To start off with I am a third year medical student who went into medicine to help out as much as I can and I have been wanting to volunteer for quite a long time. Finally I made my mind up and booked a two week medical program with IVHQ for Nepal. When we arrived we were made to feel so welcome already and this helped make us feel comfortable in a place so far away from home. After the two day orientation all the volunteers went on their seperate paths and I was placed for a few days in health camps in Kathmandu which was amazing to say the least. We were taken to a school and to a women's health centre where we took their vitals and this includes blood pressure monitoring, blood glucose monitoring, checking for any signs of ill health etc. This was not only a learning experience for me personally but it also hopefully helped some locals become more aware of certain common diseases that can be prevented. Then my second week was in Pokhara, in Gandaki hospital to be exact. I chose to be placed in the emergency department which was such an eye opening experience especially given that I have not yet had the emergency placement back home. The doctors were very helpful and the language barrier did not stop me from learning as I always managed to find a doctor or two who would explain what was happening. This week was made up of observation more than doing but this is to be expected given I am still a medical student and it would be dangerous for me to carry out procedures but this was still an amazing learning experience. When it comes to the organisation I cannot thank them enough. Transport was always waiting on us. They planned and took us to visit local sites and were always there when we needed something. This was an experience of a lifetime and I would recommend it to whoever asks me! Apart from the experience itself, Nepal is a must visit country so stop thinking about whether you should or shouldn't do it and just go for it before life gets in the way!

My time in Nepal was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about their culture and seeing it all for myself, there were so many things to do in our free time from paragliding to trekking. I had never travelled so far away on my own before, but I felt very safe and supported at all times. Above all working at my placement in Childcare was the most rewarding, I was made to feel very welcome and I had the opportunity to teach English and play games with the children. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone!

Our experience with IVHQ was an amazing one to say the least! Having never been to Nepal before we were expecting a very rough transition considering the culture shock. However, with the help of Samuel Headey and the team in Nepal we had no trouble whatsoever, with every question we had being immediately answered. From the sightseeing excursions and all the activities to accommodation and food, everything was simply better than what we were expecting. The medical elective proved to be more than we thought if not more. The health checks in Kathmandu were the highlight of our trip wherein we measured the blood pressure, saturation and glucose and temperature and performed a general examination on patients. Apart from the medical aspect, it was also a valuable experience getting to know different people and have them share their time with us. This was followed by the attachment in Pokhara where we shadowed doctors at the emergency department of Gandaki hospital. It took us a couple of days to get used to the chaotic environment that is the emergency room, but it was an incredible experience nonetheless. We got to see extremely interesting cases and followed them up from diagnosis to discharge until the end of our elective. To conclude I think we were pretty lucky that we stumbled upon this volunteering program; not only did we do out best to help, we also learned a great deal and we got to enjoy every single minute of our trip!

My experience working as a volunteer for IVHQ was a truly great one - one that I will never forget. It proved to be just as fun, authentic and rewarding as promised, and then some.

The organisation with regard to both the IVHQ team and their partner team, Vertical Ascent in Nepal, was brilliant. I feel the whole process was extremely thorough, and I had little to no trouble during the preparation process as it was all explained and covered in the online guide. The website itself is rich with resources and links to make sure you are prepared, wherever you go, and for whatever sector you are volunteering in. Upon application I was contacted by a member of staff and felt it easy to exchange and ask questions which was extremely helpful. The communication was also very quick.

My experience in-country as a volunteer was more than I could have asked for. The links were amazing. I always felt safe and appreciated. The orientation was so thoughtful and really broke me in to the city. I acclimatised quicker because of the care the local staff put into the orientation, and I feel this is something IVHQ press in all of their programmes. There was a great sense of camaraderie and a really good way to kick-start the volunteering. The volunteering itself was carefully considered; I felt listened to and was able to make a difference during my placement. IVHQ have great connections and seem to be expanding these connections, something I actually experienced when I was out volunteering, as I was able to extend my placement and be flexible, working at various places.

On the whole, my experience working with IVHQ was extremely worth it. I would love to volunteer with the organisation again in the future.

I just returned home from a 2 week trip to Kathmandu, Nepal volunteering with IVHQ in Childcare. The entire pre-process was so easy and the IVHQ staff answered all my questions along the way. The cost was completely reasonable and there were no hidden costs. The experience in Nepal was life changing. The orientation was comprehensive. I felt comfortable starting this new adventure. The home stay was comfortable and the family was kind and helpful. The staff in Nepal took care of every detail from ensuring my placement best fit my needs to organizing weekend adventures. I would highly recommend volunteering with IVHQ.

My two week trip to Nepal was absolutely incredible! Got to meet people from all around the world, gotten to teach kids English as part of my project, discovered main parts of the country and did many other activities with the volunteers. This trip had a really great impact on my life and taught me things. Although I found that I was kind of irrelevant in what I did based on my project because I didn't feel useful a lot but I definitely learnt things from them like their customs, kindness, traditions and the different beliefs/ideologies they had. I will definitely join IVHQ again in some other country and do it again!

IVHQ Nepal team has been really helpful the moment I arrived at the airport. I was well taken care of from one point to another, right from the beginning till the end of the program. During the orientation period, we had tours around famous spots in Kathmandu and a lovely cultural dinner at a local restaurant.

I joined the teaching program for students in Chitwan, Padampokhari. Although located far away from the town area, the village is a very peaceful place to live in. I grew up in a city, and staying in Chitwan for a week was quite a change of lifestyle for me. I learned to live in harmony with the living things that existed around me like spiders and frogs, and to be content with the basic comforts provided in our homestay. What I love about this place so much is that I felt so welcomed among the villagers, especially the children.

I was teaching English at one of the school and also helped out in the After-school program where I assisted some of the children with their homework in the evenings. I enjoyed teaching very much as I realized there is a lot of potential for the children to learn and improve if only they have enough guidance and materials to study. The students enjoy interactive lessons, so incorporating games and songs are really helpful. They can get very competitive too sometimes when deciding the winner of a game.

When we first arrived in Chitwan, there wasn't much to do as school is closed on a Saturday so my friend and I spent our time walking around the village and lots of resting. The next day, there was a heavy downpour and parts of the village was flooded so school was closed again. Electricity was cut off quite often too during rainy season so there was nothing much we can do in our first few days in the village. But after getting to know the children there, we had so much fun in playing games together and chatting with them. I really miss the children in Chitwan and would really look forward to returning again soon. Life in the village was so simple, yet it brings so much joy to me when I was there. The villagers were so welcoming and we often greet each other as we passed by their houses, little kids would come and say hello to us. It was a really beautiful experience for me and I learned so much from them in return.

Tips: July and August is the monsoon season, so if you are planning to visit during that time, be sure to bring waterproof jackets and shoes, flip-flops are useful too as they are easy to dry. There are lots of insects in the village area so insect repellent sprays/creams are really useful. Also, do bring along some books to read or things to do to fill your time at night or when it rains where you have to stay indoors.

There was honestly no bad part of volunteering in Nepal with IVHQ. From the support before the trip, to follow-up after, this organization truly makes sure you get the most out of your experience. They go above and beyond to make sure you're prepared before you fly in and especially during orientation (3 days). You get to meet the most incredible, diverse kinds of people from all over the world during those few days together and you find your close group of friends to keep in contact with during your whole stay so you never feel alone. The homestay family is amazing and so accommodating, and you're always with fellow volunteers there too.

I made some life-long friends from all over the world (Europe, South America, Asia, Australia) because we experienced such a unique, different culture together as strangers at first. We were bonded by the fact that we loved serving the people we were there for. I fell in love with the children I taught, and was able to teach in the school alongside one of my newly-made best friends there because we requested to teach together. IVHQ did such a great job of being flexible for us when we asked for that, and they accommodated my other friends' requests if they wanted to or had to (due to monsoon season & holidays) try construction/childcare/teaching at different locations. The coordinators in Nepal truly were so excited to teach us about their culture and help us come to love Nepal. Waking up to stunning views of the Himalayas did not hurt their efforts at all.

IVHQ is truly an honest, affordable organization that allows you to help people in need effectively. This was my first time traveling alone abroad (6 weeks) and it flew by without a hitch because of their help. And because of my own fundraising efforts, it was basically free. If you're unsure of traveling by yourself and want to try it for the first time, I would highly recommend IVHQ to help you dip your feet in. I know I will go through IVHQ again whenever I want to volunteer abroad alone. The wanderlust bug definitely bit, and I can't wait for my next solo travels.