I participated in the Women’s Empowerment programme in Fort Kochi, Kerala, with IVHQ and had a truly wonderful experience. The IVHQ team were very quick to answer any questions and solve issues which came up before departure, which I found to be very reassuring. The local team were consistently available, approachable, and responsive, and their support made a real difference throughout my stay.

The accommodation was comfortable and well maintained. The bedrooms had bunk beds with en-suite bathrooms, and even with four people sharing, they felt spacious. The rooms were cleaned daily, and I found my bed to be very comfortable.

I also really enjoyed the meals. There was always plenty of food, with a great variety, and the quality was consistently excellent. There is no evening meal on Sundays which give volunteers the opportunity to try out the numerous restaurants in Fort Kochi – more taste experiences!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Fort Kochi and would happily recommend the programme to anyone considering it. If you’re unsure, I would definitely encourage you to just go for it. Fort Kochi is a very safe destination and particularly well suited to solo female travellers of all ages.

Absolutely recommend IVHQ for volunteer experiences.

I recently completed a medical program experience in Faridabad (Delhi) with IVHQ. I would absolutely use them again for any future volunteering I may do and certainly recommend them to anyone else thinking about trying volunteering.

The experience with IVHQ was excellent from the very beginning. Easy to use website. Clear information. Fair pricing. The preparation checklist left no room for errors and created a sense of confidence in the program and process before leaving home.

There was clear support before leaving, while away and follow up when arriving home. It makes you feel that IVHQ genuinely care about your experience which is a great thing.

We were well looked after in our home stay and had the best group during our stay. I’m 52, the eldest volunteer at the time was 77, the youngest 24, but we all had a common goal which is a great starting point.
If you are considering volunteering I’d say go for it! With a one week option in lots of programs you can’t go wrong. I absolutely loved my whole time away and have already started looking into my next trip.

I had a very enriching and meaningful experience participating in the Delhi program with IVQH. Although my stay was only one week, the impact it had on me was significant, and I truly wish I could have stayed longer.

The clinic and the community it serves are located in an area with a great deal of need, which made the experience even more impactful. I felt very fortunate to connect with other volunteers who were incredibly kind, supportive, and passionate about the work.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Delhi. The environment was welcoming and supportive, and the accommodations felt comfortable and home-like. The program overall was well organized, which made it easy to adapt and focus on learning and contributing.

I especially valued the time spent in the clinic working with patients. Despite the language barrier, there was strong support for communication, which allowed for meaningful interactions and even the opportunity to learn a few words in Hindi.
Overall, this has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had, and I hope to have the opportunity to return in the future.

I had an incredibly rewarding experience volunteering in childcare in Delhi, India. From the very beginning, the organisation was well-structured, supportive, and genuinely committed to making a positive impact on the local community.

The placement allowed me to work closely with children in a safe and nurturing environment, where I was involved in daily activities such as assisting with learning, playtime, and providing general care. It was both challenging and fulfilling, and it helped me develop important skills such as patience, adaptability, communication, and cultural awareness.

The house coordinators and caregivers were absolutely wonderful. They were kind, attentive, and always made me feel welcome and supported, creating a warm and comfortable home environment throughout my stay.

The local team and coordinators were always available to offer guidance, which made the overall experience even more meaningful. Being immersed in Indian culture, particularly in a city as vibrant and diverse as Delhi, was unforgettable and broadened my perspective both personally and professionally.

I would highly recommend this childcare volunteer programme to anyone looking to make a real difference while gaining valuable hands-on experience and cultural exposure.

People come to Kerala for a week of vacation, I had the fun of two month vacation for the cost of one week.

I was able to bring my California kindergarten experience across the globe, and the kids loved it as much as I did. The program staff had prepared for all the teaching aid, and volunteers were able to go to speed in within days.

Not having to cook, clean, laundry... for two months was a dream work set up. Weekends were free for local and nearby excursions.

Every other week there were new volunteers to hang out with people all around the world; we went out dining out often.

I'm so glad I made the decision to finally volunteer abroad. Choosing IVHQ made the process easy and safe. I'll be doing this again. Next time I'll be choosing a different country as there are many options with the program. I'd also like to do another program option such as marine life protection as well. There's many programs and durations to choose from no matter what youre looking to do. Rather you are young, retired, taking a gap year or just looking to travel with a cause, this program is definitely worth your time!

The medical volunteering project in New Delhi was truly an amazing experience. The local team and the IVHQ coordinator were very supportive.

The volunteering experience was very tiring, but fulfilling, considering the number of patients who visit the slum clinic each morning. Even as a medical student, I did lots of things there (basically everything). Just consider that the work you'll do there isn't like anything you're used to in your own country. For example, the physical examination is basically non-existent and the medications are prescribed based just on what the patient complains.

If you're thinking about doing this wonderful experience, just consider when to do it. From my personal experience, August is probably one of the worst months. The temperature is around 40° and the humidity level is usually 90% (which is even worse than it sounds). In addition, there are at least 3 monsoons per week, which means all the streets will be flooded with sewage water :)

I had an absolutely amazing time in India volunteering at a slum clinic, as a paediatric nurse, the local team were brilliant with lots of helpful and useful advice. The food at the home stay was delicious and nutritious and IVHQ were great support with answering all my questions and queries before I left, a great pre placement training module, insurance and arranging pick up from the airport. I knew I had support 24/7 and felt completely at ease the whole time I was away without any worries. I would absolutely 100% do another volunteering programme with IVHQ again and definitely go back to India again as I loved it!