Program Reviews

I had the most wonderful experience living and working with the Lepcha community in a remote village outside Kalingpong in the Himalayas. I would recommend it to anyone.

I made some of my best friends and had experiences I could never have had anywhere else. Being amerced into a community and living with a family is a very special way experience another culture. I loved the teaching and also getting involved in all elements of village life.

The 3 months I spent teaching in Bukomankola school in Kaliro, Uganda was as challenging as it was rewarding! AV are really helpful in all aspects; from the initial culture shock to teaching advice to solving all the little problems while you're in the village. I learnt so much from the experience and the travel opportunities are second to none- I changed my flights to stay 2 extra months as I didn't want to leave!

The time with the lepcha community was so special and memorable. It was so nice to get to know the children so well after spending a few months with them....we even put on a "cinderalla" style musical! They were so generous and welcoming even though we managed to embarrass ourselves attempting to make their versions of dumplings and dancing!! We were even given help and support with planning travelling around India after! Thank you so so much!!

In 2014 I had a life changing trip to Uganda for 3 months with 4 others. Becoming an AV was one of the best decisions i’ve made and still years on myself and others on my trip stay in touch. AV are such a communicative company who made the trip such less daunting for myself, who at the time was 17.

Uganda is an amazing and beautiful country with the most friendly people. I feel extremely privileged to have had the experience and I plan to go back in the future!

Even though it's been quite some time since I went on my adventure with AV (2008), the experience still has a big influence on me now. I really enjoyed every minute of it. We had the change to get to know a whole different world. We stayed in local families in small rural villages, who really became our family. We taught children English in a government school and in the Lepcha night school. And 'in exchange' they taught us precious Lepcha traditions and skills (dancing, language, archery, songs, cooking etc.). They also took us with them to special occasions (weddings and festivals).

In the time we got to travel, we saw how incredible and unforgettable the rest of India an Nepal are. We tasted all the delicious spices and flavors Inda has to offer, went to sacred places where we learned about the different cultures living in India and walked to great heights and views.

It was also a time and place where I really developed myself. The whole experience taught and gave me so much! What really helped me in being ready to go to college that next year!

And last but not least I made friends for live. Even though I don't live in England (like the rest of my group does) and I don't get to see them often, I know that whenever I will go to England, I will have friend there (and they will have me in The Netherlands).

The whole experience was live changing and I really recommend this project to everybody! Get to know the Lepchas and fall in love with the culture and people, like I did!

I couldn't be happier with my decision to spend 5 weeks in South Africa through AV in the summer of 2015. We lived with a wonderful local family and spent our days in the local primary school, helping out with English classes and extra curricular activities. AV were excellent throughout the entire process and provided great pre-trip advice, support whilst we were there and then were keen to take on our feedback once we had a landed back in the UK. You will also make friends for life!

I absolutely loved my time with AV on the teaching programme in Tanzania in 2010.
AV were really helpful beforehand with lots of fundraising ideas and information before I left for Tanzania and they answered all the questions my parents had too.
Our group was split between 4 schools around Arusha and Moshi. I lived with 3 other girls in a house in our school grounds, we had very sporadic water and no electricity but we quickly grew to love our new home. All the teachers at the school were really interested in us and the kids loved us, we taught classes of roughly 100 kids in pairs, which was mayhem to begin with but the kids loved it and by the end of the program we could really see their English improving. We also introduced a sports afternoon every week which they really loved as they didn't have the equipment for any activities usually.
The AV rep was always available over the phone if we ever needed her for any advice, she also visited us at the school to see how we were settling in and we always felt really safe there as everyone in the village knew us.
All of our group met up every weekend to do other activities round either of our towns. Our free travel was amazing, we chose to climb Kilimanjaro and go to Zanzibar during half term, we used Kilimanjaro to raise money for our school and had loads of new tables made (the old ones sometimes collapsed mid lesson with 5 kids perched on them!) and painted several classrooms to brighten things up.
After our teaching placement finished we all went to Uganda for white water rafting and then we went onto Kenya to travel and AV had organised the Masai Mara safari at the end of the time for us which was amazing.
I would really recommend AV, everything felt so organised and we always had help or advice whenever we needed it. The whole experience was incredible.
You will also make friends for life on this kind of placement, 3 of our school group still sponsor a little girl who was 3 years old at the time of our placement, a granddaughter of one of the teachers. We sponsor her to go to a private English speaking school so we still have close links with everyone at Ilkidinga and regular updates about life there.

I absolutely loved my gap year with av and cannot recommend it enough. My trip was life changing and i fell in love with the country, the culture and the people. I wish i could do it all over again! I made some of my best friends whilst in uganda, and i am planning to go back in a year to visit the school i taught in and the people i met out there. If youre looking to be completely immersed in a new and exciting country and also make a difference in the lives of the kids you teach this is for you!

My time in Kenya was amazing, I couldn't recommend it more. The school I was with was so welcoming and kind, and charles, who worked for AV, was unbelievably kind to us. I made friends with people in the village and had an amazing time. After a few weeks we became confident to go out and spend our evenings with the local people or go places with them at the weekend. I was invited to teachers houses for dinner and to visit them on weekends. AV did everything they possibly could have to make my experience so enjoyable and charles was always there when we needed him but never made it feel like he was just there to watch over us. All in all it was an amazing time and I would do it again in a heartbeat and recommend to anyone. So so much fun.

My son has just returned from 4 months in Kenya with AV. He has had an amazing time and loved every minute. He has fully involved himself in village life and made many friends and memories that will stay with him forever. The accomodation was basic but in a compound with a family who became friends as well as hosts.I never felt worried about safety as the people were very welcoming friendly and pleased to see them. They managed to cook together quite easily visiting the local market each day and also being invited to teachers and locals house to eat. The school he worked in were welcoming and supportive and by the end he was teaching almost a full time table ( and dont worry if they have no traching experience as they helped him in) The school were very grateful to have him there and part of the money he paid
To AV went towards new gates and a wal. Iin fact if you ask him his favourite part of the whole trip it was being in school every day. From start to finish I felt he was supported by the staff at AV without taking away any independence. Their staff member Charles who worked in Kenya became a friend to the group and organised a doctors visit when tonsillitis hit and helped the group sort their onward free travel( even inviting them to his family home in Mount Kenya ).
My main concern was the free travel month but Charles guided them as to where and where not to travel and they had an amazing time in Zanzibar Tanzania and on safari. I cannot recommend the whole experience highly enough and it was worth every penny we raised. AV have far exceeded my expectations and i would have no hesitation in using the company again. Thank you