Have you ever wanted to volunteer in a foreign country, but didn’t know the best way to go about it? Have you ever wanted to teach English to Nicaraguan students or build a water system out of plastic bottles for an entire village?
GIVE stands for Growth International Volunteer Excursions. Their mission is to create authentic, transformative opportunities for volunteers to help build critical infrastructure in impoverished areas, learn about other cultures and reflect on their own ability to empower marginalized communities.
Image Source: Caitlan Dallas Fowler
“GIVE gave me the opportunity to combine two of my passions, travel and volunteering,” said volunteer, Caitlan Dallas Fowler. “I loved getting to meet awesome, like-minded people who wanted to actually make a difference, and who I still remain friends with.”
Volunteers can choose to visit places such as Laos, Thailand, Nicaragua and Tanzania. Each day on the journey they will have the opportunity to work in the school systems or help build for the community. In each location volunteers also have the opportunity to go on unique once-in-a-lifetime excursions.
Image Source: http://www.givevolunteers.org/
In Thailand you can raft down rivers to visit different communities, ride on elephants and weave straw baskets with the locals. In Tanzania you can climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and swim with pods of dolphins. In Nicaragua you have the opportunity to scuba dive around man-made sites and sand board down an active volcano.
“I had no idea what I had signed myself up for, but I knew I was excited for the adventure ahead of me,” said volunteer, Katherine Baro. “The locals were so thankful and that made me feel like I was actually making a difference in their lives.”
GIVE trips perfectly combine volunteerism and adventure. The leaders of each group are ready to spread growth and personal experiences to those around them. GIVE trips are a great way to jump in and immerse yourself in volunteering and different cultures around the world.
Image Source: http://www.givevolunteers.org/
For more information on how to get involved with GIVE, visit their website for pricing, dates and contacts.
Here is a video about the experience:
