Testimonials
The booklet was great, very reassuring and made me a lot less nervous!! I think it pretty much had everything I needed to know. The kids definitely appreciated us and made it one of the best experiences I have ever had. Meals were good and we got fed a lot! The local staff were extremely helpful!! I had an absolutely amazing time in Tanzania, the only negative was that I couldn’t stay for longer!
Stephanie GaynorNationality: British
Age: 20
Host country: Tanzania
Programme: Orphanage Work
Date: August 2010 - 2 Weeks
The project was great, the kids were amazing and from what I saw, all the programs brought joy to the kids. The experience was unreal. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Maria AranetaNationality: Phillipino
Age: 21
Host country: South Africa
Programme: Sport Development
Date: May 2010 - 8 Weeks
IT WAS THE BEST TRAVEL AND EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. Everything went well, the placement was amazing and the home stay was very nice..
Veronica RecanatiNationality: Italian
Age: 32
Host country: Tanzania
Programme: Orphanage Work
Date: August 2010 - 2 Weeks
I loved the school and I love the kids that I worked with. I loved recess with the kids at school – lots of fun! I would recommend IVHQ, and I would also recommend volunteering in the country of South Africa. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to volunteer in South Africa.
Adam BrittenNationality: American
Age: 20
Host country: South Africa
Programme: Teaching
Date: May 2010 - 8 Weeks
A month before I went to Ghana I chose the country randomly after the desire to go there suddenly dawned on me and like a tornado attacked all my being! It was June of 2010 for 8 weeks and it began with the world cup and Shakira's song: This is time for Africa! When I met those kids, our house host and cook and the owner of the Orphanage I knew more than ever that these are my beautiful teachers who know me better than I knew myself. The whole trip was a self-discovery, soul mate discovery and finding out there is more depth to love than I thought. Every bit and piece of my soul was touched and transformed. I have a whole new world to share with everyone who has not been to Africa and specifically Ghana which is such a peaceful country with amazing and beautiful people. You only have to go to discover what is waiting for you... Waka Waka! (means do it!)
Light, Love and Blessings
Golriz JahangiriNationality: Iranian
Age: 28
Host country: Ghana
Programme: Orphanage Work
Date: June 2010 - 8 weeks
I really enjoyed my placement at Christian David primary school and I felt it was really rewarding.
Jessica BuckNationality: Australian
Age: 26
Host country: South Africa
Programme: Teaching
Date: August 2010 -2 Weeks
I just returned from Kenya where I participated in the Kenya - Maasai program!! It was a wonderful experience and I met many amazing people during my placement. The information booklet is kind of the bible for the experience and very important. It's thorough and I appreciate the words of honesty about how challenging, wonderful and life changing the experience will be!
I was picked up at the airport by a staff member and taken to a volunteer house where I met other excited volunteers from all over the world who were also thrilled to be embarking on an African adventure. Orientation was thorough, fun and inspiring as I again met so many people both Kenyan and volunteers. I enjoyed the positive spirit and bringing us all together (Also the food was great).
We were taken to our placements and I received a most warm and loving welcome from Virginia, my Maasai family host. Meeting Virginia and living with her and her family was certainly one of the great blessings of this trip!! Getting to know students at Kimuka School and the orphanage in Ngong as well as the volunteers and staff members was rewarding and I have made several meaningful friendships! I am so grateful for this opportunity and delighted that the two volunteers also assigned to my Maasai home (Isabell and Sarah) were such fantastic people...we had such fun! Being paired with these girls was amazing as we all got along so well even though we represented three different generations and different backgrounds.
Thank you again for a most wonderful volunteer experience. I learned from my time with IVHQ in India last year that this trip is all about connecting with the people in the program, the people you live with and serve and I met the most extraordinary people. I loved the “time travel” of living in a traditional village and with different generations. Life changing trip!!
Thank you, IVHQ!! Where can I go next?
Susan ErdmanNationality: American
Age: 63
Host country: Kenya-Maasai
Programme: Teaching
Date: August 2010 - 3 Weeks
Everything and everybody was great...The project/orphanage I was placed at was perfect for me in every way. I am more than happy with my time there. I felt extremely valued and appreciated. My homestay at Mama Mary's was great and I am grateful for being placed there.Every single moment spent at my orphanage was a favourite. This was a great program and experience overall; I'd do it again.
Maia WilliamsonNationality: Canadian
Age: 34
Host country: Tanzania
Programme: Orphanage Work
Date: July 2010 - 3 Weeks
I just want to say a big thank you..you are amazing! I really appreciate all your help right from the start....I have loved the experience with IVHQ so far and will only choose them whenever I volunteer again in any other country. I will definitely recommend IVHQto everyone I know. You guys are amazing and the best organisation i have found. I cant stop talking about you guys to whoever i meet.
It was an amazing experience! I was placed in Nakuru, Kenya for over a month. I had registered for the teaching program and I loved my experience so much.
I say it again that I'm so glad I chose you guys :) Thank you again for everything! It was a wonderful experience and just looking at the smiles on all those kids faces made my entire trip worth every penny!
Tracy :)
Tracy PereiraNationality: Indian
Age: 28
Host country: Kenya
Programme: Teaching
Date: July 2010 - 4 Weeks
I found the IVHQ information book extremely helpful, I read through it several times before my trip and it was full of great information! IVHQ were great, couldn't have asked for better. Everytime I emailed someone with a question they responded quickly and were always as helpful as possible.
The local staff were absolutely amazing! I love them, and they took such good care of me and all the other volunteers. I recieved all services promised, plus they went above and beyond to help with anything I needed! They were always so helpful and did everything they could to assist. The orientation was full of great information, fun facts, and helpful tips! I still dont understand how they do everything that they do on a daily basis. They truly are passionate about what they do, and I am so thankful for having such great people to be apart of my volunteer trip. As long as they keep all that up, then I have no requests for improvements! :)
I could not have asked for a better project to be a part of.. It was incredible! The kids were more amazing than I could have ever imagined, and they alone would have been enough! I feel so lucky to have been placed at the Pink Program... the people I met and worked with were so special, and the kids were beyond that. I can't wait to go back and see all the amazing people I met again!
I loved my accomodations! My house was great, the meals and our COOK was absolutely amazing! I didnt have a problem with anything, I always felt safe in our house.. our meals were great.. it was always being cleaned, and we had running water/electricity for the most part!
Volunteering can be hard sometimes, you face situations and problems here and there but I would not trade the experience that I had for anything in this world! It was 10000000% worthwhile, and I would do it again in a heartbeat! I dont only feel as though my time was appreciated, I KNOW for a fact that it was. These kids were so beyond appreciative of just my presence, it was unbelieveable. I know that everything I did and all my time spent there meant so much to them... along with the staff and those running the program. They could not have been more grateful of me being there, and the things that I did.
It is impossible to pick a single favorite moment, or moments from my volunteering experience! I have countless memories, and favorite times! Everyday I spent at the Program with the kids was so special and will forever be in my heart.
This was the best experience of my life! I can not tell you how special this volunteer experience has been for me! I absolutely love IVHQ, Ghana, the in country staff representing IVHQ, all the volunteers I met, and the amazing friends that I have made through this process. Thank you for making this experience possible, with your affordable prices and amazing staff to help along the way! I cant wait to do this again!
Kalie SorumNationality: American
Age: 21
Host country: Ghana
Programme: Orphanage Work
Date: June 2010 - 10 weeks