Location
  • Sri Lanka
Length
1 to 24 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
17
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Hostel
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
270
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals Transportation
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
Sep 06, 2023
Jan 29, 2024
90 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Volunteer in Sri Lanka with Plan My Gap Year – an award-winning, international volunteer abroad organisation with programs based in Sri Lanka. PMGY provides safe, trusted and affordable programs overseas with a wide range of volunteer projects in Sri Lanka including Childcare • Dog Rescue • English Teaching • Medical • Mental Health & Turtle Conservation opportunities.

PMGY Sri Lanka is located in Ambalangoda. The Sri Lanka programs start on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of every month. Our projects here run across the year and participants can join us from 1-24 weeks. Volunteers in Sri Lanka are provided with an extensive pre-departure support service, airport pick-up, orientation, meals, accommodation and local support.

Video and Photos

Impact

Ethical Impact

Plan My Gap Year is committed to providing ethical volunteer opportunities that truly benefit the local communities. We have personally vetted all of our Volunteer Programs in every destination. We support a small network of Volunteer Programs abroad that we have specifically chosen due to their efforts being sustainable for our volunteers and the local communities alike. We work closely with each of our local teams to ensure we are assessing and adapting to ensure quality experiences for all involved.

For this reason, PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

Program Highlights

  • Most Affordable – PMGY’s programs are accessible to everyone who wants to make a difference, through low fees and high-impact projects.
  • Best Support – Our international and local teams provide extensive around the clock services to assist you every step of your PMGY adventure.
  • Safety Prioritised – With safety a PMGY number-1 priority, we have taken all necessary precautions to ensure our programs are as safe and structured as possible.
  • Extraordinary Experiences – With PMGY, you have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in amazing cultural and travel experiences, ensuring you leave with unforgettable memories.
  • Friendships for Life – Your PMGY experience not only opens up a doorway for new experiences and exciting memories, but also life-long friendships when meeting new people from around the world.

Popular Programs

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On this uncrowded, exotic and developing island there are many vulnerable children in much need of volunteer's care and support.

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Get involved in making a real difference to the lives of street dogs in Sri Lanka. Help do your bit to ensure they have a bright future!

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Teach novice Buddhist monks or children displaced by the Tsunami. English is a valuable skill that will greatly enhance their future career prospects.

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Gain invaluable medical experience, an opportunity not to be missed in this gorgeous part of the world by those pursuing a career in medicine.

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Using a combination of lectures, meditations, consultations and community projects, further your awareness of mental health in a new culture.

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Help protect and rehabilitate at-risk sea turtles whilst also taking part in community development projects. Experience a different side of Sri Lanka.

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Our top destinations mixed into one trip! Don’t miss your chance to sample and a make difference in sleepy Sri Lanka, inspiring India & beautiful Bali!

Program Reviews

4.89 Rating
based on 124 reviews
  • 5 rating 89.52%
  • 4 rating 9.68%
  • 3 rating 0.81%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.65
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.85
  • Value 4.8
  • Safety 4.95
  • Program Selection 5
  • Pre-departure Help 5
  • In-program Support 5
  • Impact on Student 5
  • Value 5
Showing 25 - 32 of 124 reviews
Default avatar
Alyssa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sri Lanka Turtle Conservation and Childcare Project

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.

What would you improve about this program?
The only thing I can think that would be extra helpful to the program would be having more people who are able to speak both Sinhala and English to make communication a little bit easier. That isn't to say that the communication was awful, it was far from it actually! Just when doing projects or trying to go somewhere if the volunteers were able to have multiple people walk through the Sinhala - English translation!
75 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Shiloh
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

TIME OF MY LIFE

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!!

What would you improve about this program?
No improvements but I would lovee some photos of the pre-school when it's completely finished!!
71 people found this review helpful.
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Catherine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sri Lanka Real Experience

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!

What would you improve about this program?
Some more free time during the travelling experience.
Make it more clear on the checklist to bring a blanket for the beds.
57 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ellie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching Program

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!!

49 people found this review helpful.
Mary
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Pmgy summer

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.

53 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Stephanie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Orphanage Project

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.

49 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lauren
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience

I had an amazing experience in Sri Lanka, the pre-departure information was really useful, the handbook was really informative and helped me feel prepared for starting the volunteer programs and for what it would be like living in Sri Lanka. I worked at the elephant project for 2 weeks which was an incredible experience to be so up close to the elephants every day. On the project we would clean out the elephants areas, walk the elephants to the river, bathe the elephants and then give them some fruit. It could get a bit repetitive which is why I think 2 weeks was a good amount of time to spend on the project. They also take you on an elephant safari which is really exciting and a great way to break up the week. I also spent a week on the turtle project, It was a lot of cutting up fish and feeding them to the turtles but the baby turtles are adorable and it was amazing to get to release them into the sea. The weekend trips are worth going on, they can seem quite expensive but they are well organised and you get to see a lot more of Sri Lanka. I would definitely recommend volunteering with PMGY.

What would you improve about this program?
The elephant program could be improved by changing up what the volunteers are doing each day and making them feel like they're having a bigger impact. I think its also important to be more clear about where the elephants have come from and their backgrounds.
48 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Maya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An incredible 4 weeks!

I've had the most amazing 4 weeks in Sri Lanka with PMGY! I've met some incredible people, worked with some lovely kids and made the best memories! All the pre departure information is great, helping you feel more prepared for when you arrive. I volunteered on the teaching project, working with children aged 9-14 and I loved it! It was so much fun as the kids are so willing to learn and everyday is different! Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and there's so many places to explore at the weekends including beaches, national parks and temples.

A big thank you to Ash and all the coordinators in Sri Lanka. They really are fantastic and always willing to help you out with anything you need. They are also great at making you feel welcome from the moment you first arrive in the country. This was my second brilliant trip with PMGY, so also thank you to the UK team 😊 I can definitely recommend PMGY and Sri Lanka to anyone wanting to volunteer abroad and my biggest tip would be to just book it! I would love to do another trip in the future, to another PMGY destination and also back to Sri Lanka! I've never felt so at home in a country as I did in Sri Lanka and I miss it so much, even after being home for a month!

49 people found this review helpful.
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