Life Development Center

Why choose Life Development Center?

The Life Development Center is an non-profit NGO (Non Governmental Organization) located out of Chiang Mai, Thailand. We work to ensure that vulnerable tribal people have good living conditions by working closely with communities to establish income-generating projects that will both increase tribal people's success and preserve the environment.

The village community is in constant need of donations and volunteers of all kinds. Volunteers have the opportunity to stay in a hill tribe village while working closely with the villagers on sustainable community development projects. Past volunteers have worked on building spaces for shelter and spaces for self-sustaining businesses. You can also come stay with us at our organic farm located in the hill tribes of Chiang Dao, Thailand. For more information, visit our website.

Website

ldcl.org

Founded

1994

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Reviews

If you want an amazing, impactful experience in Thailand-look no further. Working with LDC was a life changing experience. First of all, P. Manop (the founder) is one of the kindest, most hardworking men I've ever met. He will really set you up and take care of you and he really cares about the work that LDC does. I still stay in contact with him today and would trust him with my life. I never once felt unsafe and I always felt supported by and comfortable around staff.
LDC gives you the chance to live with a hilltribe community (great way to experience a new culture) and work alongside them and P. manop. The work I did was in construction but I also got some agriculture and english teaching volunteer experience as well. I volunteered with LDC through a third party which ended up being a more expensive way to do it. I would recommend volunteering directly through LDC to avoid unnecessary fees.

What would you improve about this program?

In the beginning, it was hard to understand the bigger picture vision for the project we completed. P. manop put together a powerpoint presentation at the end of our work that explained our works' impact and its role in the bigger picture vision but it would have been more helpful to have more education about this upfront.

Manop and Anna were wonderful hosts during our week in Chiang Mai. We got integrated in the little family immediately (with all the animals!). The place is breath taking, scenery truly stunning. It was an experience to be in such a rural place in the bush and learn about all the plants, the different ethnicities and the local life in this area. We truly felt welcomed, loved the home made food and had a really good time over there in general.

What would you improve about this program?

More working structure maybe, sometimes it was hard to know what we were actually doing eventhough we still enjoyed it a lot.

I volunteered at LDC during a summer in college and it was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. Manop and everyone else at the site are so inspiring to work with and three years later, I am still in contact with everyone I met while at LDC. I made such good friends and we all got so close within the first few days working together. This is a must do if you want to experience Thailand and I wish more than anything I could go back. Thank you to everyone at LDC!!! The memories we shared are with me everyday!

I volunteered with this program at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand and had the best times of my life! Our leader was Manop, who was one of the most humble, warm, and welcoming people I have met. He always ensured that we were having a good time, and participated in the work with us. I have made lifelong friends through this program, and actually went back to the Elephant Nature Park a couple of years later because I had such a great experience. I would highly recommend this program!