GVI - Exeter

Olivia

The most incredible time of my life. I feel so lucky to have experienced all that is Nosy Be, Madagascar.
I chose GVI because they are so impact driven, and during my time in Madagascar that was the evident.
Being able to immerse myself into such vibrant and joyful community was a remarkable opportunity. From base life to weekend fun, everything about this trip was wonderful. The students, the staff, the locals, the volunteers, the nature, the wildlife, the music…everything about it. Meeting the students and going into schools was so much fun and I am so glad to have met such exceptional people. If you are reading this review unsure whether or not to do a program with GVI, this is your sign to book it…right now. You will not regret it.

Isabelle Elms

I had an incredible experience volunteering with the GVI teaching program in Siem Reap! The staff are all so so friendly and helpful and there’s such a strong sense of family. The food at the Secret Harden Hotel is all delicious especially the Amok :). The teaching timetable works really well and is timed so you are back for the hottest part of the day! The teachers are all lovely and very helpful and the students are all so willing to learn and have conversations and play games with you. Overall I had so much fun and learnt so much from the incredible community in Siem Reap ?

Max Roulstone

GVI Limpopo has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Arriving on base you are met with well trained staff who perfectly reflect the core values of GVI, as well as many passionate, friendly and helpful volunteers. Life of base is incredibly fun and the time you get to be able to meet and form friendships with the other participants and staff is incredibly valuable. On the two drives you go on each day you are driven by an incredibly knowledgable staff member who knows a literal unbelievable amount about the wildlife on the reserve and are always up for chatting with us and going on fascinating tangents about all sorts of wildlife. It is clear that GVI and the staff working on base care an incredible amount about the participants, our life on base and our life before and after GVI.

GVI has been a time of formative experiences and has helped guide my thinking in the weeks after landing back in the UK.

Rebecca Sørensen

GVI Limpopo, SA - 4 Week Research Fellowship:
My 4 weeks at GVI Limpopo's base allowed me to collect the necessary data for my university research project. The fact that GVI was able to cater to my specific project's needs was absolutely brilliant.
Very nice, accommodating staff on base, as well as a very friendly communications team throughout my booking/application process. The Limpopo setup really was the true African safari dream.
What could have been done better however, was a clearer description of my day-to-day (before arriving), ALL the duties/activities I would have on base and how the WIFI setup would be (I was sprung with quite a few things upon arrival I did not know were included - these were positive things, but they could have been nice to know in advance).

Jayne Webb

GVI Siem Reap Cambodia is a great location for anyone looking for meaningful volunteering community projects in a beautiful city
This is an excellent base for a variety of meaningful community projects. The programmes are well run and there is an enormous amount of support for volunteers. I would definitely recommend

hacked smiley face

I stayed in the Canary Islands doing conservation of dolphins and whales and I have 3 things to say. Wonderful environment. Wonderful people. Wonderful experience! I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend time in my summer and I will be back as soon as possible but for longer. Seeing the marine life up close felt magical and understanding and learning about the intricacies of their species was so interesting. I would 100% recommend to anyone who is interested in marine life

Jake Weighell

When I signed up to GVI Costa Rica I was excited to see and work with the exotic animals in the rainforest. What I was not expecting was the amazing people that I would be working with, from making close friendships with the other participants, to lifetime bonds with the staff members themselves. This made the experience that much more rewarding and made it a joy to go out on surveys every morning and night to look at wonderful snakes and frogs, with equally amazing people.

Uet Ohne

Interaktiv and flexible
I spent three months on the marine research program in Silana, Dawasamu, Fiji. It's a wonderful village, in the middle of nature and far away from tourism. The diving area is incredibly beautiful. The small diving center and the office on the beach are a really nice place to work. I especially liked the fact that we went out four days a week and actually did something. For the survey I was asked about my learning interests and I received a lot of support, which enabled me to get to know all topics.

You live in a base next to the village, which is simple but well equipped and allows for an interactive social life in which you have to get involved. How well this works depends of course on the team and other volunteers, but I made some great friends there.

Something very special is the contact with the village, where everyone gets a host family and thus the chance for cultural exchange. This may be more or less easy depending on the family, but it is an incredibly great opportunity to really get to know the lives of the people and their culture. I went to eat with my family once a week and also did other things together, for example we went fishing and went to a school rugby game.
I really succeeded in achieving my goal of getting to know both the underwater world and the culture of the country through this project, and I say that based on many project experiences.
This was mainly due to the fact that a very family-like atmosphere is maintained and a lot of flexibility is possible. Thanks to the team.
Date of experience: 07 June 2024