GVI

I’ve just completed the Advanced Wildlife Conservation online learning programme through GVI. This programme consists of 6 courses – Wildlife Conservation, Conservation Science & Research, Climate Crisis & Sustainability, Impact Measurement, Leading Teams for Impact and Careers in Sustainable Development. I loved the flexibility of the programme and being able to work this around my day job. The course material was relevant, topical and inspiring. The online learning platform was simple to navigate. And GVI support was outstanding throughout the process, as always. I have now signed up for a GVI Wildlife Conservation Internship next year and I can’t wait to get into the field and put what I’ve learned through this programme into practice! Highly recommend.

I spent 1 month with GVI in Pokhara Nepal in 2019 on a Women’s Empowerment Program it was a truly beautiful experience my time was spent teaching English to women and girls whom are survivors of human trafficking. You are embraced into the local community and really feel you are making a difference to peoples lives. What a fabulous experience, do yourself a favour and step outside your comfort zone, It is absolutely life changing

I started my journey with GVI in Limpopo, South Africa as a Wildlife Conservation Intern. To say the experience blew my mind is an understatement. Safety, accountability and meaningful impact is of utmost importance to GVI. They value all volunteers, ensuring they gain experience and enjoyment during the time they spend on the project.
I returned back to Limpopo another two times and have now been to 5 of their bases, including Cape Town, Nepal, Fiji and Greece. Each base is different and unique in it's own way and brings with it beautiful cultural experiences.
From Conservation to Education, Health to Women's Empowerment, there is definitely something for everyone no matter what your age.
Furthermore, GVI has allowed me to successfully change my career from Nursing to Community Development/Engagement. I continue to volunteer in my spare time in animal conservation, using the unique skills I gained whilst in South Africa.
I highly recommend GVI to anyone that has ever thought of volunteering. Not only will you make a meaningful impact, but you will leave with memories of a lifetime and amazing new friends from all around the world.

I just completed the Introduction to Global Public Health course with GVI, and really enjoyed it! Right from the very beginning the course content was relevant, thorough, interesting and comprehensive. I don't have a background in Public Health, but am very interested in projects for social good, and I did the course because I thought it would be interesting. In my opinion it's a great introduction to the subject, and given the depth of the information provided, I imagine it would be great even if you have a bit of background in Public Health. The course consists of readings, videos, a very practical and useful assignment, and 3 live lectures. I would say it took me around 25-30 hours to complete rather than the 15 predicted as I got really into it, and GVI supply a lot of resources, some of which are optional, but I read them all anyway! I'm really glad I did the course. I currently work in User Centred Design in the software field, and it was really interesting to me that the course discussed User Centred Design in Health, and the idea of designing health services alongside the service users themselves. Very interesting parallels with my day job! I'll be able to apply the ideas from the course to my work, and as well as that, I really enjoyed improving my knowledge of Global Public Health.

I've wanted to go travelling for a good few years now and decided to start my travelling with a month volunteering in Kerala with GVI. I couldn't have made a better decision. The first day I got into India before meeting GVI I was pretty worried I'd made a mistake. I was on my own, knew no one and was completely overwhelmed by the noise, hustle and bustle and general madness all around me that was day to day Indian life!
The next day GVI took me under their wing and over the next month I completely fell in love with India and Fort Kochi, where I was volunteering, in particular. The whole experience gave me a completely different view on Indian life and culture that I wouldn't have been able to experience any other way. You get to know the locals and interact with them as if you've lived there all your life, and they genuinely except you as if you have, once you get over the language barrier!
Getting to watch the different schools football skills progress and their fitness and stamina improve week by week was a real privilege also, as well as watching the vulnerable adults become more and more willing to get involved with activities and I was extremely sad to have to say goodbye to the program. I wish I had a booked on for far longer! All in all by the time I left the program I felt I had grown as a person, become more confident in myself, helped to give back to a community that had immediately accepted and been nothing but kind to me my entire stay and was ready and extraordinarily excited to explore, see, hear and experience as much of India as I could on the rest of my trip.

I spent 6 months volunteering with GVI in Jalova, Costa Rica, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. The location was remote but is something most people never get the opportunity to see. Living and working within the jungle was amazing. Whether you are walking along the beach, walking through the forest, or canoeing through the canals, there is always something new to see and something new to explore. It is a magical experience to be walking along the beach at night, and suddenly see a turtle coming out of the surf to lay her nest, or be walking through the forest and suddenly see a rare animal on the path ahead of you.

This expedition is not for everyone - the location is remote, and it does require some level of fitness (walking for several hours a day, mostly). However, for those who are willing to give anything a go, and are able to adapt to local conditions then it is an unmissable experience, in my opinion. For anyone with an interest in conservation or animals will immensely enjoy their time with GVI in Costa Rica.

The staff members are very knowledgable and passionate about the work they do. Most of them are former volunteers themselves. They understand the challenges new people may face and do their best to make people feel welcomed. New volunteers generally arrive every two weeks and are from many different countries, so it is also a good chance to meet people from all over the world and from all walks of life.

I hope you decide to visit this project in the future - you won't regret it!

With GVI I was able to travel to a remote village and be involved learning about elephant conservation programs in Chiang Mai in Thailand. In such a small amount of time I was able to see how the staff GVI take data and health checks on the elephants as well as encouraging volunteers to become immersed with the Karen Tribe culture by teaching us the native language, have us practice this by staying in homes of the local villagers. This was a fantastic opportunity to meet other like minded people from all over the globe of different ages, back grounds, life experience together to make a difference for good of this community.

I can say without hesitation that the Mexico Marine Conservation was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The opportunity to work as a volunteer on a coral reef to survey and help maintain the overall reef system and knowing you are making a difference was such a satisfying aspect of my trip. The living arrangements were wonderful, we had our own personal chief Monday to Friday who lived in the village which meant that the food was usually a Mexican delicacy and sourced locally.

The village of Akumal was such a close-knit community and the project shared a strong bond with the locals. The staff went above and beyond for all the volunteers and I met friends I will have for a lifetime. I also learnt more in the 4 week program than I have in my 4 years at university studying marine science. My time in Akumal, Mexico was a time I will cherish forever and look forward to doing again in the very near future.

I had never been to South Africa before but I spent six months over there, spending 4 weeks at GVI Karongwe. I did this straight out of high school as a lone travelling female with a love for wildlife. I had heard a lot of Tales of some companies being misleading in their contributions to wildlife so I didn’t really know what to expect before I arrived but it was better than I could have ever imagined. I saw so many amazing animals and had the opportunity to experience many of them up close. I also met so many incredible and interesting people from all over the world which helped make the whole experience even better and I’ve remained in contact with several of them! The GVI staff were so helpful in the months leading up to the trip and were so kind and lovely too when I was there it was one of the easiest and well organised programs I spent my time with.

Every day we went on game drives and collected data on a variety on species for their research. I have to say it changed my life in so many ways and actually guided me on my path to the career I am pursuing now.
The team was made up of incredibly skilled drivers, guides and researchers who taught me so many things about conservation, wildlife and the bush as well as research, but I also met people from all over the world and all ages and backgrounds, united by the common goal to contribute to wildlife conservation in South Africa which was incredibly refreshing!

The first week was pretty busy with training week to prepare us for our research drives in the bush and teach us mammal, bird and reptile identification, tracks & signs as well as how to use the equipment, take care of the vehicles and clean and cook for a house of 20+ people but I’m so glad they did that! It makes a world of difference to anyone who has nerves about being new to the South African wilderness.

I would recommend to any traveler looking to visit an unknown country to do it through the GVI programs, it’s an incredible way to learn and contribute to the community/wildlife in a hands-on way. I can’t recommend it enough, it’s put me on the path of wildlife research for the rest of my life!

I’ve volunteered with a few different NGOs before. But GVI stands out above the rest. So much so I went back with them a second time, from teaching English to young children in Kerala, India to my second trip teaching English to Novice Monks in Luang Prabang, Laos! Both trips changed my life! Whether you want something short if you’re time poor or you can afford to take more time off do it! The smiles on the faces of the people you meet and share you skills and knowledge with will live with you forever! Now I’m preparing for my third GVI trip for next year in Nepal working on a health internship program and I honestly can’t wait!

What an experience! Spending a month in the beautiful city of Luang Prabang was a life-changing time for me, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with such amazing students and volunteers. Also, a great way to really immerse yourself in a city, as you have weekends/nights to do as you please.

I absolutely loved doing a health internship in Dawsamu, Fiji! Honestly, you could tell me I was getting on the plan back there tomorrow and I'd have my bag packed in about 30 seconds. I was able to develop my leadership skills while helping promote health in the community. I loved living on base and getting to know the other volunteers and the community. I would recommend going to the Dawasamu base to anyone who was thinking of heading out on a volunteer trip, you get to live with the community you work with, the staff are incredible, it's a beautiful place to live, and I made tonnes of friends while I was there.

The GVI under 18s volunteer trip to Luang Praband Laos was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. As a part of the trip, cultural immersion was a big focus, aside from doing some touristy things like Kuang Si waterfall, we also got to learn and involve ourselves in authentic Lao culture. We were fascinated to learn about Buddhism and walk through all the temples as well as ask any questions we had to novice monks. We got to experience the lives of many Lao people when we camped overnight at a rice farm, partaking in the process of growing rice, right from ploughing with the buffalo to cooking rice noodles we experienced the whole process. Another highlight was the cooking class we attended in which we learnt some amazing Lao dishes and got all the recipes to take home. Working with the children teaching English was so inspiring as we met the most motivated and driven people who were aspiring for a better future by learning English. We had to plan workshops for each of the days we were teaching which taught us all some valuable life skills, including that things don't always go to plan.
Finally, the other volunteers were amazing and I found some likeminded people I am so glad to call my friends, despite coming from all over the world we all had similar ideas of what we wanted to get out of the program and we bonded immediately. The group leaders were incredible and sparked a lot of great and thought-provoking conversation, as well as just really fun to hang out with. And if that isn't enough of a reason for you to book a trip, the landscape is breathtaking!
Whilst we were away for two weeks we were kept so busy with different activities we had no time to miss home. I would strongly recommend this trip and GVI as a whole, I can't wait for my next trip!

At the beginning of this year, I embarked with GVI on the Marine Conservation short-term internship in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. I was lucky to find out about our project on a university page, as I was required to complete an internship for academic credits. Life on base was exceptional; I liked to get up a tad earlier than the bulk of us to go on the beach and admire the sunrise, then we would all have breakfast together and start gearing up for ‘Wave 1’, the morning dive. We used to dive once or twice a day and practiced fish and coral identification, buoyancy skills and first aid skills. When not in the water, the staff held workshops, we helped local marine researchers at the coral nursery, or we simply appreciated the Mexican vibes from base, the beach or the town. Our staffs were a handful of legends that not only were fun to hang out with but knew their stuff like champs. I could ask them for advice on anything; from diving and scientific skills to where to get a drink in town.
The best about this program was the quality of learning and the opportunity to apply it all in real life. As all volunteers lived together on base we got to know each other pretty quickly and I felt supported throughout. My favourite part was collecting data for Coral Watch. I’m proud that my work contributed to this global database and to the researchers that assess the effects of climate change on the reefs. I’m an international student doing a Bachelors of Environmental Science at Deakin University. I joined GVI to see what it feels like to be a marine conservationist and the project provided me with some valuable answers. I came out convinced of my career choice and more motivated than ever to make it happen. I definitely recommend this program to anyone who’s up for loads of learning in a fun yet challenging environment.

GVI, Dawasamu was one of the most eye opening experiences ive possibly ever had.as cheesy as it sounds. It was a refreshing feeling being around people who arn't consumed by technology. Their days consist of human interactions and connecting with each other and themselves through nature with use of their five senses. It was beautiful to see kids who arnt dependant on ipads and iphones and can just BE. You can have nothing in this world but have so much in many other ways and be absolutely happy! As much as i was making a difference for these amazing cheeky kids, they taught me so much more, i am so so thankful for the time that i got in the village and with the people i met that I'll never forget.apart of me will forever stay in Silana. Vinaka vakalevu, sota tale.

Staying in Huay Pakoot for a month has been the best time of my life, i couldn’t recommend it more. You go on elephant hikes every morning and teach english to the kids in school and other villagers in the afternoon. You also find so many amazing people and friends for life as well as you find yourself. I would definitley do it again.

Signing up for the island conservation short-term internship program in the Seychelles was the best decision I’ve ever made. You have a chance to explore your own interests in the field while taking part in all of the exciting projects that GVI have to offer on this beautiful island. The staff are so passionate about what they do and the base is run so smoothly it felt like home after a few short weeks. Even if you’re just considering doing this program DO IT you won’t regret it. Like many before you you’ll fall in love with this island, it’s wildlife, tranquillity and of course the ocean, which is only metres away from where you sleep. It was the most incredible and happiest time of my life.

I went to Laos with my school for a service trip.it was actually one of the best experiences of my life.shout out to Tom and Alasandro! You both made the experience 10x better than it already was!

In March 2018 I had the most amazing adventure living for a month (very basically) in the middle of the Costa Rican Jungle thanks to GVI Jahlova Costa Rica. Waking up to the sounds of bird calls, capuchin monkeys raiding our compost and footprints of jaguars just outside our camp. We saw the most amazing wildlife and contributed to some extremely important biodiversity studies. Data analysis from all of the canal, jungle and beach surveys demonstrated that the number of species in rainforest that had been conserved for 10 years was significantly higher than that in an area conserved for only 3 years. This is evidence that conserving our natural areas is successful and will hopefully help convince governments to protect more areas. Working at this camp with other like-minded people was inspiring and has convinced me that I can have an impact on conservation back home in Australia.

The GVI Fiji Marine Conservation Expedition was such an amazing experience! I really enjoyed the projects we conducted while I was there! The GVI staff were very friendly and helpful when required! They were friendly, approachable and respectful. Not only were the staff amazing, but so were the volunteers! I met so many people from around the world and I learnt so much from them! Spending four weeks on a tiny island, really makes you grow strong connections quickly, and everyone becomes like family! I gained so many experiences and skills from this program and would recommend it to everyone! The accommodation was a little more basic then I was used to, but it all added to the experience! Would strongly recommend this program to everyone and would suggest doing more than 4 weeks (as my 4 weeks went way too quickly)!