Richard Lee, a retired business journalist from Connecticut, shares his enriching experience volunteering in Beja, Portugal with Global Volunteers. Richard details his week teaching English in local schools and a correction facility. He describes the historic charm of Beja, the welcoming community, and the deep connections he formed with students, teachers, and local people. In […]
Each of us is accountable for our own personal development. However, we are also entrusted with gifts and talents to be shared with others. Global Volunteers provides a direct way to share those gifts and talents. We are dedicated to building a foundation for world peace and justice by enabling ordinary people to make a […]
In 1996, Wichita retiree Barbara Pate joined her first Global Volunteers Service Program – headed for Tanzania. A blooming adventurer, and recently a widow, she chose the African country partially to satisfy her curiosity about the continent. She remembered it as a meaningful, enlightening experience, writing in her journal that she was surprised (and grateful) […]
Young couples, mature couples, newlyweds, 50+ anniversary couples. Global Volunteers offers an adventure in service together. When you consider how to volunteer abroad on your first…or tenth service program, consider how serving as a couple enlarges the experience. Some have even chosen a Global Volunteers service program as their honeymoon! You’ll discover much more about each […]
Global Volunteers’ pandemic-delayed Sicily program successfully launched more than a year late with with two teams in November 2021. Team Leader Phyllis Thompson said the long-awaited immersion into daily life through service, conversation, and cultural activities in Castelvetrano was her “dream come true,” and all the team hoped for and more. Phyllis, who first served […]
Carole and Jay Kennerly have spent decades sharing experiences together – and among the highlights of their years as a married couple are their four service programs with Global Volunteers. From Greece to Cuba and Vietnam to the Cook Islands, the Kennerlys have enriched their lives through service. They offer a glimpse into their journey […]
After quitting her job, Anna O’Neal embarked on four months of solo travel to figure out what she wanted to do next in her life. In her choice to travel solo to Tanzania, she joined our Global Volunteer team in Ipalamwa, Tanzania to help mothers and children. She said she sought an opportunity to challenge […]
Alumna Carol McNertney’s “second act” began with her students’ suggestion to expand her horizons. She writes how a promise to them led her on a true journey of the “heart” in her retirement – first to Montana, then to the Cook Islands. By Carol McNertney, Global Volunteers Alumna The Promise Everyone who commits to volunteering […]
Four-time Global Volunteer Gemma Lewis has always been passionate about supporting children and their families. As a Children’s Care Coordinator with the National Health Service in the UK, she works with families of children living with severe disabilities to ensure they receive appropriate physical and emotional interventions. It was with this focus on practical support […]
Can one or two weeks on a service program truly make a difference to people in need? Our answer is yes! Short-term volunteers bring a long-term impact to the communities that we serve, and we have hundreds of alumni stories to illustrate this point. Perhaps, even more poignant are stories shared by our international staff, […]