PMGY - Volunteer in Sri Lanka from $270

I really couldn’t have dreamed of a better experience. As my first time out of Europe I was nervous but PMGY were extremely helpful from beginning to end.
Before I travelled I was constantly ringing Josh with all sorts of questions and he always had time for a chat and to give me all the information I needed. The team within the house are amazing and make you feel at home straight away. They make sure they get to know all the volunteers personally meaning there is always someone to chat to. Cultural nights, weekend trips and the projects themselves give you plenty of ways to make new friends while in Sri Lanka.
While I was in Sri Lanka with PMGY I did the orphanage, elephant and a day pass on turtles. All of these projects are truly inspiring and so well organised. The orphanage has really opened my eyes to how other communities live around the world.

The volunteering in Sri-Lanka gave me the chance to have different experiences in a relatively short time. Everything was negotiable, in that sence that you could put together your own program beside the fixed hours of the volunteering program. The staff was always ready to help with that. Thus during the programme you get to see Sri-Lanka in many ways. I loved working with the turtles and the elephants. You can get quite close to them and that makes the work more meaningful. Sometimes I felt like there was not enough work for all the volunteers, which resulted in moments of hanging around. But overall the vibe was good.
Regard to housing, for me it was more difficult to adapt to the setting. The house was sometimes to full in my experience (must be different if you are a student ;)). And this could be an age thing but why is there a TV in the middle of the space? Doesn't volunteering in such a beautiful country is an opportunity to have a time off from television? A cozy space outdoor, to sit in the evening is more binding for a group, in my opinion.
Anyway, I loved the way everything else was organised and I want to thank Ash and the staff for
the good care and the great food!

I did teaching English for 3 weeks in Sri Lanka and it's going to be something I remember forever!

The program itself was brilliant, in such a short space of time I really felt like I had a connection with the kids and actually taught them something. There was help planning the lessons if you asked for it, otherwise it was down to you, which I enjoyed as it meant thinking of new ways to teach. You defiantly got out of it what you put in, so if you lesson planned for a few hours you would have a lot more fun and it would run smoother compared to improvising.

The house (London House) was so much more than I thought it was going to be! Such a lovely big house with areas to socialise and really felt like home. The Sisters were brilliant and everyone there really made an effort to get to know you which I really liked.

The weekends we were free to go and explore Sri Lanka if we weren't doing one of the trips which was good fun, there are lots of places to go that you hear about from the other volunteers.

It's safe to say I've left with some really good memories and friends I want see when I'm home.

I would 100% recommend this to anyone, there are different projects for different tastes and you can try out other ones when you get there.

Thank you PMGY!

I had the best time out in Sri Lanka for the month of February! I volunteered on the orphanaged project which was such an amazing experience and I feel so privileged to have been a small part of the lives of the girls I met. Not only was the programme incredible but pmgy offers so many more unexpected opportunities, some of which were life changing! The weekend trips are great for seeing lots of things in one weekend but having the opportunity to do travelling with other volunteers alone is great fun too.

I have had an amazing time in Sri Lanka the support staff are so helpful and are more than willing to help you with anything you need. The programmes are great, the animal projects are great definitely worth doing. The orphanage project was amazing, such a great experience, you really get to know the girls and see the difference you make with them over your time there. I would highly recommend PMGY Sri Lanka!

For a lot of people, the thought of going to a place you've never been before on you own can be really scary, and for me that was exactly how i felt. Myself along with four others were lucky enough to be the first volunteers to step into London House, the new beautiful volunteer house in Ambalangoda and we were welcomed by Ashika, the most amazing coordinator you could ask for and instantly i felt at home!
I did 7 weeks volunteering at the girls orphanage and my final week at the turtle conservation. One thing i wasn't that aware of before i came to Sri Lanka was that i would be teaching english at the orphanage for the first 1h30minutes so i came with no resources and occasionally struggled to think of lesson plans, however it was so rewarding seeing the children develop, and their love for english grow. I am so happy i spent my final week volunteering with the turtles. Even though the routine each day is very similar, somehow every day got better and better! There's something so special and heartwarming about caring for turtles! I was lucky enough to take part in several turtle releases and witness a hatching.
Every weekend we would go off travelling and I definitely saw more of Sri Lanka that i expected! I went on both the Yala and Culture Triangle weekend trips which i fully recommend. Busses and trains especially are ridiculously cheap (Amba->Kandy which took over 6 hours by train cost 290rs/£1.50!) and you'll usually find hostels for around £5 a night. Whether i was walking through Ambalangoda or staying away in another backpacker town, i always felt safe and was so nice to know that if we ran into any problems we had in-country support so there was always someone to call/message.
The accommodation was so amazing and as mentioned above, I was staying in the brand new volunteer house. The sisters cooked the most amazing food for us and there was not one meal that i didn't enjoy. They even tried to make us feel at home with fish and chips once a week!
Before booking my 8 weeks with PMGY, i was unsure how long to go for and was worried 8 weeks would be too long but i was so wrong! It went way to quickly and didn't want to leave at the end of my time there! You get so attached to the country, along with the relaxed way of life there!

I could not have wished for a better two months in Sri Lanka with Plan My Gap Year and i'd like to thank Ashika and the coordinators Manoj Sani Ishan Kasun Jagard and NC for the amazing support!

i took part in the elephant experience program in late Jan, which is non-peak volunteer season for PMGY, and i think this made my experience more enjoyable as it meant there were fewer volunteers and so i was able to get to know everyone well. i was surprised when i arrived that i was one of the only non UK participants and at first i was worried about this, but it really didn't matter at all as everyone was so easygoing. i was amazed at how closely we were able to interact with the elephants at the project, being able to hand wash them for almost an hour each day was really incredible. i also learnt some pretty interesting things about the elephants, as well as the Sri Lankan culture, which i really enjoyed. it was really a once in a life time experience.

I signed up for community renovation and development work with PMGY Sri Lanka for two weeks in January and it has been the best experience! This was the first time I had ever decided to travel alone and pmgy was the best choice. I signed up online and immediately was given links to a handbook and webinars that I could attend in order to address any issues that may arise before deparing. From the moment I landed, Ashika (who is the coordinator in Sri Lanka) got in touch and made sure that everything was in order. I have no complaints about my stay at all. January being the off season was quiet, but it only meant that i was able to bond well with the others in the house. The coordinators were all so welcoming and truly do make your trip a worthwhile experience. They even help you organize trips over the weekend and themselves organize plenty of things for us to do as a group. I honestly felt like I had become part of a huge caring family and was very upset when I had to leave. 2 weeks was just not enough and having said that I definitely want to go back again!