Current News, Field Reports and Volunteer Voices

Several times each week, we post stories about work we do in our host communities – through the voices of our partners, volunteers, and those we serve. Subscribe using the form below to receive updates in your inbox when they’re published. If you’re looking for deeper insight into service in a specific country, on a particular type of project, how you can share your unique skills or volunteering as a family or a group, you can find a wealth of information here. Use the categories next to the posts here or on any page (below right column) to explore more stories that suit your interests.

We welcome your ideas on topics you’d like to see here. Please contact us at marketing@globalvolunteers.org. Enjoy our blog!

Projects for Professionals Peru, Tanzania

How One Nurse Used Her Skills to Serve the World

What drives someone to keep searching for deeper meaning in service? For Global Volunteers alumna Laurie Hanly, it wasn’t just about travel or cultural exchange—it was about using her nursing background to make a real impact. A seasoned…

Mental Health Projects Tanzania

Nurturing the Nurturers: The Crucial Role of Mothers’ Mental Wellness in Tanzania

Child raising requires strength, resilience, and boundless love from mothers the world over. For mothers living in rural Tanzania, unique challenges make mental wellness not just important, but essential. Read on to learn why Global Volunteers…

Classroom Assistance, Conversational English, Volunteer Voices Peru

A Story of Friendship and Service in Peru

For Kurt Jaeger, a 13-time Global Volunteers alumnus, volunteering abroad—especially in Peru—has always been about building meaningful relationships. During his service at Sagrada Familia in Peru, he formed a special bond with a dedicated…

Volunteer converses with visually impaired student in Vietnam

Conversational English, Projects for Professionals, Volunteer Voices Vietnam

International Service is a Gateway to the World, says Google Manager

Elizabeth Wang, Senior Marketing Product Manager at Google, sought both a different way to travel and a meaningful way to give back to the global community. After reviewing several organizations online, Elizabeth selected Global Volunteers'…

Conversational English Vietnam

English Helps Visually Impaired Adults Develop Careers in Massage Therapy

Relatively little research is available on the well-being of the large population of visually impaired or blind adults in Vietnam. Global Volunteers' partner, Blind-Link, a social entrepreneurship program, professionally trains blind young…

Mental Health Projects Tanzania

Tackling Gender-Based Violence: Global Volunteers’ Impact in the Ukwega Ward

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a critical challenge affecting communities worldwide, with far-reaching consequences on mental health, family dynamics, and child development. In Tanzania where Global Volunteers partners with local governments…

Development Impact Tanzania

A Drop of Hope: The Power of Harvesting Rainwater in Tanzania

Worldwide, 785 million people still lack basic drinking water services, and almost 300,000 children under five die each year from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water, according to UNICEF. This crisis underscores the importance of World…

Mental Health Projects Tanzania

New Tanzania RCP Projects Heed Impact of Poverty on Mental Health

The Reaching Children's Potential Program (RCP) in Tanzania introduced mental wellness as a key component of holistic child and family health in 2018. Working together, Ukwega Ward community leaders, RCP staff and short-term volunteers have…

The Terracotta Warriors in China

Cultures and Traditions, Free Time Options China

The Chinese Legend of the Terracotta Warriors

Xi’an, the ancient capital of China, is home to one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological discoveries—the Terracotta Warriors. These life-sized statues, part of the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, have captivated…

Conversational English, News and Updates China

Volunteer in China: Teach English and Experience Cultural Exchange

It is now more important than ever to renew people-to-people connections with the Chinese people. The US and Chinese governments need to know that the people of our countries respect each other and that we all want to live together in peace.…

Development Impact

41 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE WORLDWIDE!

It started by four people who had a simple idea, about waging peace . . . In the past 41 years, Global Volunteers has mobilized over 41,000 volunteers to serve children and families in partner communities in 37 countries on…

Cultures and Traditions, Free Time Options Greece

Crete’s Five-Star Cretan Hospitality on our Volunteer Vacation

In Part Two of their blog post about their service program in Crete, Greece Volunteers Tom and Rondi Olson talk about Cretan history, hospitality, cuisine and free-time activities available to volunteers serving in Greece! Read…