from $2,375* per person | 28 Days | Year-round |
Basic accommodations | Exertion level: 3 | |
Operator: Global Vision International | 20 people max |
Volunteers will live in an idyllic beach location and travel to indigenous communities to work on essential projects aimed at improving village infrastructure and life. Volunteers will focus on identifying the needs of each specific community, working to improve the local water supply, implement sustainable power sources, provide environmental education and kindergarten and primary school support. This exciting program, created in partnership with the Yasawa Trust Foundation, will enable volunteers to have an important role in the development of sustainable infrastructure across 27 villages in the Yasawa Islands. Volunteers will have the opportunity to snorkel, dive, explore and become truly immersed in Fijian culture during their free time on the weekends
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Fiji
I've been to Guatemala 3 times now, with GVI--and I'll go back. I've tutored English, taught Fifth graders in Spanish, and built stoves. Each volunteer stint has been amazing. I entered in to worlds so different from mine at home. The children, the families, the host families, the other volunteers were all amazing each time I have gone. Everyone gives their all, works and plays together. I'm over 60 and though most of the volunteers are a lot younger, the sense of community was great. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a meaningful way to dig in deep and give, while gaining so much more than you give. Can't wait to go again and see the kids in the schools, the families, GVI staff, and meet a new group of volunteers.
I can't believe it's been a month since I returned from my 10 weeks in South Africa. I had the most incredible time working at the Ikhayalethemba Sanctuary and can't wait to go back! The children are incredible, and I can't even begin to explain how amazing the program was. I spent my entire year volunteering around the world. I was initially working with a different program which was very cheap and it showed. I didn't realize until I started with GVI how much I was missing in my other programs. While GVI does initially seem a little pricey, you really see where your money goes. I wouldn't have it spent any other way. I felt so safe, happy, and stress-free during my entire 10 months in Cape Town. Unfortunately, all volunteer programs don't have that luxury. So, I just want to thank GVI for asking for the money necessary to do the amazing things they are doing for our world and for the people who want to volunteer to make it better! I can't wait to be a part of it again very soon!
Volunteering with GVI was definitely one of the most incredible experiences of my life! I spent 10 weeks doing the Wildlife and Community Expedition in Kenya, and loved every bit of it! Before I left, the staff were very helpful over the phone and by email, and were quick to reply to any questions or concerns I had. Once I arrived in Kenya, the staff there were also super friendly and knowledgable, and really played a big part in making this whole experience wonderful. We got great training and I always felt confident going into the field. It didn't take long before the small village of Shimoni felt like home, with the kids greeting you with "Jambo!" and high-fives every time you went by. From teaching english at the primary schools and singing songs with fifty kindergarteners to teaching chicken farming to ex-poachers in Tsavo, every bit of the work we did was rewarding. Snorkelling the beautiful reefs of the Kisite-Mpunguti marine park was absolutely incredible and seeing a pod of bottle nose dolphins was always exciting. Days in the forest could be tough, but no day was ever boring, and you could always feel like you accomplished a lot at the end of the day. I really feel that GVI is making a difference in Shimoni and Mkwiro, and would do the expedition again without hesitation. I definitely recommend this project for anyone looking for an adventure and an amazing experience!
The villages of the Yasawa Islands, although stunning, have had few sources of income. Tourism has benefited a number of villages in the island chain, but many others still have no steady income and basically live off what they can grow and catch. The Yasawa villages have been identified by our local partners and the Ba Provincial Council as being in need of assistance with water supply systems, sustainable power solutions, and resource management education. Many villages do not have access to a constant supply of fresh water, rely on diesel generation for power, lack a sustainable source of income, and would benefit from further education in resource management.
GVI has been invited by The Yasawa Trust Foundation to assist local efforts to address these basic needs. Volunteers will assist with the assessment of village needs (initially prioritising those to do with water), have a hand in the design of solutions and related logistics, and play an important role in the implementation of identified solutions.
Directly helping in the construction and installation of rainwater harvesting systems, helping to improve the lives of villagers, initiating alternative income programs, volunteer in local kindergartens and schools, interacting with villagers and making lifelong friends. On weekends or pre/post your volunteer work you can enjoy island hopping, stunning remote island locations, scuba diving, snorkelling, traditional ceremonies, idyllic traditional Fijian villages, white beaches, climbing volcanic mountains, enjoying breathtaking scenery, cave swimming, cultural immersion in the Fijian way of life, learning to speak Fijian.
Volunteers will be based in the Yasawa Islands, 4.5 hours by ferry off the coast of Nadi. The Yasawas is a chain of 20 ancient islands, 4 of them rising to over 600 metres elevation above sea level. The islands are surrounded by pristine white sandy beaches. Dramatic volcanic hillsides on the edge of crystal clear lagoons provide a beautiful environment in which to work and relax at the end of each day.
Volunteers will stay in a basic dormitory accommodation with other volunteers and project staff. There is a communal living area, kitchen and work area. Volunteers will assist with cleaning and cooking on rotation and will gather each evening for a daily de-brief and a briefing for the following day. Volunteers will travel to the local communities to work on a daily basis. Accommodations have cold running water and showers and limited electricity.
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