PMGY - Volunteer in Sri Lanka from $270

PMGY Sri Lanka, was by far the best experience ever. I have done a programme with PMGY before and that inspired me to go on this one. I have taken part in other similar company programmes but PMGY do it right and is by far the best value for your money. Everything is very simple from booking your place to getting to Sri Lanka. Before you leave, the website offers all the basic info you would need and along the way you will get emails from the team in Sri Lanka helping you every step of the way, to decision making and any questions you might have. Once you have applied you receive an information handbook with every thing you need to know from visa info with step by step guides on how acquire one and also about location, projects and other general information (even what you should back and country background information). The volunteer house is amazing, with a pool and roof top terrace, all meals are included and is local cuisine (absolutely delicious btw). Rooms are shared and allocated by gender, the volunteer house is a great way to make friends and for those who are afraid because of travel, PMGY Sri Lanka have their very own tuk tuk services. These tuk tuks will take you to and from projects, the beach, supermarket...essentially anywhere you would need to go.

I did the medical project and worked in the government hospital and had an amazing time, we got to experience many different departments in the hospital, including A&E, paediatrics, labour room (female only) and surgery. The position was mostly observational, but I can only recommend that you ask questions and ASK to be shown around and what is going around you. But you have to appreciate that it’s a hospital and they will be busy, you need to put in the effort to ask and they will happily show you around and teach you the ropes.

I also did the Maldives trip, honestly if you can I would defo recommend, you will never be able to go in your life for the price of £350.....NEVER!! But if that doesn’t float your boat, a lot of the other volunteers ended up going away for the weekend to other areas in Sri Lanka like Kandy, Ella,etc. If you are ever stuck with what to do there is an amazing team of people like Meena and Bea who will happily help you with anything you need help with and also with travel ideas. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss, I recommend that anyone who is thinking of doing it should definitely do.

This past week I returned home from my program with PMGY. I initially started with a two week program but that wasn’t enough and I added an extra week to work with children. Everything couldn’t have gone any better. Pickup from the airport was nice as our leader knew who I was! Reading the volunteer handbook was extremely helpful in what to prepare along with what to expect. It doesn’t capture how truly beautiful Sri Lanka is. The projects were Monday-Friday unless there was a bank holiday going on in Sri Lanka. During the Turtle Project there are different things that have to be done. You cut up sardines to feed to the larger fish, move sand so the eggs can hatch properly, sometimes you get to see them hatch(this is luck and dependent on when the turtle eggs were buried)! There is also painting the walls to decorate to look like turtles with information regarding the different types! The feeding is absolutely the best part. There are super tiny baby turtles, regular sized turtles and massive ones! They all are unique and have their own names! I also did the Childcare Project, this one is different in the sense you get to teach the girls something. That part is rewarding, they also love to dance and listen to music! They’re just little kids who want to have fun however they can. The accommodation in Sri Lanka for the turtle and childcare project was perfect. Ashika made it feel like home and is the absolute perfect person for these conservation projects. The house had a swimming pool, a rooftop, food was made everyday and there was a list of what we would eat each day. They can make accommodations for vegans and vegetarians you’ve just got to let Ashika know! You’ll find that many people there have been or are vegans! It didn’t matter where you went in Sri Lanka, say on your own or with some friends over the weekend, there are many people who can help you find your way or learn the best ways to come back. Ashika and Manoj were always readily available and excited to help out. The energy in Sri Lanka is one to match from everyone. If you’re thinking of trying this out I highly recommend it. There is very little advice I can give to truly help you prepare for this amazing experience, you may find this is what you want to do for the rest of your life as I have. I was only there three weeks! Join PMGY it is something you will always remember and won’t be able to wait to do again.

This past week I returned home from my program with PMGY. I initially started with a two week program but that wasn’t enough and I added an extra week to work with children. Everything couldn’t have gone any better. Pickup from the airport was nice as our leader knew who I was! Reading the volunteer handbook was extremely helpful in what to prepare along with what to expect. It doesn’t capture how truly beautiful Sri Lanka is. The projects were Monday-Friday unless there was a bank holiday going on in Sri Lanka. During the Turtle Project there are different things that have to be done. You cut up sardines to feed to the larger fish, move sand so the eggs can hatch properly, sometimes you get to see them hatch(this is luck and dependent on when the turtle eggs were buried)! There is also painting the walls to decorate to look like turtles with information regarding the different types! The feeding is absolutely the best part. There are super tiny baby turtles, regular sized turtles and massive ones! They all are unique and have their own names! I also did the Childcare Project, this one is different in the sense you get to teach the girls something. That part is rewarding, they also love to dance and listen to music! They’re just little kids who want to have fun however they can. The accommodation in Sri Lanka for the turtle and childcare project was perfect. Ashika made it feel like home and is the absolute perfect person for these conservation projects. The house had a swimming pool, a rooftop, food was made everyday and there was a list of what we would eat each day. They can make accommodations for vegans and vegetarians you’ve just got to let Ashika know! You’ll find that many people there have been or are vegans! It didn’t matter where you went in Sri Lanka, say on your own or with some friends over the weekend, there are many people who can help you find your way or learn the best ways to come back. Ashika and Manoj were always readily available and excited to help out. The energy in Sri Lanka is one to match from everyone. If you’re thinking of trying this out I highly recommend it. There is very little advice I can give to truly help you prepare for this amazing experience, you may find this is what you want to do for the rest of your life as I have. I was only there three weeks! Join PMGY it is something you will always remember and can't wait to do again.

PMGY- honestly what an experience!!

I have just finished my programme with Sri Lanka and now am currently traveling the country.

The company- could not fault them and their support. Before I left I was very nervous- my first time travelling to a less developed country but Philip was my point of contact and he was so responsive to all my questions. The volunteer hand book we got had EVERYTHING you could need and answered all my questions. They even did a live webinar where the coordinator in Sri Lanka -Meena, spoke to us live online and answered any questions I had- it was nice to see a face who is out in Sri Lanka as a form of comfort for my arrival!!

I did the renovation programme and helped to paint the pre-school that PMGY are building. The pre-school is for the orphan's who are too young to go to school and for children of the local village who's parents need to go away to work during the day and need looking after. It was incredible to see how much impact I made during my time there.

All the local staff were super helpful- Emma and Ash were always around when I needed help and advised me on my travels that I am doing now.

I will definitely volunteer with PMGY again, I felt supported, I felt safe, I felt looked after! Also the accommodation and food is sooo nice, the sisters are really lovely, so thats a bonus!

Would advise anyone to volunteer with PMGY, the fee's are so transparent and the UK staff were all previous volunteers as well so they really knew how we were feeling and what we wanted!!

The Sri Lanka Real Experience was amazing! The two weeks travelling was tightly planned, it felt like we saw as much of Sri Lanka as possible in the time we had. We were constantly supervised by our tour guide which made the whole experience feel really safe - I came as a solo traveller so it was reassuring staying as a group the entire time. The hotels we stayed in during the two weeks had everything you could need, we were all warmly welcomed. We mainly ate in hotels during the two weeks, however, I didn't feel like I missed out on the Sri Lankan culture. Most of the food we ate were traditional Sri Lankan curries, I am coeliac and all the curries are naturally gluten free - so there's no issue eating in Sri Lanka! A particular highlight of the trip was going on a jeep safari through Parakrama Samudra. We were able to give presents to the children in the village, and saw so much nature as we were driving through. Our tour guide kept on stopping the jeep to explain what we could see, it was just amazing! We finished the journey off by watching the sun set over the river, we were incredibly lucky to see an elephant basking in the water. It was truly magical and my favourite memory of the trip!
The two weeks volunteering was equally rewarding - but in different ways. I volunteered with the elephants in the morning and did teaching in the afternoon. I absolutely loved the elephant experience, however, I think you get the most out of it by understanding that in Sri Lanka, elephants are working animals. Once you understand the cultural difference, and therefore appreciate that the elephants you look after are working elephants that are almost having 'time off', you understand the impact your care has. I loved it, and felt like cleaning them and feeding them made their situation a lot better.
Teaching was one of the challenging, yet one of the most satisfying experiences ever. I taught the lowest ability class which ranged from 4-9 year olds. Once we found ways in which we could communicate to them (through drawing pictures and asking the teacher to translate) it was so much easier! They are so willing to learn, I learnt so much about myself just from the happiness they get from living such simple lives. You really realise how little you need to be content, and how precious these children are.
I stayed in the River House. The views are amazing, you see such beautiful sunsets at night! Make sure you bring a blanket with you, the beds only have pillows so many of us had to go and buy scarfs etc. from the nearby town! The whole team are really friendly and willing to make your experience the best it can be. I had the most amazing time and would recommend it to anyone!

I was lucky enough to stumble across PMGY while searching the internet for what I wanted to do on my gap year. I spent 6 weeks in Sri lanka with Ashika and all the other coordinators and its fiar to say that it's been the best 6 weeks I could ever have imagined. The house (london house) is lovdely and all the sisters work hard to cook your meals and keep everything tidy for you. Abalangoda itself is an amazing little town where you get to experience the real culture of Sri Lanka, but tourist towns such as Hikkadua arent to far away either. The people you meet inside the house will become your life long friends in a matter of days and you so quickly learn to go out and adventure together on weekends.

If you're looking at doing the teaching program, get ready for a whole lot of love. These kids will enrich your life with love and gratitude like you never knew possible. Depending on how many volunteers on the project at the time, you may get a class to yourself or be teaching with someone. It only really takes a couple of days to get used to them and then you know exactly how to work with them. The house has many helpful books to help you plan lessons, and the coordinators are gret for advice too. The kids I worked with for 6 weeks changed my life in a way I never expected!!

This summer I spent 5 weeks in India and 4 in Sri Lanka with Pmgy. In India I’ve participated on the orphanage program, but was also lucky enough to participate on disable children program in slums and special needs center. I absolutely loved programs there. Usually half of the time we studied with the kids (math, alphabet, vocabulary), the second part spent playing their favourite games and learning Indian dances.

Tuk Tuks what were arranged to bring us to the orphanage and back home again, so there was no problem with a transport. Also drivers were so lovely.
The food in the accommodation was basic - rice, vegetable curry, bread, some days samosas and another traditional things. The accommodation was basic as well, but exactly there we could feel the real voluntary work (but I wish they could change matresses🙏🏻). I’ve did 2 weekend trips, what were nicely organised as well. Very glad to know Vishy and Kranti. They helped a lot, even in some personal issues (like shopping😋). Also another coordinator Jon helped a lot in our work, cheered us up with country conditions! Definitely I would like to repeat my voluntary experience in India!

In Sri Lanka I was involved in the renovation program - we worked in the monastery (painted the walls). I loved this place and this program! Very quiet and peaceful.
The accommodation where I lived was called River House - a big and nice place near the water. The food was nice, we had the timetable with a menu for every day.
The transport also had a timetable, so we could go to the town easily. I had one weekend trip with Pmgy. It was organised very well. I would like to say thanks to coordinators there, because they helped me a lot in some personal and professional issues.

Thank you, Philip, for all this profesional organization.

I volunteered in Sri Lanka for two weeks during April 2017. It was an invaluable experience and one that I’d recommend to anyone. Ash and the PMGY team work so hard to ensure that everyone is safe, comfortable and is having the best possible experience. London House is fabulous! Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with an incredible culture which you can fully immerse yourself into by staying in Ambalangoda with Ash and his lovely family. Two weeks really wasn’t long enough, I wish I could’ve stayed longer and I was so sad to say goodbye. I would recommend staying at least 4-6 weeks, it won’t be regretted. I volunteered for the Orphanage Project where I practiced English with two girls aged 7 and 8, this one-to-one experience meant that you could build a bond with the children. They spoke very good English which is a direct result of the efforts put in by PMGY. I also bought a day pass for the elephants and turtle conservation, this is highly recommended! If you have no plans for the weekend, I went on the adventure, hill country and safari weekend trip. This was a brilliant way to travel to places which would otherwise be difficult to get to. The views were incredible when we were driving through the hill country and Yala Safari is so much fun! As a trainee Primary School teacher I would strongly recommend volunteering with PMGY, I gained so much more than teaching practice from this experience!

Thank you Ash, your family and PMGY for offering the experience of a life time! I wish I could’ve stayed longer! I will definitely return to Sri Lanka in the future and use PMGY again.