Truly the Most Affordable Program in Brazil from $400/2 weeks

Would highly recommend this. The people, culture, activities, and experiences will last a lifetime. I talk about them every day to this day. Felipe and his family are such amazing people. We participated in a capoeira class with a blind teacher who changed my life forever, played soccer with amazing children from the favelas to keep them away from drugs and violence, and of course enjoyed everything the beautiful country has to offer. don’t let the news fool you - Brazil is one of the most beautiful countries we have ever been to. Of course you need to be smart and safe but that applies everywhere you are in the world! The culture and people are one of a kind and so much fun.

The people at Iko Poran are really helpful as they stay with you every step of the way. They give you all of the info that you need so that everything goes smoothly. They also keep in close contact with you throughout the experience to make sure that you make the most out of your trip. Not sure how many groups they work with at a time, but they were still able to see us and check in on us everyday. The staff is also very friendly.

Iko Poran do an amazing job at putting you into contact with local communities and projects that need support. The work these projects do are extremely important in these communities and it was a privilege to be able to help with it. Everybody i worked with was very friendly and accommodating. I highly recommend others to pursue a volunteer project and believe it is just as beneficial to the individual as to the community you are working with.

I had a great time in Rio learning about the culture and building relationships with the people in the Engenho de Rainha community. I worked with talented, passionate and hardworking health professionals who were willing to help and answer questions at all times. I really enjoyed being immersed in the community and learning about all aspects of the healthcare system in Rio de Janeiro in particular including the many challenges. This was an unforgettable experience I would highly recommend.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone. It was fun, educational, and a new experience. We met so many people who love and care about others. The state of Rio was beautiful and we had a decent amount of free time to sight see. The program leaders were super friendly and they gave a lot of information on how to get around Rio. Overall, we made new friendships and dove into a new culture. This was by far one of the greatest experiences of my life.

I spent the month of October working with Iko Poran in Rio de Janeiro on projects teaching English, Art, and Dance. I met some wonderful people, some of whom will hopefully remain friends forever. It was good to make a difference, even for a short while, to the lives of people who in some cases have so little. But what they may lack in resources they make up for many times in their enthusiasm for learning. I was able to contribute on a number of programmes and I think the more adaptable you are, the more you will get out of the experience. Rio de Janeiro is an amazing place, not without its problems, and you do have to take care travelling around, however one of the best aspects of the experience for me was being able to live almost like a local, travelling miles on the rattling buses, eating very economically in “local” restaurants, really feeling a part of the community. You just would not get that coming as a tourist. A tourist will get to know places....a volunteer will get to know people!

In June of 2017, I was given the opportunity to teach English as a volunteer in an informal community outside of Rio de Janeiro. Unfamiliar with Portuguese and inexperienced in teaching, I was very nervous to enter this new environment in an attempt to make a difference in the students' lives. I was unsure if I could make any difference at all, given I did not speak Portuguese and had never taught English as a second language to others. However, my initial unsettledness proved to be wrong and misplaced. I left the program with my desire to teach reaffirmed, some new friends, and a very fulfilling experience. Despite the language barrier between me and the staff at the placement and some of the students, I was proud of being able to reach them and teach English, be it simply introducing themselves or having a complex political discussion. Most importantly, however, I forged relationships with some of my students who I know I will never forget and who I promised I will visit on my next trip to Brazil. I strongly recommend the trip to anyone who hopes to teach at some point in their lives and to anyone who wants to work with people in a meaningful way.

I was very happy with my time on the Sports Development Programme. My expectations of Rio were surpassed and I had an amazing time seeing the city, meeting people and doing my volunteer work. The coordinator, Felipe, was very helpful and it was a pleasure to stay with him and his family. The local people who helped with the programmes were really kind, patient and fun to work with.

I would advise future participants to try and learn as much Portuguese as possible before coming to Rio to give you a head start on being able to communicate with the locals. Don't assume that they may speak some English, because many of the locals don't and it will go a long way to show you have made the effort to learn their language. However, you will have lessons from a great teacher who is really patient and friendly. She will help you a lot with whatever level of Portuguese you are currently at and help you improve quickly. I learned a lot from her and really grateful for her time.

The best time to go to Rio to do volunteer work is during carnival. You will have to pay a little bit more, but it is defiantly worth it! The Blocos, parade and weather is amazing! You will have a great time partying and seeing the parade, while helping out with whatever project you choose to do.

My favourite memories are the smiles on people's faces when I bought football equipment and stationary with money raised by friends and work colleagues. I was able to raise £530 in two weeks and would highly recommend raising some money through a donation website, so you can go the extra mile with supporting the locals.

After retuning to London, I now take regular Portuguese classes and use online website to learn as much as possible for when I return - you will want to return... believe me!!!