All Hands Volunteers is an amazing organization, who genuinely keeps in mind what is best for the communities they are impacting. It has been incredible to work alongside them, and feel that what we're doing here is important. All the staff and other volunteers are wonderful and friendly, and you feel a part of once you arrive. It is an experience like no other, and I recommend it to anybody. You will have the time of your life!

I spent over 5 months in Nepal with All Hands, and I can say that it was one of the best experiences. It was my 5th time volunteering with All Hands Volunteers, and as always the organization exceeded my expectations. The volunteers work their butts off, and the staff work hours and hours into the night to ensure that everything runs smoothly. You arrive onto base and you immediately feel at home, and as if you're with family. The work you do is meaningful, and the communities truly need it.

I recommend everybody to volunteer at least once with AHV, to live in not perfect living situations, to come home exhausted every night, and know that what you've done has made a difference.

Volunteering with All Hands was a great experience. No prior skills/experience is needed and you get food and accommodation in exchange for your work. No fees. Atomosphere around the base and work site was always fun and everyone worked very hard as you can see the difference it makes to the community, the work that All Hands does. Work on site varies from day to day and if there are any small issues, staff are always very helpful. All hands interact well with the local people (also hiring locals on staff) which helps so much to he project, and also improves the experience for the volunteers

I have had a very difficult time tying to put the right words to adequately describe my experience in Nepal with All Hands. I have come to the conclusion that there are not enough superlatives to describe how amazing this experience was for me. I will do my best to share this most awesome experience.
Firstly, the people of Nepal are the kindest most resilient group of people I have ever encountered. Their lives were turned upside down by those devastating earthquakes yet they greet you with the warmest of smiles and greetings. To be able to help these beautiful people was an absolute honor that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
All Hands is an amazing organization because it hired the best staff I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I have worked for some amazing organizations so it speaks volumes to say that the staff in Nepal are best. More importantly, they bring in the best volunteers from all corners of the world. The relationships that I formed with the people I served with in my short six week timeframe have become some of the most important relationships in my life. I am still amazed that I fell so completely in love with so many people in such a short span. When you serve with All Hands you become this big beautiful family. Most of the people I served with are my daughters ages. I love them as if they are mine and they reciprocated that love back to me in the most beautiful and loving manner. Going to Nepal and working with All Hands to rebuild hope has changed my life. I am a better person because of the people I served and the people I served with. I am eternally grateful for this experience and for every staff and volunteer I had great honor of working with.

I came to South Carolina a little nervous and anxious. I am in my mid-70s and older than almost everybody who's picture I've seen on Facebook. I was delighted that the people on projects were warm welcoming and just a lot of fun. The work was was hard but everybody was supportive and wworked with enthusiasm to muck and gut. The camaraderie among the folks was the closest thing I've seen in the disaster relief operations that I have been on with other organizations. I was so impressed I went back a second time. I expect to keep volunteering with all hands. Next stop Ecuador

To simplify my experience and adventure is to say, honestly, that All Hands Volunteers has changed my life.
I stayed for one month in Kathmandu after the April 25th, 2015 earthquake. The days were passed filling dirt into wheelbarrows and creating a space for families to rebuild their homes. I was constantly surrounded by the most unique and beautiful individuals taking time out of their lives and allowing themselves to become caked in layers of mud for a common goal.
When I came back to the US, I was asked to volunteer in South Carolina after a massive one thousand year flood event. Again I joined the base and stayed for another month.
Later, the recovery work began in South Carolina and again I was able to return and even work with the same homeowners as during response. I was amazed to watch the transformation in the houses we tore apart during response to the recovery phase of rebuilding.
A wonderful organization to be apart of!

I started my volunteer experience with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. Through AmeriCorps, I discovered All Hands Volunteers in Project Detroit Flood Rebuild. All Hands Volunteers (AHV) completely blew my mind in regards to an incredibly high-caliber work ethic, multi-talented team leaders, site supervisors, organized and intelligent staff...especially for a non-profit. So I decided to leave AmeriCorps to join AHV. My goal with AHV was to become a rebuild site supervisor. Within 3 months I was trained how to dry wall, mud and tape, how to install chair rails, baseboards, how to frame, the safety of mucking and gutting basements ridden with dangerous molds and debris, and much much more. I was taught so well that I became a rebuild team leader with zero knowledge of any of this type of work before I joined AHV.

Shortly after this Michael Hecker, an AHV mentor came to Detroit explaining a new program called the Global Service Fellowship (GSF) within AHV that "offers emerging leader a transformative experience in the US and abroad rebuilding communities impacted by natural disasters, empowering volunteers to serve and challenging themselves to become innovators in the non-profit sector all the while enhancing AHVs capacity to achieve its vision. GSF Fellows work as understudies in three key work areas: Volunteer Coordination, Program Management, and Field Coordination."

I was recommended by the Project Director, Reuben Grandon at the time to apply for this position and sure enough I was accepted into the GSF. After a two week orientation learning about what the fellows would be a part of, we were sent out to our projects. I was sent to Melamchi, Nepal along with another Fellow. I have learned a great deal about how AHV is run in another country in regards to the staff positions and work that the volunteers were doing. Through the Fellowship in Nepal, I have been able to learn a great deal of the Nepali language, cover different staff positions whenever needed, attended the Hackathon led by effect.org where employees from Google, AHV, and Nepal Rises put their heads together to create technological solutions to issues that NGOs are having (My idea actually won the entire Hackathon), I have also been able to build my resume tremendously, network with amazing people, and build overall life skills in ways I could never have learned otherwise.

Be prepared to be tired and dirty in exchange for the best experience of your life.

As a volunteer with All Hands Volunteers in Nepal you could be demolishing damaged schools to make them safe, working with volunteers from around the world to remove rubble from a family's home, or in a team with local skilled staff to build homes and schools. Whatever you do, you'll be part of an incredible group of people helping Nepal recover from the earthquake.

You'll work side by side with local families affected by the earthquake, you'll learn a new language, gain skills you never thought you could have, and maybe even get a blessing! After a hard day's work you'll come back to base and share stories with people of all ages from all over the world.

Volunteering your time and hard work here is life changing. You can really make a difference to people who have been hit hard by a disaster.