Program Reviews

Going to India has always been a dream of mine, but whatever I dreamed couldn't come close to how amazing the actual experience was. The children I met through the program were so fun, smart, and full of life that going in every day with them was a treat. Honestly, as cliche as it sounds, I probably learned more from them than they did from me. Additionally, the trip to Agra and Jaipur was a blast with the other volunteers in the group. The tours were incredibly informative, and we had a great time seeing the cities (and eating the food). We always felt safe and ready with a number of things to do in Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. As sad as I am to be leaving, I'm so happy that I visited India through this program and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Initially I was a little confused given the title of the project 'Street Children' yet volunteering took place within an education environment with children who stayed in the slum. Despite this confusion, I wasn't left disappointed! The children's energy and eagerness to learn is evident in addition to the incredible memories created whilst dancing, singing, laughing and generally just being there!! Both the teaching staff (khushboo and bhavesh) and children make you feel incredibly welcome as do all the locals in the area! Accommodation is more than adequate as is the help and guidance shankar (our go to person) provides! He's also a pretty good cook also which is a bonus! All in all this is an experience to savour.... One which will most certainly repeated!!

In the Hostel of Impact House was such a lovely and good atmosphere that I felt home and safe. Everyone was so nice and I made a lot of friends. One of the Things I liked most was that there were no real groups of people who were always together (of course there were some preferences but everyone talked to everyone). Scuba diving was really exciting and the Team is really fun and lovely. I could even get my open water certification which I'm really proud of.
Apparently I lost my ID and my Phone there but the people from Impact House helped me with every step and were very supportive. I even got my ID back after a couple of days but my phone remains missing somewhere in Portugal.

It's a very unique experience and I loved it so much there. I wish I could turn back time to experience it again.

I opted for the two week childcare and elephant programme. This has not been my first volunteer trip but it was the first one with VolSol and it has been my best experience so far.
The programme was the more expensive option but this included a city tour of Delhi, a visit to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and a two day trip to Jaipur. We also stayed in really nice hotels. Dheeraj even helped us get on the train and find our seats which we were grateful for as it was our first train experience here in India. I also added the optional trip to the Himalayas which I'm really looking forward to.
All the VolSol staff were so helpful and friendly, our safety was paramount to them. The accomodation was lovely and clean and the food was delicious. I would highly recommend VolSol to all my friends considering volunteering in future!

I cannot thank the team enough for making my time in India so incredible and enjoyable.
I was initially due to attend a project in July but due to visa problems I was unable to do so. Sahil was a massive help when these problems occurred and was in constant communication with me to try and help sort my visa and provide alternative means of getting a visa. He also suggested an alternative trip somewhere else or the same trip at a different date. I elected for the later as I had my heart set on coming to India, I had to pay a small fee of 100 to transfer projects but apart from this all of my original payments were transferred over.

Once in Dehli the team were fabulous. Shankar and Dheeraj were both so friendly and welcoming. Shankar is an amazing cook and looked after us so well at the volunteer house. Dheeraj was a wonder guide in Dehli and provided an amazing sightseeing day filled with information and experiences. The team were always on hand to support us in any way we needed whilst we were in India.

The KNS was an amazing experience that I am so grateful to have been a part of even for just three days. The children's English was excellent and I was impressed by their skill and enthusiasm. the project also provided me with an insight into the poorer parts of the city and the children who lived there. The elephant volunteering in Agra was the experience of a lifetime and it was incredible to be able to be so close to the rescued elephant.

The tours in Agra and Jaipur were both also wonderful and filled with many lovely places to visit and facts to learn. Vising the Taj Mahal has been on my bucket list for years now and I am incredible happy to have now ticked that off the list thanks to this trip!

During my entire time in India and before there was constant support from the team and I always felt safe. I cannot recommend the company enough and I look forward to booking another adventure with them to explore somewhere new!

Translated by Go Overseas:

I was part of the program at the health center of Buena Vista, it was very interesting to see the different ways to approach health in Peru. The people were very nice and I was able to go to all the services of the health center to observe (doctors, obstetricians, psychologist ...). In addition the family I was in was great, lots of good times together and it allows to know the life of people in Peru. I really loved this experience. This also allows to visit the region which is beautiful, with all the archaeological sites. The city is also very beautiful, its center is super nice. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to discover a culture and live with people.

Original Review:

J' ai fait partie du programme au centre de santé de Buena Vista, c'était très intéressant de voir les différentes manières d'approcher la santé au Pérou. Les gens étaient très gentils et j'ai pu aller dans tous les services du centre de santé pour observer ( les médecins, les obstétriciennes, la psychologue...). De plus la famille dans laquelle j'étais était super, plein de bon moments passé ensemble et ça permet de connaître la vie des gens au Pérou. J'ai vraiment adoré cette expérience. Cela permet aussi de visiter la région qui est magnifique, avec tous les sites archéologiques. La ville est aussi très belle, son centre est super chouette. Je conseille fortement cette expérience à toutes les personnes qui ont envie de découvrir une culture et de vivre avec les gens.

Joining Volunteer Solutions was a choice I'll never regret. Not only was their website the most user friendly compared to other organizations but their response time was superb.

You may be swayed away by negative reviews from past volunteers but I wouldn't worry about most of them. First off, you have to be very open minded and flexible when volunteering in India because the unpredictable can and will happen. For me, that's what made the experience an adventurous one whereas for others it may not appeal to them.

Before going to India, I highly recommend visiting another 3rd world country like Mexico to prepare yourself better. If not, then you may be in for a big surprise. India is a different world that's full of color, chaos, fun, joy, humility, and wonder. Therefore, be prepared for an experience of a lifetime that can be fully enjoyed when you're patient, energetic, and adaptable.

Seeing the monuments and taking pictures will definitely impress your friends on social media. However, the importance of that will fade away once you fully embrace the opportunity to serve the lovely children of India. They're so sweet and happy to be with volunteers. They can be crazy at times but you learn to love them on first sight and you'll develop relationships as if you were a close family.

Before you embark on this opportunity, here's two pieces of advice: First, don't overthink about whether or not you should go. Just go. It's worth it. Second, remember the children's names. Nothing makes them more happy than remembering their names, one by one. That's one of the best things you can do for them. Write them down if you must but make an effort to know their names and call them by their names.

I had one of the most enjoyable months of my life in Cape Town, South Africa.

I volunteered with Volunteering Solutions in Cape Town after a recommendation from a friend who did it two years ago. I was placed at Gingerbread house kindergarten and had a wonderful time with the kids. Volunteering with the kids was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. During the program I stayed at the volunteer hostel in Observatory. It was a wonderful experience to meet so many like minded volunteers from all around the world. I made some great friends and Noel, the house manager was a great help always. During free time I hung out with other volunteers and we did trips to Robben Island and the Garden Route. The local team including Kevin were of great help, meeting us regularly and helping whenever required.

I would definitely recommend this experience to other participants. Cape Town is a great city and you shall surely have a great time. Thank you so much to the staff in South Africa and Volsol for making this trip possible.

This experience was truly incredible. It was amazing to see the different efforts that are in India to help reduce poverty and give an education to the local children. All the other volunteers were lovely and up for exploring the city together. The VolSol team were very helpful with any of our issues or any questions we had. I felt very safe in a very busy and different culture due to all their efforts.

I had a great time working with the Ladies in the womens empowerment group. It was great to see the efforts put in to give them a sustainable income. It was also fun to help out and stitch and paint some of the bags ourselves.

This trip is definitely something I will always remember and would highly recommend to everyone! Not only do you get to help the local community but you get to explore an amazing, beautiful and vibrant city.

Staying and volunteering in Delhi can be daunting for some, and VolSol provided us with great care and attention to detail that made everything easy, and allowed us to settle in to the busy city comfortably.

They work closely with meaningful projects, and connect people with some brilliant work. We worked with a women's empowerment project, that was working to teach women skills that would encourage them to support themselves. They were making bags, in line with India's new ban on single use plastic, making useful items beautifully.

Other projects seemed really interesting, and I was amazed by the amount of opportunities VolSol could offer to help us better understand the world - in the future I hope to continue to engage with VolSol to widen my eyes to the opportunities and key underlying issues that are affecting people today.