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 49 - 56 of 124 reviews
Default avatar
Abbie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

2 Weeks Volunteering - Elephant Project

I volunteered in Sri Lanka for 2 weeks from the 5th to the 19th August with PMGY and can honestly say I had the most amazing time and met the most amazing people.
The staff at PMGY were fantastic as soon as I had signed up, keeping me updated on my application and allowing my friend and I to book together. They helped me to book my flight and answered any questions I had, no matter how insignificant they were (Colby in particular was a great help, responding almost instantly and helping with many different aspects of my application). The volunteer handbook was very useful in getting a basic understanding of the culture and was helpful when trying to apply for visas etc.
The team in Sri Lanka were so welcoming and friendly; they always made an effort to have a conversation and a laugh with you and were also good at giving advice on what to do in Sri Lanka.

I stayed in River House, which although it wasn't the best, I had a great time there and made so many memories. There were a lot of bugs, a few problems with the bathroom (which the staff were very quick in dealing with once we'd actually told them!) and not a lot of room in the bedrooms but being in such close proximity to the other volunteers allowed us all to become very close friends. The swimming pool is a great area to allow you to talk to some of the other volunteers in other rooms and was lovely to be able to have a swim after a long morning of volunteering!
I personally really enjoyed the food at the accommodation. Lunches and dinners were usually very good and I tried a lot of new food that I otherwise wouldn't have had the chance to. Breakfast was much more repetitive and wasn't as great but many of us bought our own food to eat in the mornings.

Although it was harder work than I had expected, I really enjoyed doing the elephant project. It was an amazing experience to be so up close with the elephants and to be able to wash and feed them. Although they experienced some complications with one of the elephants and mahouts (which was completely out of PMGY's control) which slightly disrupted the normal routine of our project, the coordinators made sure we still got to work with the elephants everyday. On a typical day we would drive about an hour to get to the elephants, clean up the site e.g. shovelling elephant dung, sweeping leaves etc. There was then a short walk to the river where we would wash and scrub the elephants. We then fed the elephants, got loads of photos and then had an hour drive back to the house. There was also an elephant safari included in this project which was one of the best days on the project. We got up at about 3am and drove to Udawalawe National Park where we saw so many elephants - it was a great start to the 2 weeks!

I had one full weekend in Sri Lanka and used this to go on the Yala National Safari Weekend Trip. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the activities that we did (especially the World's End hike, Hindu temple and Yala National Safari Park), I felt like there wasn't enough time to spend in each place as we did so much travelling on the bus over just one weekend. However, it was a good way to be able to see things further afield in a short space of time. If I had been in Sri Lanka for another weekend, I definitely would have loved to use this for independent travel with my friends.

Overall, I had an amazing experience in Sri Lanka and the staff at PMGY were absolutely amazing from the beginning to the end. I would have loved to stay for longer than 2 weeks as I felt like there was so much more I had to see and I would have loved to have experienced some of the other projects too.

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

Mental health

The mental health and psychology programme has a varied schedule including working in a local orphanage, visiting out patient clinics, meditations with monks and meeting psycharists. Learning about the differences between western and Sri Lankan medication was also very interesting such as meeting an Ayurvedic practitioner and observing her with clients!

The majority of the time the programme is either in the morning or afternoon and is quite rare for it to be both. You would generally spend around 2-3 hours a day on project and then have the rest of the day to yourself. On occasion we would turn up to our project locations and project would be cancelled.

What would you improve about this program?
Communication would be the main thing that I think could be improved. Communication between pmgy and the institutions that we were visiting could be better with regards to ensuring that the institution is expecting us to be coming and confirmation of that. We were often not told about these issues and so project was sometimes cut short because of this.
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Amy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sri Lanka - 4th to 19th August

All the pre-departure information was very thorough and useful. The addition of the handbook was very reassuring and helpful. While I was there the staff were so informative and supportive to me, especially the cooks. I loved the accommodation: lots of space and not far from the town. I worked on the Medical Project for a week and a half where I observed the doctors and nurses in the private hospital. I found some part interesting and helpful but it was a little unstructured for me. As the doctors and nurses are really busy, we didn't do anything for most of the majority of the mornings I worked on the project but what we did do was really good. The last half of the last week I worked in the Monk School which was so good. I loved teaching the monks and they made me feel very much apart of their community. My only advice would be bring more English money than you think as I started to run out and felt obliged to stay in when others went out and was also unable to buy more internet while I was in London House. Overall though, it was amazing! :)

What would you improve about this program?
More organisation and structure
More fulfilling Projects
51 people found this review helpful.
Anuj
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sri Lanka construction and renovation

The PMGY trip was really good, especially in regards to the social aspects, but do be warned that on construction that it is quite costly. Given that you only do 1 hour, which makes sense given it is hard work, it may not seem value for money, but know that for all of them you pay for the social aspect and safety as well. Thus, I would strongly recommend this trip if you are looking to help abroad but are also very driven to sightseeing and going out with friends. Note, it is costly so have a wallet that will almost definitely become a lot emptier.

What would you improve about this program?
Construction and renovation was costlier than I imagined it would be. Part of this is due to the £50 not being put on the online charge with the £75 but to be given there. I would have preferred to pay it online as I forgot and it almost caused me a big problem with my finances.
48 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
sara
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My volunteering experience

It was my first time doing volunteering activities. I had a really good time in Sri Lanka. I did the orphanage project for four weeks and the turtles project for two week. The orphanage It´s been my favourite one for sure. Being able to spend time with these kids was incredible. Every day they were waiting for us in the entrance of the orphanage with a big smile in their faces. Maybe these kids can teach us more than we can teach them such as value more the things that we have in the first world and be more generous because we can be happy with much less than we have. To sum up, It was a really good experience that I recommend to everyone!

What would you improve about this program?
In my opinion, the orphanage project wasn´t very well organized. I mean the children were all together despite their age and english level so not all of them could understand us during the class time. It would had been more useful making separated groups. Furthermore if we have had more information about them and the activities they did normally maybe we could have done more interesting activities for them.
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Theo
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Real Experience PMGY Sri Lanka

I took part in the Real Experience in Sri Lanka, where I went travelling all around the country with a group of 13 others in the first two weeks of my trip and then did a volunteering placement in the second two weeks.
The first half of the experience was amazing (as was the rest of it). We saw so much of the country and had so much fun; it was a great way to get to know the people I was with and we all got along really well. We were accompanied by our guide and driver (Kasun & Jaga <3) and they were always on hand to answer our questions and keep us safe. Our accommodation was in various hotels (all included in the price and organised by PMGY), which were all clean. We were always doing something enjoyable, be it visiting an elephant orphanage, relaxing on a beach, going on safari or touring temples. The food we had (again organised by PMGY and included in the price) was unbelievable! I would often fill up two plates of food because it was that good and I always looked forward to lunch and dinner. This was an awesome way to see the country and I am sure that if I had not gone with PMGY and had gone independently, I would not have done all that I did in these two weeks and certainly not for as low a price.
During the second two weeks, I volunteered at Roseth Hospital (one of the medical projects) and stayed at River House (one of PMGY's volunteer houses). The project exceeded my expectations massively; I learnt so much during my time there and it was much more structured than I was expecting. We were given topics to learn about in each department we went to, such as the different types of containers used when taking blood or the procedure of Root Canal Treatment in Dentistry. This made sure we had a basis upon which to ask questions and learn. I was very impressed and would recommend this project to anyone thinking of going into healthcare, as it does teach you a lot (especially in the Dental Surgery department). Everyone I met at the hospital was very friendly and happy to answer my questions and by the end of my two weeks here, I was sorry to leave. One thing I would also say about the project, however, is that it seemed to me more like a work experience placement than a volunteering project. This is because there was little scope to help others, as the most we could do was assist on a very basic level and even this was very rare. The focus was therefore on furthering your own knowledge through observing, rather than first hand experience, which to be fair was made clear by PMGY in all the information they provided before and after I signed up.
As the project did not run on the weekends, we were free to do some independent travelling and these provided yet more great memories. With people that had now become my friends, we would plan where we wanted to go, book our accommodation and hit the road, all with recommendations and help from fellow volunteers and staff. This was another really fun part of the trip, as we had total control over what we did and where we went. Unsurprisingly, beaches were a common theme for weekend trips. With all the shops, bars and places to eat that came with the sun, sea and sand, it was hard not to have a good time. In fact, I would often also go to another, nearer beach after I finished my project at the hospital, as it was only about 45 minutes from the volunteer house and travel there and back would usually cost less than £1.
All in all, this was an outstanding trip. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, which I am not in a hurry to forget about. PMGY are amazing; every member of that company I encountered, be they in London or Sri Lanka, were exactly the type of people you would want to be around and have support you.

What would you improve about this program?
The accommodation at River House could be improved, and this would have made the trip faultless. I do understand that I was amongst the first to move into the new volunteer house and so it is natural to have had some issues at this early stage. I want to also say that I regret not informing Ashika or a member of his team of these areas I feel could be improved whilst I was in the country so that they could be fixed sooner. The rooms where I was staying were cramped and there was little room for anything other than the beds. The room I was sleeping in (at Villa House in the River House complex) can't have been more than 8 square metres and had two bunk beds. Fortunately, there were only three of us sleeping in the room and we only had two suitcases, as one of us was sharing a suitcase with his girlfriend in another room. This was just about comfortable. However, the beds were certainly not comfortable. The mattresses were thin layers of foam and I, as well as others I spoke to, could clearly feel the structure beneath us, be it a wooden sheet or wooden bars.
The other area of the accommodation in which an improvement would have gone a long way was the food. The majority of the time, I (and a fair chunk of the volunteers I was around) preferred buying food from outside. This was not the end of the world, as by Western prices, the food in Sri Lanka was very cheap. However, bearing in mind that we had paid for the food provided by the volunteer house and we were then also buying food to replace it, I feel this should not really have been happening. This is a shame, but it did mean we could taste more, authentic Sri Lankan food.
50 people found this review helpful.
Thea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teen 2 week adventure & volunteer programme

The 2 weeks I spent in Sri Lanka with PMGY were amazing and such an incredible experience. This was down to my groups great coordinators - Steph and Anthony, Colby, Ashika and their continued support throughout the trip. But also the activities and volunteering work we were doing. Each trip or working day was planned out and all transport was provided to get us there and back. This made the trip far more enjoyable as you didn't have to worry about navigating Sri Lanka yourself.
The accommodation was clean and the 'sisters' cooked all the food for everyone - it always tasted amazing! Pre-departure organisation and communication was great so I knew just what to expect, however I would recommend bringing a blanket or sheet with you to sleep with. You may think Sri Lanka is hot but when the AC is on in the bedrooms at night it can sometimes get a bit chilly. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend PMGY and hope to do a longer trip with them in the future.

51 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Naomi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteer and Adventure

This trip was so well organised and there was always someone with you wherever you go so you always feel safe. All the activities are so well thought out and things that you would never get to do unless on a trip like this so they were all enjoyed by everyone!
The co-ordinators (Steph and Anthony) were so fun and down to earth and felt like they were apart of the group, which was so good as it then didn't end up feeling like a school trip.
The pre-departure information was very helpful and they are always there to answer your questions and help as much as they can.
The first week of doing the different projects was so much fun as you get a taster of all the different projects, especially the teaching as the kids were so excited and grateful for you being there!
The second week we got to see so much of the country and experience loads of different things such as the safari, a hike and chilling on a beach.
The food cooked by the sisters is very yummy, especially the noodles! (they were a huge favourite by everyone).
It was an amazing two weeks and would go back and do it all over again if i could!

50 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers