Program Reviews

The organization is very well organized and provides volunteer opportunities all over the world. We did a homestay in Cordoba, Argentina. We loved getting to know the coordinators and local team. They were extremely welcoming, patient, and willing to listen. The employees at the volunteer location were very friendly. They made us feel at home and shared how grateful they were that we were there. I highly recommend this program and in particular volunteering in Cordoba, Argentina. It's scary trying something new, but worthwhile!

Hello, my name is Perla, and I am 20 years old. Volunteering in another country has been a long-standing goal of mine. I love traveling and discovering new cultures, but I wanted to add a deeper purpose to my travels. That’s why I decided to join a childcare program in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam with IVHQ. As a first-time volunteer abroad, I think this program was the perfect choice.

I remember arriving at the accommodation, feeling overwhelmed and questioning why I had decided to travel to the other side of the world. However, this feeling quickly faded as I began connecting with the people around me. The Local Team was incredibly welcoming, and helped me with everything I needed. They were genuinely caring and made sure we embraced this journey in the right way.

On the night of my arrival, some volunteers from other programs were sitting down on the patio of the accommodation. I joined them, and as I listened to their conversation, I wondered how long they had known each other? They seemed so close for a group that had just met a week ago. It amazed me how quickly you can connect with someone when you share the same goal.

Volunteering in a Kindergarten was an absolute joy. If you love kids, you will fall in love with this program. I felt like I relived a part of my childhood during my time in Ho Chi Minh.

Lastly, I was truly impressed by the Vietnamese culture -the people, the food, the traditions. I was amazed. Traveling so far away makes you realize how different and unique each environment is. When you’ve lived your whole life in one place, you might not fully appreciate the importance of traditions because they’re just the way things have always been. Vietnam is simply lovely and my time there went by so fast that I wished I could have stayed longer.

This program is amazing for anyone to do! It always you to give back and grow and discover new things as a person. Both the International Volunteer HQ team and local team were always readily available to help. The program was well-organized and provided me with the opportunity to make a positive impact in the local community.

The staff members were knowledgeable and supportive, providing me with all the information and resources I needed to be successful in my volunteer work. They were also friendly and welcoming, making me feel at home in a new and unfamiliar environment.

The volunteer work itself was meaningful and fulfilling. I was able to work alongside local community members and make a tangible difference in their lives. Every task I completed felt like it was making a real difference.

Overall, I would highly recommend this volunteer program to anyone looking to make a positive impact abroad. Not only will you have the opportunity to help others, but you will also gain valuable skills and experiences that will stay with you long after you return home

IVHQ really gives me a good chance to travel in a meaningful way. Compared with usual travel experience, IVHQ project let me meet new friends from other countries, and we cooperate to complete the project making impact on the world. The trip is safe, happy and meaningful.
If you are alone and cannot find a friend to travel with you, IVHQ project would be a good chance for you. There are various destinations and projects, just be brave to go there, to make new friends, and know more about the world. The place is safe, the accomodation is safe and the local team always try their best to provide help.

When I decided to volunteer abroad, I wasn’t sure which organisations to do it with but as soon as I found IVHQ, I knew I should go with them. My family were worried about other organisations not being reputable but IVHQ was trustworthy and i am already trying to plan my next trip with them! Their website was incredibly easy to navigate and gave me personalised recommendations on programmes that would suit me. I decided to go with the sea turtle conservation in Bali and i’m so happy I did it!! I can honestly say it was the best experience of my life (maybe on the same level as seeing taylor swift) and I wholeheartedly believe everyone should volunteer abroad, especially with IVHQ. Before volunteering, they gave me a checklist of everything I needed and gave me information on local customs and exactly what to expect which was very accurate when I arrived in Bali. We were given information on how the money we spend on the programme is spent and I don’t regret it at all. The programme managers were really helpful prior to starting and group video calls were helpful for asking questions. I found that the other volunteers were all really welcoming, especially the coordinators, and it was a really warm and friendly environment. I left Bali a week ago and already miss it so much, it really felt like home there and the community is amazing. Everyone in Bali was so positive and it’s such an amazing atmosphere. I learned so much whilst volunteering with IVHQ and met so many amazing people. I think everyone should experience volunteering abroad and IVHQ is a great organisation to do it with, especially for a first solo travel experience. This was my first solo trip but I was never really alone through any of the process because IVHQ made sure I had everything I needed and even had a facebook group to connect with other volunteers. I fully recommend IVHQ and especially the sea turtle conservation in Bali.

Residing in a homestay with a family provided a profound cultural immersion, offering a unique and needed perspective. IVHQ did an outstanding job making the trip safe, enjoyable, and meaningful. The warmth and hospitality of the host family enriched my experience in ways that I could not have anticipated. The cultural exchange and personal connections formed were invaluable, and I would gladly repeat this adventure a hundred times over! It was also wonderful to work directly with patients and healthcare workers in the clinic setting.

I recently spent three incredible weeks in Bali, participating in an amazing experience that combined both adventure and volunteering.

The first week I did the Adventure Week, where I had the opportunity to do incredible activities such as surfing at Kuta Beach, hiking up Mt Batur during the night to catch the breathtaking sunrise, rafting on the Ayung river, visiting a turtle conservation center, biking through the beautiful rice fields in Ubud, and exploring a coffee plantation, among many other exciting experiences.

The following two weeks I was volunteering in healthcare education at a school near Ubud. My partner and I prepared lessons in advance, covering different topics each day such as smoking, healthy food, hygiene, first aid, rabies, and more. The students, who were in 6th grade, were so eager to learn and made such efforts to participate and speak English. They were just amazing to us, making our teaching experience truly incredible.

Throughout my stay, I met so many wonderful people from all over the world and stepped out of my comfort zone in ways I never imagined. This program not only allowed me to contribute positively to the local community but also enriched my own life in numerous ways.
I highly recommend this program to anyone looking for a meaningful and unforgettable experience in Bali.

Maasai Immersion
I had the opportunity to spend two weeks living and working with the Maasai tribe in Tanzania and it was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. I made life-long friends and left feeling as though I had truly made an impact. This was an immersive experience that left me feeling as though I had a sense of not only how the Maasai lived, but about their culture, language, and lifestyle. After this experience, I stayed at a resort in Zanzibar. While that experience was thoroughly enjoyable, it did not compare to the feeling of connectedness to the community I felt when I was living with the Maasai.

I recently done the Turtle conservation program in Costa Rica it was an incredible experience. For a first time solo traveller going through IVHQ helped me immensely, with my program coordinator (Lina) always there if I had any questions or worries. It was amazing to experience a new culture and be able to practice my Spanish in a complete immersion. I met so many other travellers and heard stories from around the world!I would recommend going through IVHQ for any of their projects abroad as I know I will be again!

The team there were very helpful and easy to reach if you needed them. The diving was so fun and the instructors were very helpful. Also there was lots of choice of activities and things to do on weekends in the town.