Meet Like-Minded People

GVI are a really engaging and proactive organisation. They will help you from the moment you consider joining a programme, all the way through to your arrival back home. This was my first experience volunteering abroad and even travelling alone, so I was worried but they helped me at every stage and I felt comfortable whilst pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I cannot recommend them enough, especially for first-time/young travellers.
I went to Cusco, Peru for a month on a Women's Empowerment programme and truly had the time of my life with like-minded people making a difference in the local community. I personally worked on 4 different projects - the projects vary (length/type/volunteers) depending on the needs of the community. This was really interesting because every project was so different but also needed by the community - every day was something different. I have made friends around the world for life and feel that I have grown as a person in my confidence, maturity and cultural awareness. I would highly recommend GVI and particularly Cusco as there are lots of projects to help with (not necessarily explicitly related to one topic - i.e. women's empowerment, community development, nature conservation, education) meaning your work goes a long way!