Give a Fig Volunteering

As a parent I couldn’t have asked for more from a Volunteering company. Even though our daughter is in university, as a parent you are still concerned about them when they go abroad, especially to somewhere as different to the UK as Sri Lanka. We’ve heard some real horror stories about volunteering - from the poor quality of the food served, to the lack of support given and it was quite difficult to make a choice. Overall, the low cost compared to others, and level of support provided by Give a Fig before coming out was excellent and we got the impression- later proved correct - that they cared about what they were doing for the people of Sri Lanka and the volunteers, than the money. I guess that’s the reason they’re a non-profit organisation. With Give a Fig everything was planned and organised from the moment she stepped off the plane, to the day she got back on the plane to come home. To find out that the experience more than matched the expectation was a bonus, especially as she tells me the accommodation and food were so good. Give a Fig clearly provide a very rounded package.

Having researched many volunteering companies, my daughter spoke with Paul and Jane at Give a Fig Volunteering, who were very helpful and reassuring. Paul set out a suggested timetable of what my daughter would be able to do, and talked through the options that she had researched herself. Everything was costed and tailored to her requests, and matched what she wanted to do and see whilst in Sri Lanka. My daughter volunteered at a turtle sanctuary and taught English at a local school and orphanage, and was privileged to be able to teach English to the local monks. She loved the experience, and felt that it really supported her. On her days off she wanted to visit other parts of Sri Lanka, which Give a Fig arranged. She went scuba diving, went on an elephant safari and Give a Fig took her to a couple of festivals.

It was a fantastic opportunity for her, one that she tells me she’ll remember all her life. Indeed, until she went back to Uni after her summer break, she talked about the experience a lot.
As a parent I would highly recommend Give a Fig Volunteering if your son or daughter, anyone really of any age, who wish to undertake volunteering work in Sri Lanka, Paul organised everything so well, it took a lot of worry off a parent’s shoulders.