A brand new Laptop with WiFi connection for the Orphanage in Tanzania: Irina makes a donation
Irina Ruzhnikova, a volunteer from France, bought a laptop and Wi-Fi connection to the orphanage where she is working in Tanzania. The children are very happy! On the video you can see the children dancing and singing.
A magic moment when the children receive the brand new laptop
Work as a volunteer parenting teacher at the orphanage in Tanzania
When you go ahead and organize all kind of activities for the children, they will greatly appreciate your creativity and dedication! You can teach them arts & crafts, English, plan outdoors activities, organize a theater play or dance workshop, etc. They are more than open to anything you want to offer. Also you can help in the kitchen, vegetable garden or in the farm.
Most importantly, they need care and affection. With the right effort and ideas, you can really help them change their live paths.
The first Laptop at the orphanage: Computer Literacy for the children
With Irina’s new laptop, the children discover a whole new world of internet technology. It’s magic!
Are you up for it? Come and join the project as a parenting teacher at the orphanage to leave your mark!
About the Orphanage in Arusha
Around 25 children aged 4 to 15 live there while waiting for adoption since all of them are orphans. The team at the orphanage offers more than just food, clothing, and shelter; they offer education and a loving home.
More volunteer experiences in Tanzania
Jessica Mansoto shares her love with children in Tanzania
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Volunteer Gabrielle, from the US, shares her Love with Children in Tanzania
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Nadir from Brazil enjoyed playing with the children at “The Orphanage” in Tanzania
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Mayara shares her love as a parenting teacher at a kindergarten in South Africa
Mayara Pedra Pinheiro, from Brazil, shares her love in a kindergarten in South Africa as a parenting teacher in Cape Town. 
What can you do as a Parenting Teacher at the Kindergarten in South Africa?
If you love children, working as a volunteer parenting teacher is something really fulfilling. At the same time, a childhood dream can become true. You’ll get to know fascinating South Africa with its unique wildlife and Mediterranean climate.
Moreover, you’ll be able to open your eyes to different realities. At the same time do something that you love: taking care of the children at the kindergarten in South Africa with lots of love.
Learning about African Culture
As a child care volunteer at the kindergarten, you will learn about the African culture and children as well as contributing to the community as a whole.
Wildlife Volunteering in Cambodia: Animal Rescue in a Poor Community
Get involed with wildlife volunteering in Cambodia, in its vibrating capital Phnom Penh. Since the developing country still faces problems as poor education and poverty, locals are often unable to care properly for their animals. So, as a volunteer, you can care for these poor abandoned cats and dogs of the community!
Rescue abandoned animals as an animal rescue volunteer in the streets of Phnom Penh
Poor nutrition for these animals often causes diseases, and sometimes people are selling the animals to the cruel and barbaric meat trade. Therefore, your help as a animal conservation volunteer is crucial for the survival of these pets.
Pets in Need of Food and Care
We see that some owners do not care much about their own pets and sometimes they leave them outside from home without any food or care. Some dogs and cats get sick without any medicine that can get more serious without treatment and they end up dyeing.
Rescue Team with Dogs
The animal rescue program plays a very important role in order to help poor dogs and cats to get more security and safety in Phnom Penh. It also provides a good opportunity for the volunteers who are passionate animals’ lovers to get the chance to treat and give love to poor dogs and cats.
Meet buddhist Monks while working as a wildlife volunteer in Cambodia
While the Volunteers work together with the local staffs and other foreigners, they will sometimes even meet Buddhist Monks and local people in the community.
On the Working Schedule of Volunteers and Vets who join the Animal Rescue Team
Volunteers can help poor animals feeding them every day; we give them 3 meals per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast, we start to feed cats and dogs at 7:00 am. Besides feeding the cats and dogs, volunteers also can help to clean the room of animals that needs to be cleaned every day.
They also have to go to the vets in the case that the animal gets sick.
Volunteers usually stay with cats and dogs and sometime will go to the poor area and pagodas in order to find any other animals that we can help.
Help of Vets needed for treatment and surgery of street animals
We often need help from veterinarians to treat, neuter and operate street animals, but also to mentor our Cambodian veterinary trainees.
Note: it would be good if volunteers get vaccinated because normally volunteers need to stay with the dogs and cats that get sick.
Michel teaching Samba for the Children at a Daycare in South Africa
Michel has been teaching samba rhythms to the children of a daycare in Masiphumelele, Cape Town. The children enjoy playing with him, and say even “I Love you Michel”, and “Come to South Africa”.
A picture tells more than thousand words, here are the videos clips:
Samba rhythms at the daycare:
“I love you Michel”
“Please come to South Africa”
How to be a Child Care Volunteer in South Africa?
Visit our page with the child care volunteering project in Cape Town, where you can teach children at Doreen’s Crèche in a poor neighborhood on the southern peninsula.
As a volunteer teacher, you can bring something of you culture, like Michel brought Samba. The children will appreciate!
There are so many beautiful stories of our volunteers working with the children in Masi:
Mayara shares her love as a parenting teacher at a kindergarten in South Africa
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A dream come true: Isabella traveled to South Africa and cared for children in a kindergarten
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Camilla has been Volunteering in a Creche with children in Cape town
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Advocating for Children in South Africa: Dr. Hugo Tolomei from Brazil
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Rodrigo from Brazil makes children smile in South Africa
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Teaching Children in South Africa: Marsha from New York and Enzo from France
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Tour guides in Rio learn English with Frederikke from Denmark
Volunteer Frederikke Cronquist from Denmark is teaching English for tour guides in Rio de Janeiro and teaching drawing techniques for young people. Many thanks Frederikke! You make us believe that a better world is possible!
Teaching English for Tour Guides in Brazil
For tour guides, among other professions, learning English is essential to their work. So your help as a volunteer teacher makes all the difference in people’s lives! As a volunteer teacher, you can choose whether you prefer to teach some students or give a full class in Rio.
The best practice for volunteer teachers in Rio would be to create their own lesson plans. Often, volunteers work together, planning their English classes for future tour guides or other people who want to work with tourism.
Visit the volunteer program to teach English in Brazil on our Homepage.
Volunteer of Visual Arts in Rio de Janeiro
Frederikke Cronquist Denmark drawing techniques
When you feel like sharing your creativity and passion for the arts, take a trip to Rio de Janeiro as an arts and design volunteer. As Rio has already inspired many artists and musicians, you can find young talents and help them grow. During your stay, you will work with children and teenagers from the favelas of Rio, developing their artistic talents.
Working with children from various communities in Rio, your efforts will play a valuable role in helping a project desperately without resources, allowing you to absorb Rio’s artistic vibes.
Visit the arts volunteer program in Rio de Janeiro. While working in Brazil, you will know the country as no tour guide could show for you!
Volunteering in Sri Lanka: Rewarding Projects in a Tropical Paradise
Join one of our projects for volunteering in Sri Lanka, a charming country with no equal in the world. In this tropical country with a smiling sun all year round and golden beaches, you can participate in fascinating and rewarding volunteer projects.
Volunteering in Sri Lanka at fascinating locations like Badulla or Colombo
You can choose between social and educational projects, an environmental volunteer program in the preservation of sea turtles or stages of medicine and psychology at the modern Hospital of Colombo.
After all, you can even participate in meditation at a Buddhist monastery.
Whatever voluntary program you choose, you will discover ancient cities, take in exciting safaris, and experience the rich and colorful culture. In addition, you can practice adventure sports and make friends with lovely people … where else can you get all this in one place?
Sri Lanka: a gem located at the Southern tip of India
As Sri Lanka is located at the tip of India, this small exotic island provides a tropical climate. The island reveals itself as gem that is abundant with wonderful discoveries for any tourist or volunteer. Whether it’s a journey of exploring the desert, a holiday of Ayurvedic well-being, a relaxing getaway in the sun, or even that quick business trip, there is something for everyone.
Read some reviews of our volunteers in Asia:
Volunteer Teachers at a Buddhist Monastery in Nepal
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Wildlife Volunteering in Cambodia: Animal Rescue in a Poor Community
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You stay my Favorite. You are my Nepali family! – Alice from France
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Valérie had a hands on Medical Volunteering Experience in Thailand
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Teaching at school in India: Patricia and Rui from Portugal
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Caregiving and Teaching for Children at a Day Care in Cambodia
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A dream come true: Isabella traveled to South Africa and cared for children in a kindergarten
This trip was first and foremost a dream come true, I had long wanted to visit South Africa and this country did not leave anything to wish for, was everything I expected and a little more. The voluntary work option came because I’m passionate about this type of trip, so I went to an NGO where most of the money was spent on the project and found Iko Poran, who also had the advantage of being much more into account that tourism companies that offer this kind of trip, I chose a project with children in a township, and then, with the tickets bought (TAAG airlines) I went to what would be the best and biggest adventure of my life.
My first days in Cape Town
A dream come true in South Africa
The first few days were quiet, I was introduced to the other residents of the house (who later became good friends) and then the next day I met the group of children I would be a volunteer teacher, I was received with shouts and celebrations, “teachá” was like they called me every day, it is impossible not to fall in love. The Township where I worked was called Masiphumelele, but called Masi affectionately, it was not the hostile and dangerous place they painted, so the importance of entering a culture before to judge her, as soon as I arrived, the transfer company’s own girl said that it was very dangerous to take the vans leaving from the townships, that was the transport I took every day and I never had any kind of problem, people from the townships are cheerful, friendly and very helpful and the children are very well cared for despite all the poverty that can not be denied that exists there.
Volunteer work at the day care center during the week and weekend trips
I worked about 3 hours a day in the morning and had the afternoon and the free weekends, I usually stayed with the other volunteers at home during the week and during the weekend we would make group tours to explore the region. In contrast with the poverty of Masi, it was the place where the volunteers’ residence was located, Fish Hoek, is a rich region and I did not suffer any kind of harassment or insecurity during the whole stay there, definitely a place I recommend, mainly for those who will stay longer, besides having one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen in life. Fish Hoek is an hour by train from Cape Town and is 20 minutes from Muizenberg, one of the most famous beaches there and where are the largest surfing schools, I even took a chance and got waves, I got to stand on the board by 20 seconds, what for me is a win hahaha
Dream like Beaches: Penguin Beach near Cape Town
Praia dos Pinguins
Because of the distance from the Cape Town sights, I only got to know two (yes, I did not go up to Table Mountain, I did not go to Robben Island or Cape of Good Hope) but I want to go back to do everything, I met the V & A Waterfront and to Boulder’s Beach, the famous Penguin Beach, I really enjoyed Cape Town and despite the reports of harassment and insecurity I was able to walk around quietly without any of it, my tip is: do everything in a group if possible and try to stay close to the tourist areas.
Trip to Jacobs Bay
In my penultimate week we made a trip to Jacobs Bay which was amazing, starting with the hostel called Jacobs Bay Backpackers and had a whole fairy tale, one of the most beautiful places I have ever stayed, no doubt. The beaches were indescribable and the Peaceful feeling was something present in any corner, very few tourists and much to be admired. The trip cost 600 rand (about 200 reais) per person, including car rental, gasoline, hostel and food, we were in a group of 9 people .
Dica para futuros voluntários na África do Sul
My tip for anyone who wants to do any kind of volunteer work, especially in South Africa is: ONLY GO! I hope it changes your life, just as it changed mine. – Isabella Neves, Brazil
Read Isabella’s original post on “Mochileiros” (portuguese).
Visit our project for volunteer work with children at Doreen’s Day Care, in Cape Town South Africa. There you also find, how to sign up!
More experiences from our volunteers in South Africa
Mayara shares her love as a parenting teacher at a kindergarten in South Africa
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Michel teaching Samba for the Children at a Daycare in South Africa
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Volunteer to Rescue Cats and Dogs in Cape Town
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Camilla has been Volunteering in a Creche with children in Cape town
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Caring for Orphaned Animals of the African Bush: Ricardo from Brazil
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Advocating for Children in South Africa: Dr. Hugo Tolomei from Brazil
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Medical Volunteer Program in Ethiopia: Dr. Emmanuel Ehiwe gives an interview
Dr. Emmanuel Ehiwe, a consultant sonographer and public health practitioner from Birmingham, England talks about his volunteer program in Ethiopia. The interview was published on GoOverseas, find the full interview here.
Dr. Ehiwe served in different NHS Hospitals and currently teaches public health with health and social care courses in higher education colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He works as a clinical instructor for reproductive health (maternal and child) ultrasound program for obstetricians and gynecologists.
Why did you choose this program?
I was inspired to undertake this program as part of the need to give back and contribute to human development and society. My experience of working and providing care to patients gave me the inspiration to meet obvious gaps in practice and level of medical training among youths who are future leaders of the African continent.
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The program organizers provided me the forum to meet with some youths who are members of the indigenous communities in Addis Ababa. They helped with local arrangements of lodging and accommodation, as well as guidance on moving around the city of Addis. The organizers also provided me with the training environment.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone going on your program?
One piece of advice I would give to anyone considering this program is to be very open minded and prepare to meet new people. This is because I found the Ethiopian community locals to be friendly and warm towards volunteers and tourists. I would also advise that you make detailed enquiries about the specific roles and duties you would be involved in before you set out for the program.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
An average day in the program was filled with one tutoring activity or the other. A typical day involved helping the kids review their school home work and getting involved in one public health advocacy seminar or the other in the evenings. Each workshop focused on teaching the youths life saving skills in emergency situations where there is no doctor. We also worked on learning first aid treatments for common injuries and accidents amongst other things.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
I did not really have any fears or negative expectations before setting out for this program. This was because I knew and read from the web that Ethiopia is a peace loving and friendly country, particularly when you stay and work within the capital city of Addis Ababa. I had planned and limited my visit to this part of the country.
How can I participate in a volunteer program in Ethiopia?
Find the full detail on our page about volunteering in Ethiopia on our homepage. There, you also can read about the wellness and health program in Addis Ababa.
Valérie had a hands on Medical Volunteering Experience in Thailand
I participated in the Thailand Medical Volunteering project in Surin province and was placed at Takook Community Hospital. I had initially intended to stay 2 weeks in this program. Yet, since the first week I was there, I knew instantly that I wanted to stay longer which I did. Felipe from Iko Poran was incredibly helpful in sorting out pre-departure fees and was also available to answer all my questions.
Valérie
As for the program, I was astonished at how hands-on it was and how incredibly lovely and welcoming the Thailand team was. I got the opportunity to partake in wound-dressing on locals of a rather indigent part of the countryside. The team gave us training in the first week, but by the second, we were given a lot of autonomy for house calls, obviously accompanied by one of the nurses. The people of the village were also incredibly friendly and giving.
Furthermore, we had plenty of time after volunteering hours and on our three-day weekends to discover other parts of Surin as well as the beautiful islands such as Koh Samet, Koh Chang, and many others.
I highly recommend this program to anyone who has not previously had much medical experience or anyone who wishes to extend their current skills to communities that cannot usually access such care. – Valérie Pierre-Louis, from France
Video of Valérie measuring blood sugar
How to join the Thailand Medical Volunteering Project?
Visit our page with the full description of the medical internship in Thailand, and sign up! You may have a look at more volunteer projects in Thailand as well.
Camilla has been Volunteering in a Creche with children in Cape town
I volunteered in a creche with children of 0 to 6 years old in Masiphumelele, a Township in Fish Hoek – Cape Town. Most of the time I worked with children from 5 to 6 years old, who at home would speak a language called Khosa, and at school they learn English. So, the volunteers teach them the shapes, colors, numbers, and among other basic things in English. In addition to literacy we play a lot, give hugs, lap, care, dance and sing. It is very fun and rewarding, a unique experience and difficult to explain with just words. My heart has multiplied!
I lived in a house with more volunteers from all over the world, I met and made many friends. Moreover, the region is beautiful and has many places to visit, adventures and food to try.
Camilla playing with the children
What is your advice to future travelers volunteering at the Creche?
My advice is to volunteer de maximum of time you can. Just 1 or 2 weeks is not enough! All the volunteers I met that only went for a short time were sad they didn’t stayed for longer. So what recommend that is the perfect amount of time is staying for 1 month. The time will pass so fast that you will not even notice. I know it’s hard because you think you will miss your family and friends a lot, but you will make so many new friends in your new home, will go to so many adventures that the time will fly! – Camilla Bartholomei Santos, from Brazil
How to volunteer at th daycare in Cape Town, South Africa
Visit our page with the volunteer project at a daycare in Masiphumelele, Fish Hoek in order to find the full information and sign up!
You may also read about more volunteer programs, like wildlife volunteering in South Africa.
More volunteer experiences at Doreen’s Crèche
Mayara shares her love as a parenting teacher at a kindergarten in South Africa
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Michel teaching Samba for the Children at a Daycare in South Africa
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A dream come true: Isabella traveled to South Africa and cared for children in a kindergarten
Read More
Advocating for Children in South Africa: Dr. Hugo Tolomei from Brazil
Read More
Rodrigo from Brazil makes children smile in South Africa
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Teaching Children in South Africa: Marsha from New York and Enzo from France
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