goodbye to the children at the end of the week was really emotional but we left with many thank you cards, hugs and happy tears together with the thought that we may have played a tiny part in helping to improve the future for these gorgeous kids.

Rajiv, Parag and Dheeraj, were always around checking our safety and available for questions.

After an overnight coach journey we arrived in Palampur in the foot hills of the Himalayas and our new accommodation for the week was in a countryside volunteer house with magnificent views of the majestic mountains.

Again we had a full orientation from Dr Bobby who explained that we would be renovating two classrooms in a non government school for very poor children. It was hard work sanding down walls, plastering and then applying two coats of base paint before designing and completing the artwork for the walls.

It was so rewarding at the end of the week when we handed over the clean, bright and fun classrooms to the teachers who were so appreciative. The children were just adorable and there was plenty of time to play with them during the breaks. Again the Vol Sol team, Dr Bobby and Amit, were frequently around checking on our progress and making sure we were OK.

Our final week included a camping/trekking trip in the mountains, sightseeing In Dharamshala, Amritsar, Agra and Jaipur with everything expertly arranged and fully escorted by Parag of Vol Sol who really went out of his way to ensure we had the best time ever.

Would I do it again - absolutely, it is so much more fulfilling to actual take part in making change happen than just donating cash and you actually get to see where your money goes.

Would I choose Vol Sol again - absolutely, they are a very professional organisation who provide an excellent combination of volunteer projects and sightseeing ensuring you are safe at all times.

So, if you are thinking about volunteering and fancy India then I would definitely recommend Volunteering Solutions.

Thank you and happy travels.

I have recently returned from India where myself and a group of 7 other ladies (mainly over 5) took part in the Summer program. We generally all knew each other beforehand, having volunteered together the previous year. We had an amazing time in India and the ground staff at VolSol we’re excellent. They made us feel very welcome and safe the whole time, providing just the right mix of independence and security.

The transport between locations was perfecty organised. As westerners we found the food at the volunteer accommodation rather monotonous, consisting of rice, roti, dahl and a vegetable curry but there were opportunities to try different foods at lunch time in Delhi which was fun. The accommodation in Delhi was in a very safe, respectable area with a Market (shopping area) nearby with a few bars cafes including Starbucks) and some useful shops. Rooms were laid out with bunk beds and there were fans and air con, in a 3 bedroom apartment with 3 ensuite bathrooms. Comfortable and spacious but the bathrooms and kitchen could do with a really deep clean.

In Palampur, the accommodation was in a stunning location with views of the snow capped Himalayas and fields of golden wheat all around.
The volunteering work in both locations was well organised and a wonderful experience. I was based at the Balasarthy centre of eduction for street and slum children and loved it. The children were very bright and resourceful. They were keen to learn and were no fools! The older boys in particular needed much more than play - they were keen for a challenge and enjoyed competitive tasks. Space is very limited so activities generally needed to be things that they can do sitting in small groups on the floor. Take resources and ideas for lessons that are suitable for mixed ability, mixed ages groups. For the younger children, although boys and girls are taught together, it is more informal and you need resources that will help with learning English or improve health education. If you plan on giving gifts, take loads with you because if one has, they all have to be given something. The older girls loved the crop tops (trainer bras) that we took out. The second week in Palampur was taken up refurbishing 2 classrooms in a government school. The children and teachers were delightful and so appreciative of the work we did.
The final week was our holiday - busy with lots of travelling but wonderful sights and shopping and the chance to do paragliding! This was a truly amazing trip! Do it if you can, but go with an open mind and a generous heart.

My experience volunteering in Ghana was absolutely incredible. It exceeded all of my expectations greatly. It was my first time in Africa and first time volunteering in another country and I was not disappointed. I volunteered at Maltiti School for Girls, mainly in a class of ten year olds. The children were amazing and I became very close with them. I miss them so much. I taught all subjects to the children and it took me way out of my comfort zone. It was such an amazing experience. All of the teachers and students were very kind and welcoming. The students all sang a song to welcome me when I arrived the first day. Frederick Addai, the in country worker from Volunteer Solutions, was nothing but kind, generous, and supportive with anything I needed. Him and his wife provided me with breakfast and dinner each day, and I got to spend time with their two amazing children as well. The treated me like I was a part of the family, without hesitation. Frederick also organized a trip to Mole National Park for myself, another volunteer, and four girls from the school, which was an incredible experience. I would 100% return to Ghana and reccomend this program to others who are interested in volunteering. It was an eye opening and experience and changed me as a person in a good way. I will definitely return back to Ghana, as I met so many wonderful people while I was there who I will never forget.

I just returned from the medical internship project in Nepal this week and to sum it up, it was a beautiful and worthwhile experience filled with blissful and unforgettable moments. At 17, I was quite hesitated at first to do such a journey, but the support I got from my in-country supervisors and the quick replies of the operation office to all my inquiries were enough to make everything really easy. Nepal is a breath-taking country which I hope to visit again. The people are really friendly and the things you get to see and do there are one of a kind. Big thanks to my in-country supervisors and I hope I'll see you all again.

Traveling to Tanzania was a life changing experience. I have had few experiences in my life that have been as fulfilling as the volunteer work I did here, and I would not change a thing about my experience. The community is engaging and the citizens are friendly and outgoing. The area is filled with opportunities to immerse yourself in an unforgettable culture. I can confidently say that I made some lifelong friends during my stay. I highly recommend this trip to anyone and everyone!

It was nice and fantastic volunteering experience. I volunteered in hospital and the doctor staff there was gorgeous and very helpful . I had fun in india i've been in many beautiful places . I stayed 6 weeks in delhi and I didn't get bored because every day I try new thing . I hope if i can go back to india and do another volunteering. I really like the voulnteering after this experiencea and it made my self more stronger and confident about volunteering work.

The journey begins when you start thinking about it

When I began planning my trip to Morocco with my family and friends, I received a lot of confusing reactions: “You are crazy, what can you find in this country? Go to safer places, morocco is very dangerous” and These stereotypes made more scared each day closer to the departure date. My trip was becoming a nightmare: Am I going to be alone? Is someone going to murder me? Will I need a head-scarf? Are they going to respect me? Am I going to be sick?

But when I arrived in Morocco, the stereotypes were absolutely shattered. I had the opportunity to meet a Morocco man with his son in the plane and my coordinators Ali and Jihane and I quickly learned my first lesson of this trip: Don’t trust opinions from others that never have been in touch with the country you are visiting, because prejudice is the son of ignorance and racism.
At any place of the world, there are good and bad people, and certainly Morocco is no exception. But people in general are very friendly and inviting. I also found it as safe as my country. Different? Yes. Worse? Not in the slightest.

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist (Indira Ghandi).

Our coordinators demonstrated extreme professionalism. They were gracious in delivering advise, orientation, helping us in case of trouble, and keeping track of their and your responsibilities. They applied a very human touch with us, supporting us when morale was down, paying a lot of attention if everybody was fine in case we were not able to resolve issues, and truly enjoying our company.

I chose not to stay with an official family of the program, but people who were with Morocco families during the volunteering program were really satisfied with their experience with them. In my case, I was at the Riad (guest house) of MCAS and I strongly believe it was an amazing place to spend time with and meet incredible people from different parts of the world. I created some of my best memories from this place. Facilities and furnishings were in perfect condition. The Riad was spacious, light, new and peaceful. It was also a great opportunity to practice English and other international languages with other volunteers and improve your skills, particularly oral production and comprehension.

My only wish was that housing accommodations could be more fluid. When the large guest house (Riad) empties in slow travel periods, some of the magic of meeting new people or being with international friends is lost.

Apart from that, as a touristy person, Morocco was not the top of the list as much as London or Paris. But Morocco is the most beautiful country on the list. The best sights including the Sahara Desert, Chefchaouen village, Marrakech, Fez, Hassan II Tower. There are a lot of stunning and secret places to discover. They take a lot care when it comes to tourism and you feel like a royalty.

Finally, I strongly believe it has been enriching discover Islam religion. I had never imagined a religion as peaceful as this one. It is very respectful when it comes to be relations between people and also very tolerant with other cultures and religions. Now, I comprehend why this religion is the second most practised in the world.

To conclude, Morocco is an amazing country where all its treasures could be perfectly discovered if you have a very open mind, a wild and independent soul, and high capacity to adapt yourself and enjoy different ways to live. If your personality fixes with these characteristics, Morocco is going to be the best experience of your life.

I had an incredible experience with Volunteering Solutions in Cusco, Peru for two weeks. This was my first time traveling alone, and I felt completely secure throughout my trip. I was placed with a wonderful host family who made me feel so welcome. It was very easy to take the public bus to my volunteer work in a daycare center every morning. The children in the daycare center are extraordinary. They are so friendly and eager to learn. I always felt needed while I was there, and I left there every afternoon feeling fulfilled and joyful. There were many large public protests in Cusco while I was there, and the Peruvian coordinators of Volunteering Solutions made every effort to make sure the other volunteers and I were safe. The entire experience was unforgettable and a great way to practice my Spanish. I definitely want to volunteer with Volunteering Solutions in the future!