Excellent Experience and service!! I would definitely reccomend IVHQ. Great friendly helpful staff, very well organised, they took all the stress and hassel out of it. I researched many volunteer companies and they we're the best by far!!
International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ)
Fully Verified
What's this?
9.4 / 10
after 443 Reviews
Based on overall, support & value average ratings
International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) is the trusted volunteer organization, providing safe, quality and extremely affordable volunteering placements in countries all over the world. Each year they place over 5000 volunteers abroad and have a wide range of volunteering opportunities in Argentina, Bali, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia - Bogota and Cartagena, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, India - Delhi & Dharamsala, Italy, Portugal, Spain, New Zealand, Kenya , Laos, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Peru - Cusco & Lima, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Romania, Uganda, Victoria Falls, Vietnam - Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City and Zambia.
Program website: http://www.volunteerhq.org/
If there was an option to give this organisation an 11 on the rating, I would have!
Does it sound too cliché to say my experience in Kenya changed my life and outlook? I spent 6 months in Kenya through IVHQ, my first 5 months teaching in an orphanage in Nairobi and my last month in the rural village of Keumbu. In Keumbu I lived in an orphanage and taught in a primary school. I met the most amazing people throughout my 6 months and would do the whole thing over and over again.
IVHQ were so speedy with responding to any concerns of mine and they sent me emails while I was in Kenya.
Crazily cheap prices for the programmes yet people still pay ridiculously high prices for dud organisations who just don't deliver! Where's the sense?!
As for the girl who complained about cold showers...hmmmn...you went to a developing country with westernised expectations? If you want luxury, stay at home honey :)
Program:
Location:
Posted: January 17, 2009
Overall:
10
Support:
10
Value:
10
By: Anonymous
Age:
Comments
I was thinking of 6 months as well but am a little afraid that is too long since I've never been to a developing country before. Did you like the rural or urban placement better? I was leaning toward rural, but I'm not sure I'd want to spend the entire time there. Maybe I'll split it up like you did.
Great feedback - that is very helpful and also constructive for us future volunteers! Thanks tons. I'm so excited!!
I totally agree with u!! :)
IVHQ is fantastic! Incredible value, there were other volunteers here from different organisations who paid DOUBLE what I paid for exactly the same experience. Email responses were extremely fast. I cannot wait to do another program through IVHQ.
The staff here in thailand were fantastic, i felt so welcomed and they were always trying to help make my stay easier and more comfortable!
Program:
Location:
Posted: January 14, 2009
Overall:
10
Support:
10
Value:
10
By: Anonymous
Age:
i did the ivhq turtle program in costa rica and it was incredible. great bunch of volunteers to work with and amazing location. i worked in matapalo with 4 other volunteers and the local staff. we lived on the beach and had an amazing time. there were other turtle placements around costa rica as well and when alll the volunteers met back up in san jose later in the program for a social evening they seemed really happy with it as well. one volunteer complained about sun burnt though..... take sun screen if you're prone to sun burn!! i'd heard bad reports about many volunteer companies before i did this trip but ivhq certainly bucked that trend! do it - you will love it.
Program:
Location:
Posted: January 8, 2009
Overall:
10
Support:
10
Value:
10
By: Anonymous
Age:
My experiences with IVHQ were very positive, the staff were a pleasure to deal with and were happy to answer any questions I had either on the phone or via e-mail. Everything was done in an efficient manner, for example, one week before our placement was due to begin in Hanoi there were serious floods so we were unsure what was the best route to take, we were offered the chance to complete our month of volunteer work in Saigon instead (which we decided to do) and this was organised within 24 hours.
I believe it was good value for money and we were provided (In the dorm accommodation) with a comfortable living area, meals and a great social experience. We were also given the opportunity to have two Vietnamese lessons per week (optional) by a local vietnamese volunteer, this was great and came in handy at the orphanage and in daily life (i.e- the markets, shopping etc).
The orphanage program was great, and the kids were beautiful. I worked in three orphanages (2 with disabled children and one with children who had HIV, one of the disabled orphanages also had "babies rooms" where we fed and played with babies who had been abandoned but were not disabled).
The local staff in Vietnam were lovely and a pleasure to work with.
Overall a great experience, and I would recommend this program to others in the future.
Program:
Location:
Posted: December 17, 2008
Overall:
9
Support:
10
Value:
9
By: Anonymous
Age:
Comments
I'm thinking of signing up for this particular program. I was wondering if you went into it with any particular expertise or experience thats useful for working with the children? I'd love to get as involved as possible but I don't have really any experience in medicine or health. Just want to make sure there's something for me to contribute, don't want to be a waste of space!
