Diane Valenti, owner and founder of Llama Expeditions, says their trips “are a chance for culturally curious travelers to make a meaningful connection with the people and the land of Peru”. Llama Expeditions tours offer full cultural immersion giving guests the opportunity to see how Peruvians live – to talk with them about their dreams and accomplishments, and to learn about the challenges they face.

By Phyllis Kaplan

Laos was once called the “the land of a million elephants,” currently there are less than 900 alive: 450 domestic and 400 wild. There are 2 births for every 10 deaths. Crunch the numbers. If this is not addressed, Laotian Asian elephants will be eradicated very soon.

By Katie Boyer

Women all over the world are fighting for the protection of their basic human rights. From the extremes of honor killings in Pakistan and female genital mutilation in Africa, to a universal lack of educational opportunities and reproductive choices, to worldwide domestic and sexual abuse, there is still a long way to go to reach gender equality.

In rural areas of Ghana, the Student and Youth Travel Organization (SYTO) works to arrange volunteering trips, internships, homestays and cultural exchanges for foreign visitors. To reach and get around the most remote and underserved villages of rural Ghana, these visitors need transportation on which they can rely; however, they often find that there is nothing suitable in their village destinations.

By Leanne Haigh, Project Development Manager at Acacia Africa

Voluntourism has generated a new wave in travel, the growing feel good factor creating opportunities for the everyday traveller and not just the career minded charity worker. But the question remains, can you make a difference when you’re a short-term tourist?

Fundacion Chacras de Buenos Aires works with local community members who are vulnerable to various social circumstances and are in need of support in areas such as social reintegration, psychiatric assistance, protection against rural isolation and gender discrimination. Working with volunteers, Chacras de Buenos Aires runs a program called “Sembrando Vida,” (“Planting Life”) to support Psicoasistencial Hospital Josá Tiburcio BORDA in Buenos Aires.

By Lisa Andersen and Robert Wake-Walker

Voluntario Global is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of local grassroots community projects in Latin America. It has 17 projects currently running in Buenos Aires as well as Jujuy, Bariloche, Misiones and Villagrande in Bolivia. This article covers ideas, challenges and opportunities related to Voluntario Global’s work, based on conversations with three partners and supporters of this important cause.

By Teresa Berninger

Projects like the Al Auja Environmental Center give hope, by increasing people’s independence and resilience by promoting water management strategies and water saving techniques. One such example is our grey water recycling systems. Waste water is collected, treated, and reused. Since this type of waste water system was installed at the local mosque and people realized how beneficial it is, many private households have started using the system.

By Kim Houghton, Marketing Manager, African Impact

Volunteering offers an opportunity to see and experience a culture in a way that’s not possible through conventional travel. By visiting parts of the world not available as a normal holiday destination, you become immersed into a local community. No longer bystanders on the side of the road, volunteers, with dirty hands and broad smiles, are integrated into the local community in a way they would not have been before.

By Aaron Smith, Founder, GoVoluntouring

Thinking about Volunteering on your trip? Sure you’ve given it enough thought? Some of us look for opportunities that balance more contemporary comforts within their experiences, while others look for more ‘iconically’ representative options, which can be hosted in more challenging and/or intimate environments. Either way, there are only two pillars of decision making, and they are based on how an organization’s philosophical and operational standards match with your personal needs and interests.