Give the Gift of Service: Holiday Volunteering Abroad with Global Volunteers 

The holiday season is a time of reflection, gratitude, and giving. You can live the true spirit by volunteering abroad during your winter break. Global Volunteers’ December service programs in Malaysia and Peru offer a powerful alternative to the usual holiday routine. Instead of focusing on material gifts, you’ll build real connections, support local communities, and experience the true spirit of giving. Whether you’re teaching children, helping with community projects, or simply showing up with compassion, your winter break can leave a lasting impact on others and on you. 

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The Value and Importance of Holiday Volunteering 

Volunteering abroad during the holidays isn’t just a feel-good experience; it’s a way to live your values and make a real difference. It offers an opportunity to contribute directly to local communities, build cross-cultural relationships, and bring meaning to a season often dominated by consumerism. Whether your passion lies in education, health, or community development, serving others during this time allows you to give back during a season centered on generosity and reflection. 

The need is especially great during the holidays. Loneliness and isolation tend to peak, especially among abandoned children and seniors. A conversation or small act of service can make a powerful impact; your presence can make the difference. By volunteering during the holidays, you’re not only helping meet urgent needs but also offering your time and compassion when it matters most. 

Volunteer Opportunity in Malaysia: Support the Orang Asli Community 

Looking for a meaningful way to give back this holiday season? Join Global Volunteers in Malaysia from December 20, 2025, to January 3, 2026, and spend your winter break supporting the Orang Asli, the Indigenous “Sea Gypsies” of Kampung Sungai Temon. This hands-on, immersive volunteer opportunity goes beyond typical tourism—it’s a chance to connect, contribute, and leave a lasting impact on a vibrant, coastal community. 

As part of this 1- or 2-week program, you’ll work side by side with community members and Global Volunteers staff on a variety of hands-on projects. You’ll teach conversational English to children using interactive games, songs, stories, and sports designed to make learning fun and engaging—no prior teaching experience needed, just enthusiasm and patience. You’ll also collaborate with local youth to paint a community mural that celebrates Orang Asli heritage and adds beauty to the village. In addition, you’ll assist with cleaning, painting, and repairing the community center to help improve shared spaces. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to support the Orang Asli Museum by helping organize exhibits and preserve important artifacts that honor the community’s cultural legacy. This opportunity combines education, creativity, and cultural immersion in a coastal setting where volunteers make a visible and lasting impact.

Volunteer Opportunity in Peru: Serve and Inspire in the Coastal Desert   

Celebrate the spirit of the holidays by giving your time and talent to children and families in need as a volunteer in Peru this December. Just outside the vibrant capital city of Lima lies Ventanilla, a sprawling, dusty mountainside community where Global Volunteers has partnered with local leaders since 2001 to help uplift underserved youth. Here, you’ll serve at “Sagrada Familia,” a remarkable shelter and safe haven for over 1,200 vulnerable children who have been orphaned, abandoned, or displaced from dangerous home environments. This self-sustaining village offers a nurturing home, education, healthcare, and job training to children from birth through age 17. As a holiday volunteer, you’ll help care for preschoolers, teach conversational English to students of all ages, assist with hands-on labor projects to improve facilities, and even support healthcare efforts at the on-site clinic. You can also lead engaging workshops for parents on nutrition, hygiene, and child development, and participate in family home visits alongside local staff. Whether you’re an educator, health professional, skilled tradesperson, student, or simply someone with a heart to serve, your presence during this high-need season makes a lasting impact. 

Volunteering in Peru during the holidays is a life-changing cultural immersion and a chance to witness pure gratitude. While you serve, you’ll not only help meet urgent needs in an under-resourced community but also experience the warmth, resilience, and hospitality of the Peruvian people. December is an especially powerful time to volunteer, as many local organizations, like Sagrada Familia, rely on extra hands during school breaks and the holiday season to maintain care and consistency for children who may not have families to celebrate with. Your time and compassion during this season of giving can help create a more hopeful, secure, and joyful future for Peru’s most vulnerable youth. 

Make This Holiday Season Truly Meaningful 

This holiday season, choose to give a gift that transcends material value, a gift of your time, compassion, and presence. Volunteering abroad with Global Volunteers in Malaysia or Peru not only transforms the lives of the communities you serve but also enriches your own life in profound ways. The communities are welcoming, the need is real, and the impact of your service is deeply felt. This December, be the reason someone smiles, learns, and feels cared for, make your holiday one of service and connection. 

Ready to Volunteer This December? 

Don’t wait, holiday volunteer programs fill quickly! Contact us to learn more about the Malaysia and Peru opportunities, check program dates, and secure your spot. Whether you can give one week or two, your efforts will make a meaningful difference during a time when it’s needed most. Make this holiday season unforgettable by becoming a Global Volunteer, because the greatest gift you can give is yourself. 

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