There is no better way to spend Christmas – Valerie and Orlando in Argentina
Valerie and Dad Orlando are spending the holidays in Argentina this year, together with Valeries mom and brother. They are helping out as volunteers in a small village with immigrants from all over South America. Valeries grandparents immigrated to Argentina many years ago. Valeries dad later took his wife and their children to Sydney to start a new life there. Now they are back, helping other immigrants. – We’ve had so much help and now we want to help others. There is no better way to spend Christmas.
Find Marianne’s story on Instagram
Feel inspired to volunteer in Argentina?
Find all the programs to volunteer in Argentina on IKPVA’s Homepage. There you can read in full detail about the community development project in Buenos Aires.
Read about more volunteer experiences in Buenos Aires:
Lucy and Takara serving Meals for children and families in Buenos Aires
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Adam Leese, volunteer from UK, looking for a new Messi in Argentina
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Community Development – Volunteering in Argentina and now in Brazil
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Nadir from Brazil enjoyed playing with the children at “The Orphanage” in Tanzania
Nadir Oliveira from Brazil has volunteered with the children of “The Orphanage” in Arusha, Tanzania and shares her beautiful experience:
I’m from Brazil.
I’ve had three unforgettable weeks working as a volunteer in Arusha, Tanzania.
To be in a foreign country, especially in a continent so different from our western life was the first impact.
The second impact was the institution “The Orphanage” with many children that wanted affection. Besides the affection they’ve wanted to learn more.
On the other hand, the great variety of necessities of this institution: food, clothes, didactic materials, domestic services, etc.
But that’s What I’ve thought.
And now I only can say:
Thank you so much because I was able to learn, teach, support to teacher, play with children and help a little in the daily routine.
I only have positive points about the program: the whole organization, support with informations, suggestions, safety recommendations and many other things.
I also consider very important to comment the acommodation: localization, home, amenities, food and the care of people who work at the home.
At the end, I have to say thank you for the touristic informations and programs that I could did.
Thank you so much for this magic experience in my life.
– Nadir Oliveira
Felipe and his family volunteer at Rio de Janeiro’s National Park
Last Sunday Iko Poran’s Founder and Director went with his family to volunteer in a community effort cleaning a riverbed at Rio de Janeiro’s National Park.
Felipe with Samara Cipriano volunteering at Rio de Janeiro's National Park
Environmental volunteers at the World’s largest Urban Rainforest in Rio
The Tijuca Rainforest is one of the natural gems of Rio de Janeiro. IKPVA volunteers have been working at the rainforest for many years now, in order to preserve the ecological so important area. What volunteers say about their experience:
So far I have had a wonderful experience volunteering in Rio de Janeiro with Iko Poran’s Urban Environmentalism program. I am half way through my two-month stay in Rio and I already know that it will be a very valuable experience for me. The project consists of work in Tijuca National Park and at a large community garden in a favela, where they grow almost every sort of common vegetable in Brazil. The people I work with in the communities are all incredibly kind and welcoming, not to mention they are doing work that makes a big difference for themselves and the environment. – Elisa
See First Hand the Ecological Challenges that Rio faces….
Volunteering with the environmental program gave me the opportunity to see first hand the ecological challenges that Rio faces and make a difference myself while also having the chance to witness the incredible beauty of the city and parks as I was doing it! I also loved the independence that Iko Poran gave me! – Destiny
Adriana fell in love with Brazil
Adriana Puiggros has been volunteering with children in one of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, and she fell in love with Brazil:
Risking my life, investing my time, working to help the children of this favela in Rio de Janeiro was undoubtedly an indescribable experience that changed my way of seeing things and life forever. It saddens me to think that I will not see these children again, at least in a long time, but I am happy for everything that has taken me. Now it’s time to close a stage in Rio, but it’s not the time to leave. Soon I will open a new stage in Brazil full of new experiences, people and places to know. I’ve fallen madly in love with this country.
❤
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Original – Portuguese:
Arriscar minha vida, investir meu tempo, trabalhar para ajudar as crianças desta favela do Rio de Janeiro, foi sem dúvida alguma uma experiência indescritível que me mudou a minha forma de ver as coisas e a vida para sempre. Entristece-me pensar que já não vou voltar a ver estas crianças, pelo menos em um tempo longo, mas estou feliz por tudo o que me levou. Agora é hora de fechar uma etapa no Rio, mas não é hora de ir embora. Em breve vou abrir uma nova etapa no Brasil cheia de novas experiências, pessoas e lugares por conhecer. Este país me tem loucamente apaixonada.
Want to volunteer in Rio?
Find here the programs to volunteer in Brazil. You may also have a look at our page with all childcare abroad programs in many countries.
South Africa: All the smiles, all the sincere “Thank you teacher”
About one of the greatest adventures.
Ended up getting more then I was giving.
All the smiles, all the sincere “Thank you teacher”, all those hugs were worth every second.
Porque no final, acabei por receber o triplo daquilo que dei.Sara Ferreira with the children: All the smiles
Cada um daqueles sorrisos, cada um daqueles abraços fizeram valer cada segundo daquele lado. Aprendi que a simplicidade e a humildade são qualidades que fazem as pessoas lindas , e estes pequenos são tão ricos nisso que me fizerem sentir ridícula quando penso que tenho problemas na vida, bullshit… São pequenos adultos que irradiam amor pelo olhar e que aquecem a alma com um sorriso e talvez por isso vá sentir saudades…
-
Sara Ferreira de Matos
Most Popular Childcare Volunteer Abroad Programs
Find here some of the popular childcare volunteer abroad destinations, where our volunteers live a rewarding, unforgettable experience. Probably, caring for children is one of the things which most goes to the heart, since sharing love and joy mkes us feel happy, too.
South Africa: Teaching at Doreen’s Crèche
I have no words to express my feelings … Maybe love, happiness and simplicity be them. – Mariana Oliveira, Brazil
Mariana, who has been volunteering with the children in South Africa, now has brought a the gifts for donation to the Crèche:
Mariana with the children in South Africa
Today when I arrived with gifts at school for donation, I could not imagine such happiness, both of the children when they saw the presents as mine to see all those smiles and glitter in the eyes.
No doubt it was one of the happiest moments of my life! See all those kids screaming, jumping and saying “thank you, teacher”.
Doreen’s Crêche is located at Masiphumelele Township, around 45 minutes from central Cape Town. The crèche receives over 60 children aged 3-6 during the day while their parents are at work to earn a living.
Find here the volunteer program at Doreen’s Crèche, in Cape Town, South Africa
Cambodia: Childcare Volunteers at a Day Care Centre
Albane from France describes here volunteer work at a day care centre, where the children from poor neighborhoods find love and care, and even can learn English:
Albane with the children at the day care centre
I took care of a class of 7 children (5-6 years old) from 9:00 a.m to 4 p.m, from Monday to Friday. Sometimes I picked them up in their shanty towns at 8 a.m with the staff. It was very hard and sad to see where they live and in such poor conditions, but it was part of the experience and I simply loved their face, their excitation when the association bus (that we used to pick them up at Home) arrived in front of their living place ( we can’t call it “a house”).
When they arrive at the day Care center around 9 a.m, they sing and pray with a Kmer teacher. This was so cute to see them so happy to be there and to take pleasure to sing and pray (even if they lost sometimes their concentration rapidly when they saw the volunteers next to them and they guessed that they will play games after ahah).
After that, it was “shower time” for all children. So we had to make them take a shower, put soap on their body, shampoo on their haïr, and dress them up with the association “uniform” (too cute).Then, I taught them English until lunch time (around 11 a.m). As school facilities, I had a board, some books, pens, and thats it. I regretted not to have brought with me school support for the class when I see how much they were happy to learn. Some days, when they were very excited, I had time to do some games ( often drawings) after the lesson and before the lunch time. When they ate, I helped to clean the dishes, and other little tasks to help the staff.
Find our Cambodia childcare volunteer program here.
Kenya: Best experience of my life! – Volunteer at Cannan Orphanage
Samantha describes her experience at the orphanage in Mombassa. where the children range from babies of a few months to teenagers:
Samantha with the children in Mombassa
I was in Mombassa for around 4 months and I was nineteen years old. I didn’t know what to study yet or what to do with my life I had just finished high school. Just being there with the people was a life changing experience, I had the best time in Cannan Orphanage, the kids are the most beautiful kids I’ve ever seen, teaching them and playing with them was so fulfilling.
A trip to Kenya is worthwhile anyway:
Also the country is beautiful, in the weekends I would book tours and excursions around Mombassa and see everything Kenya has to offer. At the end I left like a different person, it was by far the best 4 months of my life. Because of that experience i decided to go into Clinical Nutrition in university and do more volunteering like this in the future.
Find the Kenya volunteer program here.
Ghana: Loving Ghana, the kids are great.
Jeanette Warthon, from USA, has been to Ghana and enjoyed working with the children:
Loving Ghana, the kids are great. Ghanaians are so friendly, everyday is a new experience.
Working as a child care volunteer in Ghana, you will make a member of the stuff, from Monday to Friday. On the weekends you may choose, if you want to make a trip in the country or rather stay and continue working. With your volunteer work you will focus on caring for the children in a loving way. During the day you will nurture the children, play with them and tutor them with vaious activities.
More about the Ghana Childcare program.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: humbled by the warmth and positivity
The children and workers I worked alongside were amazing and I was humbled by the warmth and positivity they showed, despite having very little material possessions.
Explore the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro
As you are not working every day, you have the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro and learn about the cultures of others. For me, Brazil is an amazing country and I hope to return, to see more. – Lucy Foreman
Find the Brazil Childcare Program on our homepage!
More childcare volunteer porgrams
Visit our page with all the childcare volunteer projects in many countries.
Please leave a comment….
What do you think? Did you have any experience volunteering with children or would you like to know more?
Pleas let us know in the comment section below!
Volunteer with Elephants in Thailand – Surin
Volunteer with elephants in Thailand, Surin, and join the centuries old tradition of training ‘domestic’ elephants by mahouts in Thailand.
The volunteer program aims to offer a responsible and sustainable alternative to the fate often faced by elephants in Thailand. The elephants are no longer needed in the timber industry to haul the tribes, and many elephants are taken to urban areas to beg for money and are often mistreated. Therefore, our elephant volunteer program continues to lead the way in Surin in helping to change attitudes towards elephant care for the better.
Volunteer with elephants in Surin
Volunteer with Elephants in Surin and Support the Local Community
This Elephant Experience financially supports the local community and the wellbeing of the elephants. Whilst volunteering with the elephants, you will epxerience the local village life and culture. This gives you the opportunity to learn about rural Thai culture and to witness the incredible challenges that elephant communities and mahouts face in Thailand. Spend your days close and in personal touch with these magnificent elephants.
Treating the Elephants with Respect: No Riding Policy
Since all the activities are about caring for the elephants and treating them with respect, we put our strict no riding policy. Therefore, on your work schedule you will walk the elephants through the river and bathe them. Moreover, you will plant and harvest food for the elephants and also feed them. Since we put the elephants in the first place, we base everything around a new approach to elephant care.
Meals:
Meals are included whilst at the village – please budget around $10-15 USD per day when you’re not at the village.
Arrival airport: Bangkok international airport, Suvarnabhumi – BKK.