Hosted by GVI

GVI, Ethical Impact: Construction Volunteering

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5.00 Rating

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Location

Multiple Locations +2

Fiji
Nepal

Length

1 to 12 weeks

Project Types

Community Development Building Projects Environmental Conservation

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Program Details

Timeframe

Year Round

Housing

Guesthouse Host Family

Groups

Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30)

Travel Type

Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals Transportation

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Nov 10, 2023

Last Reviewed: Dec 05, 2015

Wish List

14 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Contribute to the development and improvement of infrastructure within a developing community. This is an opportunity to gain hands-on skills in the construction and renovation of educational and rainwater harvesting facilities and more, while also supporting environmental education initiatives and health workshops.

GVI measures a project's impact against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), and ensures that ethical best practices are adhered to.

In your free time, watch the sunrise over Annapurna and Machapuchare mountains from one of Pokhara’s viewpoints, or explore one or more of Fiji’s 300 tropical islands.

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Video and Photos

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Program Highlights

Experience day-to-day life in a remote village in Fiji or the deep set valleys of Nepal, surrounded by Himalayan mountain ranges.
Learn how to travel and volunteer ethically in a way that creates a sustainable impact and supports the UN SDGs.
Meet people from other parts of the world and learn about different cultures and traditions.
Try various traditional cuisines.
Become a global citizen, with a better understanding of global conservation issues.

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Ready for an adventure that combines construction skills with community development in Fiji's coastal villages? You'll work on infrastructure projects like building classrooms and boosting sanitation facilities. Plus, you'll have the chance to immerse yourself in Fiji's stunning landscapes and vibrant culture.

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 3 reviews

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Impact 5
Support 5
Fun 4.7
Value 5
Safety 5

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

GVI Fiji is a fantastic organisation. The staff are really friendly and helpful, and you feel like they're one of you, as they get involved in all the activities and goings-on of the volunteers. The unique thing about this programme is that you are literally immersed in the culture of Silana, a rural, coastal Fijian village, as GVI's base is actually within the village. The villagers are all really welcoming and fully support what GVI are trying to achieve, and walking around the village it is very rare not to be invited into someone's house for Fijian tea, which always involves lots of sugar and cakes!
Whether it is the education or the construction programme (I had experience of both as my time over there coincided with the school holidays), the programmes are effective. It is such a rewarding programme and you really feel like you are making a difference to people's lives, and they show their gratitude for that in a big way. I would fully recommend this programme to anyone, go on, get yourself immersed in Fijian culture!

Response from GVI

Hey Luke, thanks for your wonderful review! I'm so glad to hear that you had such an amazing time and could see so easily the huge positive impact you're making whilst on base.

By GVI on July 28, 2021

If you look at my YouTube video link: 'Meet Silana Village' on my channel (1000Kazoos) you'll be able to watch a blog I made during the last few days of my 10 week trip to Fiji. I've been speaking to my fellow ex-volunteers on how they talk about their experience with the villagers of Silana and the answer is that they find it hard. There are no words that can really express what Fiji, what GVI, what my new Fijian family means to me or possibly encapsulate how life changing these experiences have been. There is nothing I want more than to make a return to my second home on the other side of the world. So if you want to change your life and meet the best people in the world, go to Silana Village and volunteer with the best kids in the world, or do construction that will forever change the lives of this amazing community. I won't attempt to use my words to tell you about Silana, I'll fail miserably, but if you want to catch a glimpse hopefully my video can offer you some insight. Happy travels!

What would you improve about this program?

This may have already changed, but some of the equipment I was asked to bring with me was very unnecessary and came at the expense of more useful items such as t-shirts that were village appropriate.. Hopefully their equipment list has been changed by now as we made this clear to the staff and they were very receptive to our ideas.

Response from GVI

Hey Abby, thanks for your review! I'm thrilled to hear you had such a positive experience with us and enjoyed your time on base as much as you did. We'd love to have you back on base sometime soon!

By GVI on July 28, 2021

I volunteered in South Africa in 2013 and Nepal in 2014.
Leaving home for the first time was terrifying, but GVI were very welcoming and looked after me from the word go, and I felt completely safe and happy the whole time I was there. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen and I defy anyone to go without falling in love with the Western Cape. The children at the school were beautiful as well - I still remember all their names and the way they called everybody 'Teacha'. Adorable.
Nepal was also amazing (the scenery! the food!) and it being my second time out volunteering it was definitely a lot easier and I felt more secure.

The long and the short of it is - volunteering is one of the single most rewarding things you can do and I am hanging in there until I can go out and do some more of it. GVI are an excellent company to begin your career in charitable work and the only mistake I made with them is not booking for long enough!

What would you improve about this program?

I went out as a construction volunteer as I am an engineering student - construction volunteers can currently only go out for up to 4 weeks at a time, and I feel that I could have contributed a lot more if I had the opportunity to go out for longer.

Response from GVI

Hey Emma, thanks for your review! I'm thrilled to hear you had such a positive experience with us and enjoyed your time on base as much as you did. We'd love to have you back on base sometime soon!

By GVI on July 28, 2021

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Rachel is a fun loving people person who loves adventure and challenges. Starting in the hospitality industry she gained valuable experience, but yearned for something with more meaning bringing her to GVI where she aims to grow and contribute to the change.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Camping on the white sand beaches of Watamu in Kenya with good friends. We were care-free, adventurous - hiking and fishing for small fish with the local kids. Most of the friends we made we had met at the location and they also spent the rest of the time with us.

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How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Only just starting with GVI I see myself over the next few months gaining valuable information. Since starting with the company, however, I can already feel the presence of teamwork and care for one's fellow employee.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

As what appears to be a popular program at GVI, I recall a story of a volunteer working on the Jaguar program in Costa Rica. They told how they knew it would be amazing, but came out of it feeling sad to leave and feeling like their perspective of the world had changed.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

There are two that I have specifically eyed, the first being in Costa Rica working closely with the Green Turtles and studying their natural habitat and nesting habits. The second program that caught my eye is working with monks in Laos. This experience could be an eye-opening experience exposing them to education and myself to a new culture and way of life.

What makes your company unique?

GVI is unique as they are clearly focused on the experience of each and every person who applies for a program. Each person gets the necessary amount of attention and more. The company shows that they are about making a change and providing an experience rather than making money or an image.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

TEAMWORK. The only way a company can grow and become stronger is by each individual working together towards the same goals. When one link is weak, it will show quite obviously.

About GVI

GVI is an award-winning organisation that tackles critical local and global issues through our travel-based volunteer, internship, fellowship and apprenticeship programs as well as online courses, and virtual programs. At GVI, we believe that long-lasting impact is locally-led, which is why our programs are run in partnership with local...