Volunteer in Vietnam with IVI - Affordable Programs

The local team organized it very well. Everything went smoothly. It was great to meet other volunteers involved in other projects/programs. We became aware that we were the first to experience the road trip part of the project.

Highlights - It was a bonus to explore more of Vietnam with someone from the area. She also had an opportunity to visit her family. The sleeper buses must be experienced!

Volunteering—We wish we could have participated for two weeks; five days was far too short. The dedicated team at the kitchen was wonderful to work with, and the local team support ensured we were okay! Giving back in the kitchen.

Local team members had key roles; executed with a high level of professionalism and care. Everyone was very approachable. A great level of English. We were kept informed. A social event was held on Monday nights so new volunteers could meet others.

The food and accommodation were very satisfactory. We were spoilt as the staff created a private room for us with a double bed; thank you.

I can only say one thing: if you are wondering whether you should really do a volunteer project in Vietnam - do it! Of course I was quite scared and respectful of my four-week trip, but in the end it was absolutely unfounded. The coordinators are absolutely great, the people there are super nice and immediately welcome you and this stay is simply the perfect mix of fun / leisure and work in a completely different country, which of course also comes with various challenges (especially 40 a day Especially if you get it as well as I do). The culture in Vietnam is simply breathtaking! The people there are incredibly nice (really really nice compared to Europe), the food is amazing and there is always something new to discover. Above all, working with the children in kindergarten has taught me so much! Dealing with small children, the disciplinary consequences, the way to raise children here. It was simply an experience of a lifetime. Even the three-year-olds were greeted with a huge smile every day and were so excited to learn new English words - of course that immediately fills you with extreme happiness and you really have the feeling that you can make a difference and help. Personally, I spent a month, or four weeks, in Vietnam and around day 5 I realized that I would definitely come back! My tips for your stay: don't be shy, just talk to people. Most people feel just as insecure as you do and are happy to meet new people who share the same experience. Take weekend trips if you have the opportunity to get to know the country even better. Go to the War Remnants Museum and find out about the history of Vietnam - it's really quite heavy, but you just have to see it while you're there. Have fun in life and try to do everything and take every opportunity to experience new things. And most importantly: book your trip to Vietnam, I promise you won't be sorry. Once again a thousand thanks to all the great people in Vietnam and at home who made this unique trip possible for me. I will never forget this experience and will probably tell my grandchildren about it. Thank you, thank you, thank you and lots of kisses from Vienna <3

My highlight of volunteering on the kindergarten program in Vietnam was seeing the kids smile. Playing games with them, singing and dancing with them. Really brings out our inner child and our silliness. The kids are bright and excited to learn.

On the lcoal team and accommodation. Local team was amazing & accomodating. Organising family nights on Monday with games , dinner & karaoke to helping you with anything and everything. Accomodation offered breakfast, lunch & dinner with local food and offers tours.

We had a great time volunteering at the Nutrition Support program in Ho Chi Minh City!

It was such a fulfilling experience to come help out every day and work alongside the other volunteers from all over the world and the local staff to serve really good food to the people of this community.

Kenny was wonderful about escorting us everywhere and explaining our tasks and translating everything from Vietnamese to English.

We got up early in the morning to head to the kitchen and help the staff that’s already been cooking for hours to prepare healthy, filling, and delicious meals for people who otherwise would have a hard time getting something to eat. It’s clear that the members of this community appreciate and benefit from this program and the people who run it, some of whom are volunteers themselves and have been helping out every day for years.

Giving of our time and energy to work together and get to know everyone at the kitchen felt refreshing and satisfying, as well as gave us a unique opportunity to be exposed to real local culture. Everyone was super welcoming and made us feel at home, even through the language barrier that existed on both sides.

We also got to taste the locally sourced dishes that were made in the kitchen, and everything was delicious! Some of the meals were certainly not foods that we would have found on our own and that was extra special. We love experiencing local food and culture wherever we travel, so this was an absolute treat.

We highly recommend Nutrition Support program to anyone visiting Vietnam and staying in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s truly a fantastic experience that you will never forget.