Program Reviews

I was more than excited to be with 7 Elements in Peru with my students and it did not disappoint. The overall process to get our program set up was easy to do. Crystal played a huge role in making the experience of setting up the program, very easy. Once in Peru, Ben and Ruth were the absolute best. They made my students comfortable, they made me feel comfortable and I never felt like something was going to go wrong. My students learned so much about the Peruvian culture, not only from a tourist stand point, we were deep in the amazon spending time and building relationships with the Yanesha people. I would do this over and over again, for sure. Our students have come home thinking about how they can continue to learn and support our new community!!

The Native Yanesha service project is an extremely expansive opportunity to experience a native culture, understand their current circumstances as well as learn about the entire region's current life and history. The trip is well balanced between actual work days and travel to the surrounding area's flora and fauna. As guests, we were extremely well cared for with transportation, lodging, and food. The educational programs complimented the work days providing background and current issues. The leader was extremely attentive to our person suggestions and made adjustments that suited the group. The project is part of a larger continuum of support for the community and it is very satisfying to be part of an ongoing project that is sustainable and has a long term commitment and relationship.

I have worked with several humanitarian organizations and none have been like 7 Elements. Instead of feeding the "White Savior" narrative, they introduce themselves into the communities, and work with them to fix their problems in the communities in a sustainable way rather than putting a band-aid to them. They are looking to get work done and can be demanding for some, but it's an experience like no other (including their awesome excursions!).
Their team (Cameron, Sara, Kate, Wilmer, etc) were fantastic. They were very attentive and flexible to our needs or any changes in our time there. The food was incredible and they made sure we were always hydrated! (key to surviving the Caribbean heat)
This was my first trip with them and see myself working with them in the future.

7 Elements offers students a new perspective on how to have a sustainable impact on the world and how to be a global citizen. They focus on education as well as service, which I believe sets them apart from many other organizations. The things that students learn on the trips are meaningful and inspiring. The trips are also a good mix of fun and work. Some of the work days can be physically demanding, but 7e does a good job of balancing this out with fun excursions like snorkeling and swimming at the beach. In addition, 7e's staff is extremely supportive and makes sure that each student is happy and comfortable. I have traveled with 7 Elements two times and each trip I have come home with a stronger passion for global development and an increasing need to share what they have taught me with others.

I attended 7 Element's Belize program through a college chapter of 7 Elements, and it was one of the best abroad experiences that I've had. From the get-go, 7e staff were very helpful with our flights and program planning, and we were able to tailor some of the night time global health/human security discussions towards our club's personal interest in sustainable agriculture, ecology, and understanding the historical context behind some of the country's socioeconomic disparities. We stayed in beautiful Hopkins, but were working primarily on sustainability projects and community needs assessments in two Maya communities in central Belize (Medina Bank & Indian Creek). We also spent a day working with the local school in Hopkins! We also fit in some days of fun, including visiting Xunantunich, going to a Garifuna cultural center, and going snorkeling to a secluded island. I have participated in two 7e programs, and I will be going back soon! Not only is this a great experience, but you have the opportunity to build on language skills, as well as build a resume geared toward a future carrier in multiple ecological and medical fields. The staff is so supportive - I can't wait to return!

I had an incredible time travelling to Belize with 7e! I helped to plan this trip through my university chapter and it was one of the best things I have ever done. My trip to Belize was unique as it was 7 Elements first ever Belize trip. I feel like because of this the work we got to do felt extra special; we were in charge of community diagnostics reporting, where we basically went door to door in rural communities and had meetings with local leaders to determine what the community needs and wants. We then were able to use this information to design the projects that 7e is now working on in these Mayan villages. In addition to this we also helped to construct a pavillion outside of a school in Hopkins so that local children has an area to study and play in the shade. Besides the meaningful work we did we also were able to explore ancient Mayan ruins (super cool!) and snorkel in the Belizean Barrier Reef, which to this day is one of the most beautiful and surreal experiences I have ever had. I love 7 Elements as an organization so much that I have stayed in close contact with them over the years, have had multiple internships with them, and have travelled to some of their other program countries around Central and South America! I 100% recommend this program to anyone who may be thinking about it.