GIVE Volunteers Reviews

This was my most recent trip with GIVE. Again, it was nothing short of amazing. Truly the people on this trip have impacted my life on ways I cannot describe. I had peers from every part of the world. I was a little worried before this trip, not knowing their language and if I'd be able to bond/communicate with the locals, but some of them are fluent in English, and we even had the opportunity to take Swahili lessons directly from our students (which was SO beneficial).

I actually had the fortunate opportunity of having the opening ceremony for Skuli Ya Kairo GIVE (which is the school we've been working on for over 4 years). It was pretty touching to see the community involvement and support throughout the process of this. Everyone gathered for the opening day ceremony, speeches and ribbon cutting. And to actually see how excited students were to be in a classroom for the first time, to pick up a book, to learn English, count numbers...I can't really put into words the satisfaction their smiles bring to someone like me. It really makes all the sweaty work days worth it.
I also participated in the Mount Kilimanjaro add-on. Definitely worth the money and the time. You climb and summit with THE MOST supportive team I've ever met (these porters are literally super heroes without capes). I really don't know if I could have done it with any other group or friends beside me. An experience of a lifetime and very, very glad I chose to spend the extra dollar to take part in this.

Thankful for the friends I've made on this trip, the relationships that came through it, and the memories I've created. Forever grateful.

I had always wanted to go to Thailand. This was a fantastic experience. The Land of Smiles is the perfect place to be and when I have the chance to go back, I will definitely be returning to this beautiful place.

We started out by visiting some of the hill-tribe villages, learning their handicrafts and some activities from the locals (like cooking authentic Thai meals). We had the opportunity to build bamboo rafts with the locals and then cruise down the Mae Taeng River through other villages. We spent a whole day with wild elephants, trekking through the jungles to find them, taking them to a river where we had the chance to bathe and feed a couple of them as well. It was a day and an experience that I will Never forget. We ended our journey zip-lining through the canopies of the jungle on our way back to Chiang Mai.
I made some friends on this 2 week adventure that I still speak to, to this day. Our project within each community (like the water tanks and community center) really opened my eyes and allowed me to appreciate the things I have at home. The trip impacted me on a personal level and forever altered my view on the way I live my life.

This was my first trip with GIVE as well as my first trip outside of the United States. At first, I was a little cautious about traveling by myself, but the minute I landed, met the other volunteers and guides, I felt at home. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly, I never got homesick. I will say, I was originally intrigued by this trip with the desire to sandboard down a volcano, but that was just a bonus from what I took away from the entire trip.

We had the chance to help out with their first project, the bottle school in Jiquilillo. I then traveled to Little Corn Island where I spent the next couple weeks with the SCUBA program. Although, I did not participate in scuba diving, I worked on a project with GIVE, portraying the collection of data from past groups, to visually represent the work the past GIVE volunteers have done. You could actually see the growth of the marine life around the corals and reefs. Truly gratifying to be a part of this organization. (Spoiler: it inspired me to go on another GIVE trip.) This trip really allowed me to step out of my comfort zone.

Traveling with GIVE has absolutely changed my life! Laos is an incredible, beautiful country that is rich with culture. The trip was well organized while still allowing for independence to make the experience your own.

While in Laos, we spent a few days exploring the quaint city of Luangprabang, participating in local ceremonies, learning about the history and culture of Laos, and becoming acquainted with the area.

From there, we traveled via long tail boat up the river to the small village of Sop Chem - a beautiful, welcoming community that quickly became family.

Our sustainable construction and education projects focused on asset-based community development, using the resources and skills of the locals & region to empower them to achieve their goals (and offering some extra hands to help). A truly impactful means of volunteering!

I can’t say enough great things about GIVE and their trips!!

This is an experience you will be able to tell your kids in 20 years. If you want to immerse yourself in a new culture, learn current event and become a conscious traveler GIVE is the organization for you. It’s been two years since I went on my trip to Laos and I’m still talking about it. The staff is great, kind, and well trained. You gain great experience teaching English and working along side local engineers on sustainable infrastructure projects. You get to work along side wild life conservation groups. For instance, in Laos we worked with free the bears a great organization that works with rescuing moon bears and providing them a safe sanctuary that mimics their ecosystems. You also get the opportunity to learn about UXOs dropped in Laos during the Vietnam war. Lastly you will get to go to the beautiful village of Sop Chem a place I consider my second home. The people are very welcoming and are eager to teacher you their culture as well as learn about yours. I recommend freshening up on your card games because the teens in Sop Chem don’t play around when it comes to games like slap and speed. I would also like to add the adventures are amazing but the connections you make abroad are going to be the best memories you have on this trip!

The GIVE Laos trip was one of the most special trips I've ever been on. I've volunteered with GIVE three times now and this was my absolute favorite. Little did I know I found my second home in a small village in the jungle, halfway across the world. The community members are so motivated, intelligent, inspiring, and hilarious! They were always the first to the worksite and ready to work on the project with us, as one big community. Working with the ladies during our adult English classes was an absolute highlight for me. I also appreciated the supplemental discussions and educational context that the guides provided for the country and culture. I learned things about my own country that I would have never known until I took a chance and traveled. This trip was organized, safe, fun, and inspiring!

Two years ago, I had never heard of the country Laos, and was completely ignorant to its existence, yet my experience there with GIVE Volunteers was overall amazing, and has had such a big impact on my life and how I view the world. While there, I came across both mental and physical challenges, but the wonderful locals, guides, and volunteers are some of the kindest people I have ever met. Being in the village of Sop Chem itself, we were immediately welcomed and assimilated into their lives; it wasn't long after we arrived when it began to feel like a home away from home. I cried plenty of ugly-tears when my time there came to an end, but I am constantly reminded of everything I learned and experienced, and I feel I now have a greater passion for people, the environment, and leaning and understanding other cultures. I don't know how long it will take, but I am sure I will go back one day.

Once in a lifetime experience! Zanzibar island is heaven. The locals in Cairo are so welcoming and were so happy to see us. We worked alongside them in a partnership to help build their school as well as teaching English to kids and adults alike!
In between the hard days of work, we did trips to local islands to see dolphins, go diving, monkey forests!
At the end of the trip, we went back to mainland Tanzania for a safari which was breathtaking. We saw the infamous tree-climbing lions, giraffes, and elephants!

I met incredible people from all over the world and we particularly got to know each other during our hike up Kilimanjaro. We were accompanied by fantastic guides who looked after us from top to bottom!