Volunteer in Fiji

IVHQ provided a lot of guidance when getting prepared to volunteer. There was endless information on a range of topics, I felt as though they had put a lot of effort into making sure the volunteers felt prepared to go into it.

The local team was incredible. 2 members waited for me and my 2 friends at the airport and helped us get to our accommodation. The process from the airport to the accommodation was smooth and stress-free. The team members were so lovely and were always there to give support or have a chat. They would be happy to answer any questions we had and would go above and beyond to suit our needs. For example, helping us get taxis, transfers, and buses and advising on where to explore within their country. I couldn’t praise the team members any more.

Volunteering in Fiji for two weeks was an incredibly rewarding experience that gave me valuable personal and cultural insights. I gained a deeper understanding of Fijian culture, learning about local traditions and building meaningful connections with the community. Collaborating with diverse groups helped me enhance my teamwork and communication skills, while facing challenges in an unfamiliar environment fostered my personal growth, and resilience, and broadened my perspective. Contributing to meaningful projects gave me a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment, and I also developed practical skills related to my role. For anyone considering volunteering, I’d advise researching the organization thoroughly to understand how your skills can contribute, staying open-minded and adaptable to cultural differences, and packing thoughtfully with essentials that benefit both you and the community. It’s also important to be flexible and patient, as plans may change, and to engage genuinely with the locals to make the experience even more rewarding.

I gained friendships, confidence, heaps of memories, a great amount of knowledge and experience in the Fijian culture, and much more!

I did the program in Sigatoka - Fiji, and i would 100000% recommend this to anyone thinking about doing an IVHQ program. If you are hesitant, yes, if you are going alone, it may be very scary. It was even a little scary for me going with a friend, but everyone is there for the right reasons, and everyone is so friendly. The staff and locals are the best! You will make many friendships and memories. Please go! The worst that can happen is you don't like it and then you go home at the end and it's over. But trust me, you'll love it!

I loved the whole experience volunteering in Fiji. I had no real expectations going into it and there were so many more volunteers than I imagined, which was fantastic as there were so many people to meet and options of who you wanted to be with or do things with at any time. The relationships formed strongly and lots of activities with other volunteers on the weekends to beaches and islands were amazing. The kids were so beautiful and happy, and the teachers at the kindergarten I was at were so welcoming and appreciative. The local team provided a safe environment and were so helpful in helping us with whatever we needed whether that was someone to walk us back to accommodation at night, to help book a taxi or to help getting a SIM card (to name some things).

Would definitely recommend it! I was so nervous before I arrived and then so upset to leave as the whole experience was amazing!!

The preparation made me feel at ease with what to expect and what was required of me. It allowed my trip to run smoothly. The local team were absolutely amazing. They were super helpful, friendly, kind and always checking in to see how we were going. I felt comfortable asking them questions and seeking advice from them. I had the most amazing experience, it was an opportunity of a life time. I will definitely be returning and next time for a longer period. I learnt so much about their culture and being with the children at the kindergarten and seeing them so happy and excited to see us everyday makes you feel so blessed and grateful. The families and the teacher at the kindergarten thanked us multiple times and were so welcoming and made us feel so comfortable.

Just do it! I was so nervous I was going alone without any friends, just me. I met my favorite people on the program. Even though it’s only been a few days since I have finished, I am still in constant contact with all the friends I made. The volunteer program was amazing as well. Do everything you can and more while you’re there. I was really scared too, and I’ve never had more fun during a volunteer program. The local team was incredible, seriously, insanely helpful and worked through everything I needed to be done!! They went above and beyond to make sure we were all accommodated and happy.

Joining a program like this, if you are able to, not only helps the community of which you are serving but also helps you grow as a person both mentally and physically. I have gained so much from this trip beyond just helping the children. I’ve gained life long friendships and deep connections with those who I met in Fiji as well as an incredible amount of memories and meaningful moments!!