Program Reviews

From the moment I stepped foot in Luang Prabang all the way to when I landed on the beach to Sop Chem, Laos had stolen my heart. Never before have I felt so connected to a community the way I felt in Sop Chem. GIVE takes you on an absolutely fantastic journey deep into the jungle where you can discover so much about yourself, your teammates and the world as a whole. I cannot even begin to express how amazing our guides were, both local and GIVE staff. Would highly recommend for all!
Khob Jai Lai Lai

If you’re thinking of traveling the world Laos is a beautiful country to start with and Give is an amazing organization to go with. Every one I encountered in Sop Chem was so kind to us and to each other and they accepted us into their village right away. It was so amazing forming bonds with some of the villagers that I will never forget wether it be through the classroom, the perm plot, or just hanging out in the hammocks. There are so many amazing things to see and explore about the country and yourself.

This trip was the most amazing trip I’ve ever been on. This is the third time I’ve volunteered with GIVE and Laos was my definitely my favorite. The heart of the trip takes place in the beautiful community of Sop Chem where you work on sustainable projects such as permaculture, help teach English to the locals, work with the local ladies, and so much more. If you are thinking about going on this trip - Go! It’ll be the adventure of the lifetime and you’ll make some lifelong friendships along the way!

I did not expect to love this trip as much as I did, I went into it not knowing anyone and ended up forming beautiful bonds and relationships with my fellow givers. The hike to Everest Base Camp was nothing like I've ever done and it was challenging but worth it. I cannot recommend traveling with give enough because they are wonderful to work with and they opened my eyes to how I can make an impact with my travels. The group I went with are still very near and dear to my heart, we laughed and cried together when it got tough, but I made it through the trip and came out a much better person than I was before. I cannot thank the wonderful staff we had assisting us enough because it was them that made it so wonderful.

My trip to Zanzibar was the most incredible thing I have ever done. I loved every aspect of my work in Zanzibar - construction, teaching, relaxing on the beach, making dinner with locals, painting, learning Swahili. Every single thing we did on Zanzibar created a profound impact on me and my heart. There is a magic to Zanzibar that I have trouble explaining - all I can say is that you need to experience it for yourself. I am forever grateful for GIVE and this trip, and I am forever changed by my experience.

This trip was one of the best two weeks that I have experienced. It completely blew away my expectations, between the people, the food, and the culture. Everything we did on this trip and were apart of in some way helped the local community. Our group helped in spreading our wealth & resources by visiting many different villages and getting the opportunity to learn about the different cultures and the things that they spend their time on (basket weaving, weaving clothes, etc.), while feeling totally apart of their community. As individuals, we learned the importance of voting with your dollar and supported many local villages around Chiang Mai. In our volunteer work, we were able to work in the schools in Muang Khong and teach the kids English, which was just as impactful on me as it was on them. Working on the permaculture sites also opened my eyes to how hard working and driven everyone is to be as self- sustainable as possible, and being so passionate about everything that they do, no matter how difficult it may be. We were also able to trek for elephants and hang out with them, while learning about responsible elephant tourism and the importance of it. This trip was a very positive experience and changed my outlook of what it means to me to be a global citizen.

To be honest this trip exceeded my expectations. GIVE did a fantastic job of keeping us busy with impactful projects and giving us a chance to really see how we were improving and helping the village of Kairo. I enjoyed all of the education, construction, and permaculture projects we worked on, with the permaculture projects being my favorite! All of our guides were awesome and made the trip that much better! The local people were so loving and accepting of us and just seemed very happy. This trip was life changing and the relationships I made with other people on the trip will last a lifetime!

This trip was truly an adventure of a lifetime! The guides were fun, informative, caring, and did their absolute best at making sure everyone was having a fun and fulfilling experience. The views and adventures were amazing! Caving and rafting down the river were a couple of my favorite experiences. Getting to interact with the locals, learn skills from them, and experience their culture first-hand is a very special aspect of this trip. Hearing a school teacher talk about his appreciation for GIVE's work in his community is something that really impacted me and I will remember forever. Being able to support such amazing communities in Northern Thailand was such a fulfilling and humbling experience that I would recommend to anyone!

The island of Zanzibar and the village Kairo are such incredible experiences. Not once at any point did I ever feel unsafe, unhappy, or unsatisfied with my experience during this trip. The people you meet along the way are AMAZING, I have truly never felt more welcomed into someone else’s community. This trip meant so much to me, and it will definitely stay in my heart forever! The guides the at were with us on the trip were so knowledgeable about the area, the people, the culture, and more. You should definitely consider going on this trip, it will change your life!!

Volunteering in a small village in Nepal was incredibly humbling. Working alongside some of the most motivated, inspiring people I have ever met in one of the most beautiful places in the world is an experience I’ll never forget. It’s incredible to say that I have Nepali friends and to know that I am a friend to some of them. Aside from the locals, I had the opportunity to meet and work with the most likeminded people I’ve ever encountered, despite surface level differences. The special thing about GIVE is the people it attracts. There’s a certain something deep inside of people that motivates them to take a leap like this, and it’s this particular something that is now at the root of some of my closest friendships. I am so thankful for the opportunities that have arisen since the first big leap and cannot wait for the next!