Location
  • Sri Lanka
    • Galle
    • Pinnawala
Length
1 to 12 weeks

Program Details

Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
235
Price Details
We’re dedicated to providing the highest quality volunteer programs at the lowest fees, which make it possible for everyone, especially students, to volunteer internationally and make a positive impact in the lives of others.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Meals Travel Insurance
What's Not Included
Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare SIM cards Transportation Visa
Sep 04, 2024
Aug 26, 2024
4 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Have you always wanted to travel to a lush and vibrant country where you have a unique opportunity to give back to the community and environment there? Global Crossroad has multiple amazing volunteer opportunities in Sri Lanka for the kind-hearted adventure.
A vacation in Sri Lanka is always a fascinating experience. When you combine this exotic vacation with a volunteer opportunity in Sri Lanka, however, you create the experience of a lifetime; one that you will never forget!
The traditional, smiling people of Sri Lanka match the sunny climate and ancient culture. Sri Lanka is a land full of wonder with abundant beauty and paradisiacal niches of glory. It is like no place you have ever been!
A heartbreaking civil war kept a generation in bondage, but is thankfully now a thing of the past. Its ravages have left a need for much restoration, and you can be a part of nurturing the new peace now just beginning to blossom in this beautiful country.

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Join thousands of volunteers on affordable programs helping to change the world one family at a time
  • Guaranteed lowest program fees in the US – starting at $235 per week.
  • Contribute in the way that is most meaningful to you and get a life changing experience.
  • Your fees directly benefit the volunteer project – there are no middlemen
  • Your safety is always our priority… every volunteer location has been thoroughly vetted

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Program Reviews

4.83 Rating
based on 6 reviews
  • 5 rating 83.33%
  • 4 rating 16.67%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.35
  • Support 4.85
  • Fun 4.7
  • Value 4
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Default avatar
Jade
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Medical volunteering in Karapitiya Teaching Hospital

I spent 3 weeks in the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle (Sri Lanka) where I stayed one week in each other following departments : general surgery, paediatrics and internal medicine. As a second year medical student it was a great valuable experience for me to be able to follow doctors in the hospital and observe how the healthcare system works overseas. Unfortunately, the language barrier with the local population hindered my ability to communicate with most of the patients and create contact with them but the doctors, nurses and medical students were very helpful and always eager to teach me more. I am especially grateful for the amazing support I had from the local family who took great care of me and hosted me. They were very welcoming and helped me with my volunteering in the hospital but also to plan some visits during my stay in Galle and organise my trip in the rest of Sri Lanka. They really introduced me in their culture and involved me in a lot of family events such as a wedding where I got the amazing chance to be invited. I recommend this experience if you’re looking for an authentic experience and if you are eager to learn more about the healthcare system in developing countries.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My biggest advice would be to not hesitate to ask questions and get out of your comfort zone if you want to learn more and get the most out of this experience.
Pros
  • Amazing host family
  • Inclusion in local culture
  • Great learning experience
Cons
  • No practical work
  • Limited supervision in hospital
3 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kinsey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching English to children in Sri Lanka: a highly rewarding experience

Earlier this year (March 2024) I spent a month in Galle on the SW coast of Sri Lanka, a trip organized through Global Crossroad. I wanted to work with children and teaching English was an obvious way to do it.

All my contacts with GC were helpful and friendly and I was provided with plenty of information prior to departure. I was picked up at Colombo airport and taken to the house of Michael Ferreira, the local organiser. The accommodation was spacious and the food (three meals a day prepared by his wife) was excellent. I frequently met his children and grandchildren. We talked, drank tea, played games, watched cricket(!) and I rapidly felt I was part of the family. Michael also has many friends and contacts in Galle, and I was often on the back of his motorbike for shopping or for sorting out official business downtown. This was total immersion in the life of Galle which was exactly what I was looking for.

During the week I helped at a government-aided school for children from very poor families, which was about 20' away by bicycle. I helped with the English class mainly teaching 3rd,4th and 5th grade children (6-9 yo). The resident English teacher, Prarthana, was kind and helpful and the children were a delight to work with: so happy, enthusiastic and respectful despite their clearly difficult home lives. It was a pleasure getting to know them all.

During my stay Michael organized 4-day road trip around the island. There is so much to discover: beautiful landscapes, an incredible diversity of plant and animal life, many historical monuments from the time of the kings over 2000 years ago, sacred sites from the time of Buddha around 500 yrs BC, and the remains of the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial periods. We also visited a tea plantation, an Ayurveda spice and herb garden, producing a wide variety of natural therapeutics, a turtle hatchery, and an elephant clinic, necessary because in some parts of the island the elephants roam free and sometimes are injured on the roads! I never expected such a rich experience. It was a great trip and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who visits the island.

This was my first experience of voluntary work outside Europe. It was a memorable, and without exaggeration, a life-changing experience. I am definitely planning a similar trip in the future, and I will gladly choose Global Crossroad as a partner for the next project. My thanks to the whole team and especially to Hom, Anjana and of course Michael and his family

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The traffic, (tuk-tuks, motor bikes, scooters, buses) seems unimaginably chaotic, especially for someone who has spent the last 30 years living in Switzerland! However I didn't see a single accident. So there must be a code, and by the end of my trip I began to understand it. Basically, everyone accepts that the klaxon in mightier than the brake pedal, and adjusts their driving accordingly!!!
Pros
  • Friendly people
  • Breathtaking diversity of plant and animal life
  • Close-up acquaintance with a predominantly Buddhist culture
Cons
  • Extreme heat was my only problem
6 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Marie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Internship orphanage Sri Lanka

I have been working in the orphanage for 4 months. I stayed at Michaels Hostfamily and I loved it. They treated me as their family. I learned a lot working in the orphanage. In the beginning you have to searche How you can guide the children. After a while you get to know them and you can learn them a lot. Michael also always helped me where needed and came to the orphanage if I wanted to say something in Sinhala. In the weekends I explored the beaches and did some surfing. Loved everything about my experience. Thank you Global Crossroad for the help

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Learn some Sinhala words so you can communicate with the children
66 people found this review helpful.
Response from Global Crossroad

Dear Marie,

Thank you for taking out the time to write us a feedback. We are happy to know that you loved your host family and internship experience in Sri Lanka. We wish you all the best for your future endeavours and hope that things you have learned working in the orphanage will be helpful for you.

Default avatar
Angelica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience

My overall experience at the elephant orphanage was so special and unique. I got to meet many local people and I got to have dinner at one of the mahout's house (elephant trainer) who lived in the middle of the jungle - one of the most incredible and unforgettable experiences in my life. The food at the volunteering site was very good as well. I was also able to visit many sites such as waterfalls and factories around the area with the guidance of a staff member at the elephant conservation park. Furthermore, I got to make new friends and meet new people from all around the world. Apart from the volunteering work, you will also be able to have a lot of free time to make friends and travel around the area. I am so satisfied with the service and my overall experience.

What would you improve about this program?
The experience was way too over priced. In my opinion, the program was too expensive for what it served and the price to volunteer should definitely be revised.
81 people found this review helpful.
Response from Global Crossroad

Dear Angelica,

Thank you so much for taking out the time to write us a feedback. We are happy to know that you enjoyed you volunteering and cultural experience in Sri Lanka.

We will keep your comments about the prices in mind. We wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Default avatar
Anna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Millennium Elephant Foundation (Kegalle)–INCREDIBLE!

My time volunteering at Millenium Elephant Foundation was absolutely incredible. I spent two weeks at the foundation, helping to wash, feed, and care for the elephants in a very personal way. We also helped clean their night beds so they were comfortable for the elephants as well as work on active projects around the foundation. I was also able to spend time with the other volunteers from all over the world, the amazing coordinators, the mahouts, and of course the volunteer village dogs. In addition, Michael and the Global Crossroads team made sure my trip and experience ran very smoothly by making sure to let me know I could contact them at any time. My experience was truly unforgettable and I highly recommend this volunteer program to anyone who has a heart for elephants and their wellbeing.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take every advantage to spend time with the elephants and be willing to get a bit dirty. Also, see the rest of the country if you can. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with very nice people, there is so much to do and experience!
79 people found this review helpful.
Response from Global Crossroad

Dear Anna,

Thank you for leaving us your feedback. It is wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your project completely. We thank you so much for contributing your time and effort for the welfare of elephants.

We wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Default avatar
Donna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Project was a Success

I was in Galle, Sri Lanka. I volunteered at a temple and taught English to the monks. I really enjoyed my stay in Michael's house. He and his family were very helpful to me. I would recommend there to any volunteer who is planning to stay in Galle.

My project started the next day of my arrival. The monks were very open-minded and they really wanted to listen to me and what I had to say. I had a connection with them from the first day. I was happy to teach them and they also seemed very happy to have me as their teacher.

Even though the time was short, I can confidently say that the project was a success because I went ahead of what was mentioned on my responsibilities.

I met so many beautiful people outside of the temple and the host family as well. I'm very happy that decided to be a Volunteer in Sri Lanka through Global Crossroad.

What would you improve about this program?
During the orientation Volunteers can be made aware about the lesson planning and expectations of what to do prior to the placement. I would have also enjoyed a Travel Program (around Sri Lanka) after the completion of my project.
77 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers