Program Reviews

My GIVE Tanzania + Zanzibar trip was a life changing experience to say the least. EVERY single GIVE guide, volunteer, and community member inspired me throughout the trip and made the experience unforgettable. I cannot recommend doing a GIVE trip enough... I cannot wait to embark on my next trip -- and continue to impact the communities GIVE works with. This trip genuinely changed my life and impacted me in ways I would have NEVERf expected. If you are on the fence, GO FOR IT. You will not regret a single thing.

Give Volunteers is an incredible organization that focuses on empowering local communities and creating global citizens. The trips are truly life-changing and fuel a passion in the volunteers who build deep connections. My trip to Costa Rica was amazing, I got to experience a beautiful country full of beautiful people who welcomed us into their community, and despite language barriers, got to experience connections that transcend the borders of countries. On my trip, we worked on farm work, planting trees at local schools, working with kids, supporting local businesses, workers, and organizations, and more. This trip has given me friendships that will last a lifetime and a fire to continue my journey as a global citizen and always give back! :)

Along with 25 other volunteers, I arrived on the island of Zanzibar, a part of the country of Tanzania, to immerse ourselves in the local culture and leave a positive impact within the community. We had the opportunity to learn the rich history of Kairo and the island of Zanzibar as a whole. Previously, Tanzania was split into two countries, Tanginika and Zanzibar. When their governments merged together, the country of Tanzania was formed. Life on the island looks a little different than on the mainland, but that doesn’t take away from the beauty of the land and it’s people.
The past two weeks have been full of hauling rubble (gravel), mixing cement, clearing brush, and teaching English and computer skills to the citizens of Kairo. As a group, our main goal was to finish the stage being built in the new testing center at the local elementary school, as well as clear ground for a new computer lab to be built (which future volunteers will continue to work on until it is completed!) The school can then use the stage for local events and make an income towards school fundings. The computer lab will be used for the GIVE tutoring program, since they currently use the elementary school’s computer room. Right now, my group is beginning our two-day water & land safari before we all fly home (U.S., Canada, & Australia!) and the second volunteer group of the summer is arriving on the island to take over where we left off!
The impact this opportunity has left on my life is immeasurable. Along the way, I got to learn some of the Swahili language (not spoken anywhere else in the world!!) and try so many local food dishes. Being able to experience first-hand the living conditions in Tanzania was life-changing, and seeing how genuinely happy the citizens are means so much more. This experience has proven that materialistic things cannot create happiness, but the people we surround ourselves with.
Speaking of the people, the citizens of Kairo are some of the kindest people I have ever gotten the pleasure of meeting. There was never a time when someone would pass you on the street without offering the greeting “Mambo!” (Hello!) with a smile on their faces. Each of our students were so eager to learn. They would show up to class early everyday and ASK for homework. It was so inspiring to watch them grow in their education and openness to our teaching.
The people I met along the way were just as inspiring. From my fellow volunteers to the local staff and guides, each one of them had the purest hearts and biggest aspirations. I’ll miss the daily laughs we shared and each unique personality of the local staff members who never failed to put a smile on my face. The relationships that I have built with them have been incredibly hard to leave behind, knowing there is a slim chance I will see any of them again.
I am incredibly thankful to GIVE Volunteers for offering me this incredible opportunity, the positive impact they are making all over the world is truly amazing, and I am so blessed to have been able to be a small part it. I highly recommend looking into their efforts of leaving our home better than before, there are so many ways to participate.

I think when I committed to going on my trip, I thought it would just be a really fun experience mixed with volunteerism. I did not expect the relationships built, the empowerment of locals and ourselves, and being pushed sooo far out of my comfort zone. For these, I am so grateful. I’ve made lifelong friends, I know to push myself 3 steps farther than I used to, and I have plans already to do another Give trip. The memories, adventure, love, and knowledge were worth every penny and I have no regrets.

GIVE's Laos program is an incredible opportunity for true cultural immersion across two weeks of intricately planned days and activities. I signed up for the trip because of the teaching English aspect and it was so much more! The eight days in Sop Chem were my favorite part of the trip because we were able to personally connect with the locals by learning about their daily lives and being taught how to weave, fish, make rice wine and more. The culmination of the trip in the Basi ceremony is an amazing opportunity to reconnect with everyone you've met in the village and recognize what an impact you can make, and others can make on you in such a short period of time. After this trip, I want to do more research on how to be a better global citizen and sign up for as many more GIVE trips as possible! I'm especially grateful for Aiy'Touy, Aiy'Good, Aiy'Dave, Haylie, and Javi for being excellent guides who support and challenge throughout the trip.

GIVE's Thailand Scuba Program was incredible beyond my expectations! Outside of the certification, the knowledge I gained about coral, sharks, and mangroves was great and I loved that they had experts on each subject tell us about them. Additionally, we were able to connect with students from a school, visit and do activities in Kho Klang, and do a cooking class which allowed us to be culturally immersed and learn some more Thai. The scuba part itself was such a great experience because of our instructors at Fast Manta and the crew on the boat with us each day. I was able to see a cuttlefish, lionfish, sea turtle, and more, all while feeling comfortable and confident in the scuba diving skills I was taught! Thank you especially to Seth, Hannah, and P'Nice for being amazing guides each and every day! I'm looking forward to signing up for another GIVE trip for next summer!!

Volunteering in Thailand was absolutely incredible and inspired me to continue being a proactive global citizen. Before getting to Thailand, I didn't know much about the country. Throughout this trip, it was amazing to learn about the culture, history, food, and people of Thailand. I was also able to gain important insight into the field of permaculture and how important it is to sustainably and ethically care for the lands we live on. I found myself in Thailand, and I am constantly inspired by the local guides who continue to better the lives of the people around them every day. Thanks to GIVE I now have incredible individuals who I can welcome into my second family.

Volunteering in Laos was absolutely incredible and inspired me to continue being a proactive global citizen. Before getting to Laos, I knew nothing about the country. Throughout this trip, it was amazing to learn about the culture, history, food, and people of Laos. I was also able to gain important insight into the field of permaculture and how important it is to sustainably and ethically care for the lands we live on. I found my purpose in Laos, which is educating children, something that I never would have imagined myself saying three years ago. I am constantly inspired by the local guides who continue to better the lives of the people around them every day and the resilient families who were so welcoming and truly made us feel like family.

I‘m gonna be honest, when I first learned about GIVE I was skeptical about it, thinking it was a scam. However, what sold me was the in person meetings with the GIVE staff. They settled my nerves and convinced me to go. In terms of the trip itself, it far exceeded my expectations. The local guides were SO amazing, they provided knowledge about the culture like no other. They were super fun, made relationships with everyone, and enhanced the trip so much. It was an experience that you can’t get anywhere else. All the staff cared for us and made sure we were all okay, no matter what we were doing. I made amazing life-long friendships with my fellow volunteers and the locals. I would definitely do it again. Thank you GIVE volunteers 😊

I had the most life changing experience. From the guides, to the other volunteers, to the people in the village, I was fortunate enough to make the most meaningful memories to last a lifetime. I was able to not only learn so much about myself, but also about the history of Laos which was reinforced during discussions every few days. These discussions were actual one of my favorite parts of the trip because it really allowed me to put myself in the shoes of the people who lived their and fully immerse myself in their culture in a respectful way. From this trip, I was able to take home lifelong bonds with these amazing people who have inspired me everyday to become a better version of myself and motivated me to inspire others to be global citizens. I have also taken home what I have learned about other cultures to be able to be more well rounded in helping people around the world in my professional career and well as the practices such as meditation, yoga, journaling, and other forms of being in the present to help me stay true to myself and in tune with my body. This trip allowed me to discover confidence in myself to achieve my goals in the future in all aspects of my life to be courageous enough to fight back when society tries to tell me that “this is all for nothing” and to be strong enough to stand up for what I believe to be the truth is to make the world a better place because I know that my voice on my own is enough to spark change in global citizens. I took home newfound knowledge of UXO’s and the bias of the Vietnam war and to keep an open mind when learning to stay away from bias and find the truth in the situation. and lastly, I have taken home what I learned on how to be more self reliant and sustainable and find ways to incorporate it into my everyday life and educate others so they can do the same. I have recommended this trip to everyone who has asked about it and am endlessly grateful to have had the opportunity to visit this beautiful country.