The week I spent in Sri Lanka was surely not enough, the only regret I have is not staying longer. From mountains to beaches Sri Lanka is the perfect country to satisfy any adventurous soul. Traveling with IVHQ made my trip more enjoyable, I was well prepared, the staff helped us familiars with our new environment and local culture, they were always available for any inquiries and made sure we were comfortable throughout the trip. The accommodation was decent, clean and well equipped and the other volunteers I met were all amazing. At the childcare program, I got the chance to help and assist kids in a pre-school, it was fun and satisfying as nothing is more rewarding than the smile on their faces at the end of the day.
Looking forward to my next adventure!

I did three weeks in Kandy, Sri Lanka which was such an amazing first experience of volunteering abroad. Both the local team that looks after you once you arrive in Sri Lanka and the IVHQ team are so incredibly helpful, reply to emails very fast and are very supportive. The IVHQ team was really accomodating with me changing around my program dates to start earlier and were helpful in preparing to go to Sri Lanka as well. Whilst in country the IVHQ coordinator stayed in touch with me to make sure everything was going well, and also checked in on me once I got home. The local NGO that you volunteer with in Sri Lanka is so warm and helpful, they truly go above and beyond to make sure you're comfortable and having a good experience. Once you arrive in country you learn more about the local NGO, they have so many projects available - more than those explained on the IVHQ website, for example there are several different types of teaching projects on offer. The volunteer accomodation is also very nice and has a really nice shady backyard which opens onto the Mahweli river (the longest river in Sri Lanka) .

I think the program was good value for money, the accommodation was basic but clean and there were fans in all the rooms. The food was good and the cooks were always very keen to hear feedback to cater specifically to us. The co-ordinators were lovely and very accommodating, and it was very easy to swap between programs- which isn't something I've found with other programs I've been on. I volunteered on the temple renovation project and enjoyed getting to see some of the local temples and preschools. Everywhere we went the local people were very friendly and fed us lots! Kandy is a really nice town too- very busy and full of nice cafes. The orientation week was also a nice bonus and gave us an insight into the local area/country, it also helped us all get to know one another and find our way around. I would definitely recommend IVHQ

I signed up for a 2-week project with IVHQ doing rural community development work in Sri Lanka.

It was truly a rewarding experience where I got to:
1) learn about the local culture (via the comprehensive orientation week) and
2) give back to the local community (via volunteering at the local pre-school)

From the get go, the volunteers were treated very well. Transportation was arranged accordingly to get me to Kandy from Colombo Airport. Accommodation and meals were provided and a Project Liaison Officer was assigned to each volunteer to ensure our utmost safety.

Depending on the duration of your volunteer, you may find yourself wanting to achieve more but unable to due to limited time. And this may cause you to feel dissatisfied. My urge to volunteers is to ensure you go through the programme guide thoroughly and to take the recommended online courses as it will help you better manage your expectations to avoid any dissatisfaction or disappointments.

Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to IVHQ, Green Lion & the people of Sri Lanka for making my experience such a rewarding one!

I loved it so much. If you want some friends for life and make a difference, go here. I ended up getting a few new best friends (volunteers ánd coordinators) while doing my projects. They gave the option to do more then one project once you arrive so I did the thing I wanted to do anyway, which was temple renovation, and taught some village kids some english. The teaching was quite a challenge since you have to prepare your own lessons, but it was fun as well.

Through volunteering with IVHQ, I was able to understand Sri Lanka as a country, rather than just a tourist attraction. From playing volleyball with locals, to leading a class of English to young monks; these were experiences I would never have come across as a traditional tourist. Travelling in general helps a person change their outlook on life but volunteering while travelling does so much more. More than just gaining new experiences for yourself, the impact you have on the locals through sharing knowledge and goodwill really does come through and the love they give back is what volunteering is all about. Beyond the project itself, the friendly and like-minded volunteers I came across made the whole experience worthwhile. After arriving in Sri Lanka on my own, I left having made friends with some of the nicest people around from all over the world. It’s amazing how far a little kindness and love can go, because after all everyone smiles in the same language :)

The volunteer experience in Sir Lanka is really a precious treasure in life. The program i attend is called "Teaching", including different forms. What I have tried is Special Needs, we came to a place which is similar to church, managed by nun. we offered the help to these disabled children and adults, including teaching and nursing. every morning, all volunteers will stay together to pray, we learned the sentences from Bible with the background of soft music, it is really amazing. We have learned a lot, such as the right attitude towards our own life and these people who in trouble. I have attended the 'hope' and 'peace' group and I really gain a lot of meaningful things. These people rely on me and I am so pleasured to be with them. Also, all volunteers here are good, we worked like a group. help each other. i am so appreciate to have a such a wonderful volunteer opportunity.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect as I was stepping off the airplane Sri Lanka. I had done a lot of research as it was my first time traveling alone and I am really happy that I choose to go via IVHQ. From the airport pickup to my taxi ride back to the airport three weeks later I feel like I was constantly supported by the local staff. Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful, always willing to answer any questions I had.

There were a number of projects available in Sri Lanka, but I chose to spend my three weeks in Dambulla and loved every second. Despite feeling very nervous at first, the project coordinators helped me feel very comfortable and at home. The accommodation was very clean, the food was delicious, and the coordinators were some of the nicest people I’ve met. Auntie (who prepared our food) was also very sweet, she was always willing to teach us how to cook and plant. We were also able to partake in yoga lessons every morning.

Volunteering in the temple and in the pre-school was a very rewarding and I feel like I learned a lot. I was able to paint a classroom and parts of a temple, clean, teach some English, and lay bricks. I feel like I learned a lot about the role of religion in daily life and about different cultural traditions. Living with locals allowed me to try very authentic food and being in a non-touristy area allowed me to really immerse in local culture. IVHQ offers a great project for a very affordable price. It was a very humbling experience. I made very meaningful connections with both the locals and other volunteers and was able to challenge myself both physically and mentally in ways that I had never expected.