On the plains of South Dakota, a summer Global Volunteers service team worked one-on-one with the Sicangu Rosebud Sioux people, helping to improve the community’s welfare while gaining unique, non-tourist insights on the history, culture, and struggles of the Lakota Nation. Follow their day-by-day journey of discovery here. Welcome to the Reservation! Welcome to the […]
First-time volunteer Kathy Lafond was motivated to expand her volunteering options once she retired. “It’is time for me to give back to those less fortunate,” said the former IT project manager from VA. She chose St. Lucia for the opportunity to tutor 6- year-olds for two weeks. There, she said she learned more than she […]
A dedicated Global Volunteer, Thomasina Tafur is once again getting ready to pack her bags. But, before she did, she shared her story about working at Sagrada Familia outside Lima. It’s here, she said, where she found a clear commonality with the children she worked with – especially “helping young people maneuver through their life’s […]
By Maho Jordan This was my first experience with Global Volunteers. Being of service as part of a team taught me the importance of connecting with other cultures through education, service and friendships, and small acts of kindness. It just differs so much from being the “regular tourist.” I was able to learn about the […]
Retired engineer and Global Volunteers alumnus Greg Enders has been motivated by a lifelong desire to support and help those in need. He first joined Global Volunteers in China in 2008 to teach conversational English in schools. His second service program in Asia came with the opportunity to experience more of the continent’s diverse culture […]
Seventeen determined Medtronic employees joined a March team in Quito, Ecuador for a week of service and bonding. Pouring their hearts, skills, and strength into their assignments, the women helped paint the exterior of the two-story early childhood development center, tiled the dining room, and cared for the 80 children alongside the center’s teachers. The […]
Alumni volunteer Sapna Srivastava and sons Shaan (10) and Rowhan (13) Daly volunteered over the boys’ spring break – serving the children in Maleviziou, Crete. It’s become a family tradition to serve together. Rowhan participated on his first Global Volunteers service program with Sapna in Montana in 2013. Shaan soon joined them when they served […]
After a 30-year professional teaching career, Global Volunteers alumna Pat Harper said she’s not finished teaching! In her 80s when she first served with us in Vietnam in 2014, she was drawn to the the opportunity to again help others learn. The joy she found teaching in retirement on a service program in Cuba not […]
Barb Holdridge was intrigued when her good friend recommended a new type of travel. But, she didn’t know she’d also catch the volunteering abroad “bug” so quickly! Sixteen years and 10 trips later, Barb says that international volunteer travel is “the” way to learn from local people, build long lasting friendships, and have fun while […]
Fed up with a harsh Minnesota winter, alumna Alan Maclin boarded a plane bound for sunny St. Lucia to volunteer and get his mind off snow drifts. In his own words, Alan reflects on his service experience, and explains how the warm and friendly primary school students he taught helped him forget the cold back […]