Truly the Most Affordable Program in Brazil from $400/2 weeks

I did the environmental program with Iko Poran in Rio de Janeiro and it was a lot of fun. I lived in a hostel with all the other volunteers and we were all able to experience the city together. The program allowed for me to help out in the Tijuca rainforest (urban rainforest surrounding Rio) and a community garden in a favela. This gave me the opportunity to see many different parts of the city and it never got boring. I highly recommend this program, especially because it's so well-priced!

It was an amazing experience ,one that I'll never forget
It was my first time traveling abroad alone , i was met by Felipe the founder of iko poran at the airport , on the way to the hostel in Santa Teresa i was already blown away by Rio's rich colors clear sky and warm sun. The hostel staff and life was amazing they made me feel right at home and I met awesome people there through my whole stay , the fellow volunteers still feels like family to me, I had enough open time to check out other projects out as well and see Rio by myself! The capoeira was traditional style played with a lot of passion and the mestre is very a very inspiring sight, it is safe in Rio if you follow the safety advice given by Felipe ,the people are always positive festive and happy and welcome anyone with a warm heart and open arms, the trip was a life changing experience I recommend it to anyone who needs a break from their current life situation and to enjoy life, smile and breathe and any martial arts fighter or person who has a interest in capoeira or inspired by Brazils rich culture, you will meet friends for life there
Rio and any iko poran project is truly an amazing experience and is the ''full package'' and will deliver you much joy and fill your mind with memories you wont forget!

Volunteering in Rio with Iko Poran was one of the best decisions I have ever made! I came to Rio to study Sociology abroad but wanted to stay longer in order to further immerse myself in the culture and make a social impact, so I decided to volunteer with Iko Poran for two weeks after my studies were over. I was able to experience the city of Rio more in two weeks with Iko Poran than I was able to in three weeks studying! As a college student, the experience was also a wonderful addition to my resume!

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! The work in the park was my favorite part about the program. I was able to work with biologists in the Tijuca Forrest; they were so informative and welcoming! As a college student that is majoring in Mass Communications and Environmental Sciences, the knowledge and experience that I gained while volunteering in Rio is invaluable. I would do it all over again any day given the chance!

I also loved the independence that Iko Poran gave me! I was able to navigate the city by the time I left, communicate with locals, and had made life long friends in my fellow volunteers! I had plenty of time to explore after volunteering and on the weekends so I was able to see many sights and museums while also indulging in the social scene. The Rio Hostel was also wonderful! The employees became friends and the hostel became home!

All in all, I loved my experience with Iko Poran and am so thrilled that I chose to experience Rio with them!

Volunteering in Rio was one of my best experiences.

Felipe takes care of every volunteer and makes sure we feel well there. Also, the hostel staff is very nice and the Portuguese teacher is lovely, making the classes fun and interactive, even after a hard day of working in the favelas.
Speaking about the work, it was very enriching! If I can give an advice, try to learn some Portuguese before your arrival in order to be able to interact with the people you will work with.

I would encourage anyone to do it because I'm sure you won't regret it and it's a really interesting way to travel!

If you're looking for the best way to travel to Rio, start with Iko Poran.

I couldn't believe that a program so affordable could go above and beyond my expectations. As a recent college graduate taking a gap-year before graduate school, this was my first trip traveling alone. From the moment I met Felipe and the other program participants, I knew I was in good hands and formed an Iko Poran "family" within just days of arriving.

The program is a good fit for anyone - whether a college student or someone wishing to take a break from their busy career. The program has a good balance between fun and volunteering. I was especially grateful that the program showed me another, equally beautiful, side of Rio that is rarely seen by being a tourist alone. While I may have only been in Rio for a month, I felt that I played an important role at my project simply by devoting time to children who may not always receive the attention necessary for optimal development. I formed friendships with the other staff members and felt so welcome into the project.

Another one of my favorite parts of the program were the Portuguese lessons. I felt that just after one month, I was conversational in Portuguese and could read nearly fluently. I had learned Spanish before, but I was amazed at just how fun and useful the classes were. I never thought I could learn a new language in such a short time!

While the program is definitely more crowded some months of the year (such as over December-January and Carnival), it was nice having a close-knit group of 5-10 volunteers. As another note, safety in Rio is always somewhat a concern, but Iko Poran did all they could in providing valuable safety information.

Overall, I couldn't believe how affordable the program was for all it included. I had previously signed up through other organizations, but Iko Poran is flexible about your arrival date and shows you exactly where your money is going. I would go back in a heartbeat, and I recommend that anyone do the same!

When I signed up to participate in Iko Poran program in July 2015, it was my third stay in Brazil. French but passionate about brazilian culture and fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, I wanted to work in community development, a very common notion in Canada, that doesn’t really exist in France (we have various notions instead : local developement, social work…).

Luis Felipe Murray, the director of Iko Poran, offered me to volunteer in the Reciclação project for three weeks in August. At this time, I didn’t imagine that I would work with a carioca celebrity : Zoraide Francisca Gomes, better known under the name of Cris dos Prazeres, a community activist for over twenty years and founder of the PROA group and, more recently, the Reciclação project, recognized by many cariocas institutions, including UNICEF Brazil.

Context. Founded in 2013, the Reciclação project promotes the sorting of household waste and the environmental education of the Morro dos Prazeres community. This favela located in the hills of Santa Teresa is better known as the setting of the movie Elite Squad (Tropa de Elite). The Morro dos Prazeres is occupied by the police since February 2011, which means that police officers are stationed at the main entrance of the favela 24 hours a day.

Main missions during my three weeks volunteering within the group PROA: organization of activities in support of a childhood immunization campaign organized by the health center. Results: 30 painted children after their vaccine and 10 women with make-up on / Creation of 30 condom dispensers made of plastic bottles and distribution in the social spaces (bars…) of the community / Manual sorting household waste within a team of 5 people after Black Santa, a party attended by more than 5,000 people / Development of posters and messages designed to improve self-esteem of the women of the community / Distribution of leaflets about sorting

Cris, the last mile solution. Beside health promotion activities, Cris works with a wide network of partners. I had the opportunity to participate to several appointments including: a meeting with the local school’s assistant principal who wanted to draw her attention to the difficulties of siblings / A meeting with a member of the merchants association that manages the Saara daily market to identify their labour needs / A workshop on breastfeeding facilitated by one of the members of the PROA group inside the health center / Several meetings with the Mayor’s Representative for downtown Rio and the city’s historic sites, during which she strongly urged that the bus that daily transport the residents of Morro dos Prazeres respect speed limits and adopt a more cautious driving.

Cris, a Black woman who didn’t have the opportunity to stay long in education, impressed me by her charisma, her quick wit and her determination. If you have a level of at least intermediate Portuguese, I would suggest that you take a look at the PROA group.

Being in an excellent part of Rio de Janeiro, I stayed with other volunteers in a very nice hostel. My stay was a bit too short, only two weeks, and I participated in Capoeira (which was excellent) and was present at soccer. The warmth of the people struck me the most, even there was a language barrier. And I speak a little portugese also.
I learned how to relax and go with the flow. It was so nice to find people with not a lot of money being so happy. I'm not sure what I brought, but being there with a smiling face was the only thing I did.
I really enjoyed every bit of it!

Rio de Janeiro has an incredible mixture of everything and makes you feel the passion of the city through the variety of activities you can take part on a daily base.

Teaching was still a really positive experience because it was a particular environment and were interacting with diverse backgrounds from financial state to age group. Iko Poran made a great deal of good by organising every detail of the volunteering and took care first of all of safety issues so no one would go away with a bad moment.

I learned hugely in that city, from helpful strangers to friends, everyone that was part of my daily activities were incredibly great people. they do care, if you do to.
Rio is an amazing city, there are more positives than negatives. Find your way there and enjoy your experience!