Making a difference isn’t all about work – our volunteer vacations comprise a four-day working week and three days’ free time, so our volunteers have plenty of time off to explore and experience our amazing destinations. Speaking of destinations, we specialize in volunteer trips to Ghana, Costa Rica and Thailand – all distinctly different locations with a few things in common: safety and security, rich culture, fabulous food and warm, welcoming residents.
Another key element our volunteer destinations share is a genuine need of help – Costa Rica, Thailand and Ghana are all developing countries that value international assistance in areas like teaching, construction and childcare. Make this Spring Break count by helping out where it’s needed most – check out what you can do for a week or so in our volunteer destinations.
Volunteer in Ghana
One of Africa’s most peaceful and prosperous nations, Ghana is a developing country with an unequal distribution of wealth. Outside the urban centers, poverty, illiteracy and a lack of basic resources such as electricity and running water continue to blight the nation. Despite this, Ghanaians are among the warmest and most respectful people you’ll meet, and the culture is rich and fascinating.
Book a volunteer vacation to Ghana and you could provide hands-on help caring for African orphans during your Spring Break. More than a million Ghanaian children are orphaned by disease, abandonment and financial struggle; many of these children are cared for at orphanages throughout the country.
Working at a small, privately funded children’s home in the lively capital of Ghana’s Eastern Region Koforidua, volunteers spend two weeks or more interacting and engaging with disadvantaged youngsters. As an orphanage volunteer, you’ll help out in a number of ways, including playing sports with the children, organizing fun activities like crafts and storytime, assisting with homework and mealtimes and teaching English and other subjects within the on-site school.
Working for four days each week, you’ll have three days’ free time to explore and enjoy all that Ghana has to offer, including Busia’s beautiful beaches, cheap safaris at one of the many national parks, stunning waterfalls and historical landmarks like the former slave castles at Elmina and Cape Coast. Tuck into rustic cuisine like red red, etor and koobi stew, relax in your dorm and make friends with likeminded volunteers from around the globe.
Volunteer in Costa Rica
A compact country big on natural beauty, Costa Rica is thought to be the world’s most biodiverse nation. Home to all kinds of flora and fauna, the country has a booming tourist trade, yet requires assistance in education and training if it’s to keep pace with its growing economy. Volunteer in Costa Rica this Spring Break and you can make a positive difference in disadvantaged communities through community education and construction projects.
If you have just a week to spare, you can join our Community Education Project, which focuses on boosting literacy levels in the vibrant rural university town of San Ramon. Working at a dedicated center, which operates as a daycare facility in the morning and a community center and after-school club in the afternoon, you’ll help deprived children develop their literacy and reading skills, also providing key interaction through play, sports and fun activities.
Alternatively, join our Building and Construction Project to help impoverished families in San Ramon get on to the property ladder; we work with two charitable foundations that provide special loans for low-income Costa Rican families to build their own homes. Volunteers help with clearing land, bricklaying, cement mixing and digging foundations, as well maintaining and repairing community buildings like local schools. This Spring Break, why not use your time to leave a legacy in the developing world?
On your days off, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Costa Rica’s unique laidback ‘Tico’ culture, explore tropical rainforests and admire volcanoes, hit the beach, have a go at a range of watersports and try some of the tasty local cuisine, including empanadas, ceviche and mondongo.
Volunteer in Thailand
Renowned for its exotic beauty, ornate temples and captivating culture, Thailand attracts 27 million visitors annually. To keep pace with this rapid growth, eradicate poverty and provide more opportunities for its citizens, the developing country needs to upskill and build English proficiency levels; volunteer in Thailand this Spring Break to help disadvantaged children realize their potential and develop skills that will enhance their prospects.
Based in the rural gemstone mining town of Trat, our volunteers work at local elementary schools’ holiday clubs providing English and sports tuition. Volunteer to teach English and you’ll help children build their conversational abilities, equipping them with a key skill for the future. You’ll support teachers in the delivery of lessons and come up with your own lesson plans too, taking English classes of between 20 and 30 pupils or working within smaller groups.
Alternatively, volunteer to teach sports education at under-resourced, underfunded schools throughout Trat. In Thailand, keeping fit is the main purpose of physical education – our volunteers introduce students to new sports and encourage children to foster a love of being active, helping them discover how fun fitness can be.
With three days off each week, you’ll have plenty of time to explore Thailand; within Trat you’ll find bustling markets and ancient temples, while further afield you can take in the bright lights of Bangkok, explore forest and mountainous landscapes in the national parks and discover beautiful islands like Koh Chang off the coast. The food here fuses flavors like nowhere else – try tom yum, som tam and a massaman curry during your time volunteering for a real taste of Thailand.
Takeaway
This Spring Break, have the adventure of a lifetime when you volunteer abroad. Make a difference in Ghana, Costa Rica or Thailand and experience an exciting new culture and way of life, explore exotic environments, try flavorful foods and establish new friendships. Volunteering abroad is also great to add to your resume – if you’re hoping to get into your dream college, or bag that job, experience of another country and the world of work can look very impressive to potential tutors and employers. Find out more about volunteering abroad by downloading the program brochure.