Traveling can be one of the best things one can do to replenish the heart, mind body and soul. It feels so good to set foot in a new place, explore it and be away from the daunting realities of life.
We’ve always seen travel as a leisure activity. Our itinerary is often filled up with tours, make sure we have a picture of each tourist spot and try out the most recommended foods.
Now, we are presented with a different opportunity to make our travels more meaningful. As these tourist spots give us the feeling that we’ve made the most of our visit, voluntourism can make it more useful.
Voluntourism is a trip wherein you help a local community by spending some time with them and fulfilling different activities that can uplift their situation. Voluntourism does not just provide you an opportunity to help others but also gives you the chance to understand their culture by allowing you to immerse in their day to day activities.
We have compiled eight voluntourism activities that you can join based on the causes you want to pursue:
1. Be a Week-Long “Voluntour” at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is considered to be most socio-economically depressed areas in the US. Devastating floods hit the field this spring, and it left thousands of residents without access to basic needs like food and water.
Through Re-Member, you can do a week-long voluntourism for only $575. It already includes your accommodation, food, and transportation. You can help by building outhouses and wheelchair ramps on houses. You will also be given a chance to interact with the Oglala Lakota. This trip runs between March and October every year.
2. Clean Water
The organization Waves spearhead this program for Water. This is for those who are already on the road but want to do something more meaningful. It’s simple – as a tourist, you carry with you a water filtration system going to your destination. Then, you have to help a family set up the filtration system so they can process their clean water for the next five years. Each filter and adapter cost $35 each.
3. Sustainable Farming
Working in a sustainable farm can be a very enriching experience. This will give you a chance to connect with your body and rethink your food choices. With a registration fee of $40, WWOOF USA can connect you to different sustainable farms in the United States. You can choose the length of your stay from one week to three months or even longer.
4. Build Houses
For this voluntourism activity, all you have to do is sign up for the Habitat For Humanity and get on the plane. You can help to build homes in America or in 40 other countries where you can help people make a place, they can call home.
5. Farming
You can stay for a month or two as a Kibbutz Volunteer in Israel. You will spend these days farming and living in a communal area that you share with your fellow volunteers. You can also explore the region during your free time.
6. Work-Voluntouring
With $42, you can already sign up with Workaway for the whole year. Workaway has around 37,000 opportunities wherein you’ll be given a chance to do both travel and work. You can find jobs like cleaning national parks; help build irrigation systems in remote regions, etc.
7. Global Volunteering
Global Volunteers matches your skills set with the kind of volunteer you can do. You can teach in schools, help in hospitals, build houses, care for the elderly and do farming. The run programs in 15 countries and the program costs $1,000 and $3000 for one to three weeks from Nepal to the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
8. Volunteer Abroad
Volunteer Abroad usually has a two-week program that will allow you to work from Monday through Friday and enjoy your weekends. It also matches you with a plan or place that will work for you. The registration fee is $250, and the cost of the program fee varies from $250 to $1,000 depending on what country you will choose to volunteer.
Help change the world now. You can also start by signing up and learning more about the Medipacker community where you can save lives while traveling. Sign up HERE!
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