India

My volunteer experience was better than I could have ever anticipated. IVHQ works with you from beginning to end to ensure that you are not only prepared but happy, comfortable, and adapting well in country. Before my departure, the main staff were always eager to answer my questions to their fullest capability and ease my nerves. Once I landed in India, the staff was waiting for me at the airport to take me to the volunteer house for orientation. Every person and host i encountered was friendly and welcoming. It made the culture shock bearable and the new experiences exciting!

You are constantly in touch with IVHQ staff. By the time I went to my home stay I was already well connected with the staff and they continued to stop by every project twice a week. You always have someone to ask questions to, to help with any problems, or simply to feel connected and not alone in a new place.

Besides their mentoring, everything about my placement and experience was just simply fantastic. I taught a school where I fell in love with the kids, was constantly welcomed with open arms by the other teachers, and met so many different people from different places.

If anybody wants to volunteer overseas IVHQ is the absolute best option and best deal for your money! It's the cheapest and most amazing program out there. :)

For the past 4 weeks I have been volunteering in the Slum teaching program in Faridabad. Overall the program was very well organized from the beginning right to the end with airport pick up, my host family and teaching at the school.
I recommend doing the orientation week because you meet the other volunteers and get to learn about the Indian culture, language, general street tips (catching transport, bargaining, food) and see the main tourist attractions in Delhi. My host family Chandni and Mohit were very supportive and caring, they always made sure I felt right at home throughout my stay.

The school was very good with making sure we were included with the teaching of the classes, we helped mark the homework, teach English and Math and we would sometimes have to plan whole lessons. The staff were also very helpful and supportive throughout my stay.

The projects at IVHQ are very organised and safe and I recommend it to anyone wanting to volunteering abroad. I would like to thank everyone involved in the Indian IVHQ program for making my trip everything I expected and more. :)

As you guys suggested me to share my experience in India, so here is my experience of doing a program in India. India is amazing country like you are in a different world all together. I am one of the volunteers currently doing Volunteering program in Himalayas- India with Aii.
Before coming to India even I was not aware that there is another name of India too and that is Bhaarat, so in total I went through with amazing Orientation which actually helped me a lot in my project and in my stay. I did volunteering in South America and Africa too but I learned the real meaning of "Volunteering" here in this project. People here are so nice and I love the weather too. I did Skiing, River Rafting and Sight- Seeing during weekends. This is my last week of my project and then I am travelling to other parts of North India.
Thank you Deepak for making my stay and program so lovely. You really helped me a lot. Hope to see you soon
I would certainly recommend Volunteering program to others.

This review is on behalf of all my friends who came with me from Rome.

I am extremely thankful to Active Internationals for organizing a wonderful 21 day trip of India with very meaningful volunteering.

My trip mates are all very thankful to you and hope to come back again for more activities.

We will try to inspire others here at home and let them know about you guys.
For all of things you did, we are thankful. But we are most thankful for the attention we got through-out the trip. The last minute changes due to a big group of ours was so well handled by your team.

All the best and keep up the good work.

GG

I went with this program to Jaipur, India the summer of 2014 where I volunteered in an orphanage 5 days a week for two weeks and traveled around to see the Taj Mahal, Dharamshala, the Pakistani border and other sites we really couldn't miss. At the time, I was fifteen, a few years younger than their standard age limit, but I was able to assured them of my maturity and get in to the program with a 17 year-old friend of mine. Both our parents were nervous to send their teenage daughters half-way around the world to India, but we found Sankalp to be really safe and enlightening. The volunteering was very rewarding and authentic, it was unlike anything else I'd ever experienced. The children are in such need of simple care and love, it was incredible to feel like I was making a difference in someone's life every day. Sankalp provided transportation to and from volunteer locations every day for each of the programs in Jaipur. In the afternoons and weekends, we were free to discover Jaipur and its surroundings for ourselves as long as we were back at the house by curfew (9 pm on weekdays). This allowed for exploration of the Bazaars, nearby temples, and forts. The other volunteers were all very friendly and I made several long lasting friendships. The volunteer housing was comfortable, we slept in bunk beds and shared bathrooms with 3 other volunteers. There was air conditioning at night, a kitchen and a living room/lounge area. We had two authentic Indian meals a day cooked for us and were told where to go for groceries to make ourselves breakfast. The travel week at the end of my stay was also very comfortable, we were always well accommodated and stayed in safe, clean locations. One of the program directors, Pranay, goes with volunteers for this portion of the trip. We spent a few days hiking in the Himalayas which was beautiful and refreshing while not too challenging. My family is very active so I had no problem with the hike and volunteers less prepared than I all made it to the camp at the end of our hike. That said, it wasn't easy, but it's nothing to worry about. My friend and I had unusual flights home and had to travel separately from the other volunteers to the airport but Sankalp took initiative to arrange safe transport and help us get to our flight home on time. Overall it was a priceless experience. I never felt unsafe, abandoned or babied. My only regret was that I didn't stay longer.
If you're thinking about volunteering in India, I encourage you to choose Sankalp and if you do send my love to the kids at the orphanage, Puni, Pranay and Anita.
Feel free to email me with any questions,
Clio

My English is not very good.

I write for all to know that this organisation is very good for volunteer.

I volunteer in December 2014 in Jaipur and I enjoy a lot.

Made many good friends and worked at Special School. I am a trainee physiotherapist and I I work with kids with Autism.

Loved my exprience.

I miss the food and all my dear friends in India.

Slum teaching with IVHQ has been amazing! I volunteered in the little angels school right in the middle of Faridabad, Delhi for 3 weeks and it has been such a rewarding experience.
It has been a real hands on project and we helped the children with English and maths in the mornings the had freedom in the afternoon to decide yourself what activities that you would like to do with the children, which was so much fun! It is emotionally challenging and working with these children who have so little yet are so happy and eager to learn really pulls on the heartstrings, but i felt so privileged to be there and to actually have the opportunity to work with those who appreciate and need our help.

The IVHQ staff have been brilliant and are contactable 24/7 for anything you need help with or any questions you have no matter how small. One member of staff even personally took me to the doctors when I wasn't feeling too good. They really feel like an extended family rather than staff! So warm and friendly! Orientation week was so much fun and I would definitely recommend it to other volunteers who are thinking of doing the project. Its a great way to meet other volunteers from around the world and we spent the next three weekends together going on trips to Pushkar, Varanasi and Dharamsala.

Living with a host family was one of the best parts of the project, they were so welcoming and we really felt at home living with them. The accommodation was perfect and our host mum is a seriously good cook! We enjoyed so many delicious traditional indian meals. She even let us help prepare them with her to learn how to make them when we wanted.

All in all this project has been everything I had hoped for and more, I am happy I chose IVHQ to do it with. Other volunteer projects are so expensive in comparison which is one of the main reasons I chose IVHQ and there was definitely no compromising! They even explained to us exactly where all of the money goes and what percentages are spent on what.
10/10 for this project! would definitely recommend and I'll be looking into what other projects I can do next! Thank you IVHQ!

Active Internationals will always remain on top of all the lists of organisations I ever recommend. I am really happy that I participate in their program.

I booked for an 8 week animal rescue program in Jaipur, where I was aligned to an amazing place for working with animals.
I got hands on experience in animal care, and animal rescue. I was also the store-keeper for the medicines.

By he time I was in my 5th week of volunteering all the animals, specially the small rabbits became great friends.

At the volunteer house I made many international friends, who were from many different countries and backgrounds. The whole experience of living in such an international environment was great.

We went through a lot of workshops and activities. The staff was also very helpful. I will miss them all.

Not to forget - I am bowled over by the Indian food. Even after coming back home I try some recipes.

Love,
Malsyhka

I did 4 weeks of volunteering with Sankalp in January 2014. I did the street children program.

It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. The children are so beautiful and I feel like you really are helping their education and social skills.

The house was good, I did struggle with sharing a room/bathroom with 3 other people as I usually live alone however that is a personal thing. I really loved the fact that you are free to explore Jaipur after work as long as you are back by curfew at 9pm. You are also free to travel away on the weekends which was a great way to see Rajasthan.

Lunch and dinner are cooked each day by Puni, and the food is AMAZING!

The price of this program was surprisingly cheap in comparison to other companies. I think the fee is approx. $150USD a week.

I would definitely reccomend Sankalp to anyone considering volunteering in India.

I am naturally not so liberal in giving away any ratings.

But I am really indebted to Active Internationals for making me a part of such a wonderful program.

I volunteered in Jaipur (India) in a center for Physically and Mentally challenged kids.

This was a touching experience and made my realize the worth of volunteering in developing countries.

Once I am back home, I will promote this program among friends and family.

Cheers,

Colin Jr.