Program Reviews

Travelling has always been a massive thing for me and after my travelling got cancelled due to corona virus i was searching the net for other options. I found GVI volunteering and had a look at the different places i could visit during the pandemic. Ghana was one of the only places open at the time and i was a bit hesitant but after looking at the videos online and reading more about it i decided to book for 6 weeks (March 2021-May2021). I can say hand on my heart this was the best decision I've ever made, i even extended to 10 weeks whilst i was out there. I was working on the educational program which was so eye opening and incredible. I felt so lucky i could work so closely with the community and i was able to make such a difference over the 10 weeks. At times i did find certain situations hard to deal with but everything i did has made me grow so much as a person. Matt who is the Program Manager would always check on us and was always available to chat to if we were ever struggling or needed advice. Our weekdays were full with teaching the children and doing extra activities with them such as creative arts, boxing, dance and much more. As i have dyslexia i could straight away spot the children who also suffers with the disability. I found in Ghana the teachers were every unaware of the struggles some children may have because of dyslexia. I was able to do a presentation to spread awareness and give them tips of teaching methods which could help some of the children with learning. The weekends were our to do as we please. We were able to visit many places such as Cape Coast, Volta Region, Ada Foah, Accra and Wli waterfalls. Ghana is such a beautiful place with wonderful people and i couldn't recommend going enough. I'd give my whole experience 10/10. I cant wait to return, hopefully next year!! I also want to say thank you to Naa who did most the cooking which was all delicious.

Absolutely loved this course!

You are introduced to the concepts of human-centred design, behavioural science, systems innovation, social entrepreneurship and impact investing through 5 manageable modules which feature engaging case studies, optional in-depth study options, additional resources and weekly discussions.

I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how social entrepreneurs and enterprises are driving social and environmental change and how they're finding innovative solutions to the world most pressing problems. You'll find the course content truly insightful and engaging.

I started this adventure to make a career switch because I'm passionate about wildlife and especially the big mammals. I wanted to switch careers between working with humans to working with animals. Beside some volunteerwork, I didn't have a lot of experience with the bush or the safari life. Spending my time at the Limpopo base has been absolutely wonderful for me. The programs focus isn't only on mammals, they got me interested in bird watching, trees, invertebraes and reptiles. At every occasion I now grab my binoculars to watch some amazing birds here! I feel like I learned so much and I'm very excited to share this knowledge to my friends and family back at home. Life at base feels like one big family. In just a short amount of time you get so close to everyone. Especially because everyone here is very passionate and like-minded. I would highly recommand this program for people searching a career in conservation, it is a first step in the right direction.

I did the GVI online wildlife internship program and it was so rewarding and educational! Not only was I provided with classes to learn from, but I was also given a project to create which is now going to be used by GVI and other students for further research purposes! They give you a project in your area so I was able to work with an animal that I had never previously heard of which was really cool. Knowing nothing to being an expert on a topic if very rewarding. If the online internship was this amazing, I can't wait until I can do an in-country internship!!

I spent 4 weeks in Kokrobite, Ghana, teaching and travelling, and it was the best 4 weeks of my life! GVIs commitment to sustainable development really stood out to me and the staff at the base are very welcoming and friendly. GVI staff were incredibly helpful pre-departure also! Volunteering in the school is challenging but also so fun. The children give you such a unique insight into Ghanaian culture and its hard to see how the experiences I had in that school can compare to anywhere else in the world! I would recommend this trip to anyone looking to make a meaningful impact as a volunteer and anyone looking for an adventure!

Living in the jungles of costa rica is simply put, amazing, the wildlife is awe-inspiring, the scenery gorgeous and up-lifting. Whilst the there are many wonders to behold, there are still drawbacks to be aware of, many will find the very rural living, insects and lack of comforts we find ourselves enjoying in normal life difficult to cope with while staying there. However if you are truly passionate about wildlife, nature and exploration you will find yourself adjusting to these discomforts and especially in the lack of connectivity to modern society rather refreshing

The course has really opened my eyes to how amazing the coral is! The biodiversity I get to see in a daily basis is mind boggling!
Experiencing it first hand with staff with such great knowledge about every aspect of the reef really helps appreciate and understand it!
All the staff and volunteers are so friendly and helpful!
The diving itself is simply breathtaking!
The location of base is beautiful, with a jungle on one side and the beach on the other side. Shops are about half an hour walk away.
All in all, I am so glad I am on this course, I love every part of it so much so I am planning on extending!

Going into GVI, I was uncertain about what career path I wanted to follow. I have always been somewhat drawn to working with the environment, but didn't have much experience. Their online Climate Crisis and Sustainability internships allowed me to partner with two unique South African organizations where I got to learn more about the South African school system and about how waste is processed or reused. I work a full time job, so it was nice to be able to space out my research for each internship over the course of several months and then have a little extra time to complete the courses. This program helped confirm that I wanted to continue working with the environment and sustainability, and I plan to go back to school for master in public health (MPH) in global environmental health in the fall of 2021.

I qualified in Environmental Science about 25 years ago. These well-put-together courses have given me insight into what is happening in this field currently while at same time empowering me to apply what I’ve learned practically in my social entrepreneurship work. As a wanderer grounded by Covid-19, these online courses have been a brilliant way to stay engaged with the world and motivated to plan for when the world opens to travel once again! There is depth and substance here. Highly recommend for your sustainable development journey.

My name is Mona, I'm from France. I was a 6 weeks volunteer in Jalova, Costa Rica in 2019.  It was my first experience as a volunteer and I had a really good time ! I learned so much about conservation and wildlife species 🐆🐢🕊 The staff members were very friendly, passionate, always around and happy to help.
The interns and volunteers were very nice and devoted.
The base was beautiful within the jungle and just next to the beach !
We did many incredible surveys walking along the beach at night and day, walking through the forest or even on boats !
I'm looking forward to my next trip with GVI and I definitely recommend to anyone 😊