Program Reviews

Given I had never traveled outside of the United States, traveling to Ghana proved to be a major culture shock in more ways than one. The heat was incredible, the people were unbelievable. Everyone there exuded a relaxed nature, and everyone on my team agrees that the Ghanaians exhibited a level of generous hospitality unmatched by anyone anywhere. Traveling as a student, I was uncertain as to what sort of cases we would be seeing, and what type of circumstances we would find ourselves facing. However, through the guidance of Edem and his family, that skepticism quickly fell away as we dove into learning about the culture, meeting the locals, and providing care and education to those who would not otherwise have had the chance to learn about health and their bodies. As a student, I felt empowered to then return the education I was receiving overseas to the beautiful people of Ghana. We encountered many obstacles, such as limited supplies, and spiritual traditions that greatly minimized our ability to apply the necessary care. We were all able to take home a different aspect of learning, teaching and culture by the end of the week. My only regret was that this trip was in fact so short in length. Should there be a next time, I would aim for at least two weeks. Between the hospitality of Edem and his family, the helpfulness of the ABV staff in the States, and my team, I don’t see why we wouldn’t return in the near future.

I quite enjoyed the experience I had in Tacloban at the Boy's Holding Centre. Day to day work involved teaching math and English and extra-curricular activities with the children. It was great and I believe I was able to provide some of what the children needed while I was there through individual or one-on-one work with the children. One of the difficult things was that there was no translator present, though when submersed in a culture you find ways to communicate verbally and non-verbally. It would however have been beneficial to have had someone present to help with the language, as it would have had more of an impact for the children. When I absolutely needed someone to translate I did ask staff. My highlights with the children were often playing basketball. They are little NBA stars.

Another highlight was the transition from not knowing the community and city I was in to being able to walk through the city confident in knowing where I was going and feeling safe while I did it.

Also if I was smart I would have packed some aloe vera gel to help with the sunburn I got (self-inflicted I might add), because you cannot find it anywhere there.

I totally experienced what it was like to be an outsider because of race, though the experience was not one of negativity. The people were always quite pleasant and often tried to speak English with me. I felt safe all the time and overall thought the whole experience has had beneficial life learning outcomes for me.

If you are thinking of going to volunteer I would say "You only live once!"

My first experience doing volunteer work has been extremely positive, fun and rewarding.

I worked at the 'Children's Center' in Cusco. This is a a care center for impoverished children, and provides a safe haven, education and food to over 100 kids! My activities included tutoring, teaching English, helping with assignments, pre-school type activities, playing with and supervising the kids during recess and generally just being run ragged by the active kids!! Many of these children craved attention, a hug, a lap to sit on, and a happy face to spend time with them. The kids were adorable and it was very fulfilling to give them the attention, care and affection they need and deserve.

I am very pleased and feel fortunate that I chose 'A Broader View' as my volunteer organisation. It has been a pleasure and delight working with this organisation during every step of the way:

- During the inquiry and planning phases of my trip all questions were answered very promptly (always within 24 hours). The 'A Broader View' volunteer programs, planning process and registration are very structured and professional.
- The 'A Broader View' staff are very knowledgeable and competent and can provide a wealth of information in order to help plan your volunteer trip.
- The local coordinator in Cusco is a warm, caring and extremely helpful person. She was very generous with her time and help in integrating me at the local site where I was volunteering. She gave me a full orientation tour of the city in order to help me get settled in. On my firt day at work, she accompanied me to the work site, showed how to get there by public transit and introduced me to the local staff that I would be working with.
- My host family was great. They were extremely welcoming and made me feel as if I were in my own home during my stay in Cusco. My accomodation (private room) was clean and comfortable. The Peruvian home-cooked meals (2 meals a day + breakfast) were delicious.

I would definitely recommend 'A Broader View' to anyone planning to volunteer abroad. A Broader View is very caring, committed and professional organisation which will accompany you every step of the way so that you will have a safe, enjoyable and fulfilling volunteer experience.

great experience working with young children in a disadvantaged population. Lots to share and learn.

Interesting bus ride along the beach regardless of incoming tide!

Difficult to deal tactfully with overt differences eg teachers threatening blows if child didn't eat lunch, or punishment for child biting child was for victim to inflict similar bite on perpetrator!

Good to be accepted into family.

I volunteered through A Broader View’s medical program after completing year three of four years of nursing school and was placed in a government run clinic in Alotenango. I highly recommend this opportunity to anyone who has a basic medical background and a proficient level of Spanish. A Broader View was very helpful in setting me up with the appropriate placement. The communication with staff was always quick and informative and the experience was well worth the price. My host family was very welcoming and caring. We were fed well and the house itself exceeded my expectations. I had my own room with a full sized bed and we even had wifi in the house. I developed great relationships with my host family and the health care staff at the clinic. I am still in contact with them and know that I want to return in the future. I was able to offer my skills and talents and in return received experiences and knowledge that I would not have been able to receive in the United States. Every day when I arrived, I looked forward to seeing the healthcare staff already beginning the day with the clinic filled with patients waiting to be seen. I love the staff because they are all so caring for their people. They could easily start their own private healthcare practices and earn much more money; however they are so compassionate and choose to work in public health. Once I developed a routine at the clinic, I usually began the morning completing the pre-consultations with another nurse, another volunteer, or by myself if we were short on staff. We usually had about thirty for the first half of the day. Often after finishing that task, I would be directed to whichever special clinic within the larger clinic needed some extra help. Sometimes it was to the vaccination clinic, the women’s clinic, the pharmacy, or to shadow the doctor. Through the variety of experiences, I was able to learn so much about healthcare in Guatemala and notice the differences and similarities with healthcare in the United States. The staff taught me how to do so many things so that by the end of my stay there they trusted me with running the clinics on my own. The nurses frequently went to various health education conferences and they were thankful to have me to fill in for them. This was something that I certainly did not expect, but felt honored that they trusted me with these important roles. Other times, I would go with several nurses into the village looking for the children who still needed to be vaccinated in order to meet the government’s quotas. As I spent more time there, the staff developed some additional roles for me. Because the pregnancy rate among girls and teenagers is so high, I would teach the girl who came into the clinic about issues related to reproduction and pregnancy prevention. The education regarding sexual health is lacking significantly so I was glad to be given the opportunity to discuss these issues with them. There is something really beautiful and significant about being able to share part of your life with different people--so much to teach and share with each other. I am so incredibly thankful for all of the people who made this opportunity available to me and those who were part of my experience in Guatemala. I recommend that anyone considering participating in this program do it. I loved every moment--it is life changing and certainly gave me a broader view of the world. Thank you ABV!

This was my 1st time trip out of my country. I truly loved volunteering in Costa Rica – it has the most natural beauty of any place I have ever been, and people dedication to conservation and eco-awareness are inspiring. I definitely want to see more of Costa Rica and other countries now.
The people in Costa Rica were so laid back. It was very nice to be surrounded by such appreciative and relaxed people.
The ABV staff did a great job in making sure that I was prepared for the trip, and making sure that I had the resources to make the most of my time in Costa Rica.

Overview:
After months of saving, planning, and dreaming, no words can describe what it was like to step off the plane and wrap my mind around having finally arrived in Tanzania. My two month stay in Arusha was an adventure, an emotional, cultural, and physical challenge, and a milestone in my development as a social worker and as a person. What brought me to Tanzania was a desire to do something adventurous with my summer that was related to social work. I also developed a small research project related to working with children with HIV/AIDS and was given a small grant from my university. This program gave me the opportunity to do funded research, travel throughout Tanzania, contribute to care of orphaned and vulnerable children, give HIV/AIDS awareness and stigma presentations at schools, and participate in case management with people throughout the community living with HIV/AIDS.

Choosing A Broader View:
I chose ABV for the helpful staff and the price. I found that many of the people staying at the volunteer house were from different programs and all paid more than the ABV volunteers and did not receive anymore services than we did.

Day-to-day:
A typical day for me was getting up around 6:30 to 7:00, grabbing breakfast (typically hot tea, bread with peanut butter or jam, and sometimes fruit) and heading to the orphanage or into town to meet for home visits. The trip to the orphanage takes awhile! It is probably 1.5 to two miles to the dala dala stop. Not many of the dala dalas run all the way to Mishono Corner so you have to listen closely for the right one and when one comes by do not be shy about getting on. It is not unusual for the dala dala (a twelve passenger van) to be packed with twenty people, a few of whom may have huge baskets full of vegetables and even some chickens. You would be surprised how you can maneuver your way in and fit in the tiniest of spaces. I once was packed in and standing in the aisle and had nowhere to hold on to. We hit a bump doing a pretty high speed and I fell across the laps of six people. The entire dala dala laughed and they kind of propped me up for the rest of the ride. It's an experience. Once you have arrived at Mishono Corner, it is about a mile walk to the orphanage. Towards the end, you walk up a steep little road lined with flowers and you have finally made it! By the time I got there the older children were at school and the younger ones were having porridge. After you have cleared away and helped with washing the dishes, they usually sing songs, do dances, and then it's your time to teach them the alphabet. I liked to teach them some English words and have them teach me some Kiswahili words. After lessons it's pretty free for you to decide what you want to do: play outside, color, do a group activity, jump rope, etc. My advice: have a plan! Without one it is chaos. The staff at St. Lucia is wonderful, but they are too busy washing clothes, tending to the crops, cooking, and cleaning to be right there with you. This means it is you against seven or more kids and you don't speak their language and they don't speak yours. The kids are great, but they're like any group of kids; they hit each other, they get jealous, they rip toys from each others' hands, and they do talk back (even in Kiswahili, you'll be able to tell when a kid is giving you a what-for). Having a plan to give them structured engagement will help you avoid a lot of conflict and frustration. Like all kids, they love to show off what they're good at. Find out what each is interested in and use this to make them feel special. Also, acknowledge and accept that you will be involved in the labor that maintains the orphanage. I washed windows, walls, dishes, picked up the yard, helped cook, washed clothes (laundry done by hand for an orphanage is not something I think I can prepare you for), and changed I don't know how many diapers. My advice is to have a good attitude, a strong work ethic, and to be flexible. I would also advise that if you have any special objectives that you want to accomplish that you communicate them clearly and frequently. Contact Winifreda, the executive director, beforehand, communicate your objective and your needs to the staff, and if you sense a miscommunication or oversight, clear it up right then and there. Do not hesitate to assert yourself courteously, but clearly. The St. Lucia staff wants you to have a great experience and they don't want there to be miscommunications anymore than you do, so don't be shy. Speak up.

I would usually leave around 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to make the long journey back to the volunteer house. Once back on the street where the volunteer house is you can hit the internet cafe on your way back, experiment with some of the food vendors, or buy any bottled water, snacks, or Airtel time for your cell phone at one of the local stalls. Back at the house the volunteers would usually journal, plan for the next day, and chat about how our days went. We ate around 6:00 or 7:00 (usually rice, stew, chapatis), read for awhile or went down to the local pub to watch soccer/football, and then called it a night. I slept in a room with two other girls and space is tight, so you will need to be organized with your packing and be able to store most of your things under your bed. A word to the wise, use a suitcase lock. With so many people under one roof it's better to be preventative than have to worry about being confrontational later.

Travel:
I went to Zanzibar and on safari while I was there and loved it. I especially would not miss safari if you can afford it. I think it was about $800 for four days and it was worth every penny. I went with two other volunteers. The more people you can get to go with you, the cheaper it will be. The safari food was very good, and camping with the other volunteers was a lot of fun. Afterwards, you can tell people you have showered in the Serengeti and have seen elephants walk through your camp site. I am not terribly outdoorsy and even I thought it was one of the most incredible adventures of my life. Zanzibar was a nice trip. You can get a really nice hotel room and split three ways it's very cheap. We stayed in Stone Town and it was gorgeous. Tons of stuff to do depending on your interests. Prison Island was a let down (it's just a resort with giant tortoises and it takes awhile to get there in a rickety little boat), but the spice plantation was really neat, and the dolphin tour was gorgeous (also rickety, leaky boat).

Advice:
Wet wipes are your friend. Bring lots.
Find a good balance between being open-minded and being clear about your needs and expectations.
Learn as much Kiswahili as you can. It isn't a must, but the locals really appreciate the effort and it will enhance your overall experience and reduce your cultural frustrations.
Read some articles about confronting your cultural biases and do some reflecting before you go and throughout your experience. Finally, ask yourself "why not?" rather than "why?"

I am so excited you are considering being a part of the volunteer work done with ABV. It is a wonderful adventure. Serving with A Broader View will transform your life. You will come home with expanded horizons. The overall success of your experience depends greatly on your attitude and perspective from the moment you fill out your application. Get ready to serve, love, learn, stretch and give your heart away. I guarantee the more that you give, even more you will receive. I encountered just that as I boarded the plane home. I wept uncontrollably. I felt as though I had left part of my family behind.

Words and even photos cannot begin to capture the experience I had at the orphanage in Belize. Somehow, it’s the attitude of the Belizean children and staff at the Orphanage that’s most amazing as you will encounter their genuine thankfulness, humility, and love. To me it is not just a home, it is a family. Honestly it was overwhelming at times to see the profound needs of the people in this tiny village but also amazing to see how Orphanage Home is responding to it. The fact that, even with limited funds, the orphanage staff can mend these precious victimized souls is incredible! The children, staff and people of this small village are some of the most kind and loving individuals I have ever met.

My experience began with a warm welcome from the director at the airport and ended a week later with a tearful goodbye!

I immediately felt very welcome, appreciated and safe. Although the days can be hot and the work is not always easy, it’s incredibly motivating to even be a small part of the orphanage effort that’s having such an impact on these young lives. I feel that the orphanage is my second home and am counting the days until my return.

Brenda Bodnar

During my volunteering in La Serena Chile, I lived with a nice familia. I was provided with my own small bedroom, which was very nice and cozy! I wasn't expecting to have much privacy, but I did. Also, the host family location was great made it very easy for me to go to the orphanage every day–only about a forty-minute walk, or 10 minute bike or 5 minute taxi.

This trip gave me the opportunity to find my calling in life, made stronger my core beliefs, and affect positive change in the world. But this trip wasn’t all about me–the seventy hours that I spent volunteering at the Orphanage made a change in the lives of others, too. I feel that my work, no matter how small, had the power to influence the Orphan children for the better! -

I spent three weeks in Cuzco with A Broader View from late June to mid July. I wish I had stayed longer, because it truly was an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. I taught English in a school a block away from my host family's home and every day felt extremely satisfied by the warm gratitude of both the kids and the teachers. In the evening, whether I stayed in with my host family or went out with the four other volunteers that I met to the Cuzco downtown (in which I actually felt remarkably safe- several times we walked the few miles from our houses to the discos), I always had a great time. I did a lot of research before going to Peru with A Broader View, and I can honestly say there is no experience that even comes close to the value of A Broader View in terms of cost and experience.