Girl from Somos Village

Image source: Voluntours.ca

There’s no doubt about it: voluntours cost money, even if all you have to pay for is the airfare. Typically though, with most trips that are planned through an organization, you’ll also have to pay a flat fee that covers your food and lodging during your stay. Much of the time, the money you spend to participate in a volunteer experience contributes directly to the project itself. For example, if you choose the Project Samos Children’s Village Project in Guatemala, your tour fees are guaranteed to contribute to the orphaned and abandoned children’s village infrastructure. This is certainly something to look out for when you’re deciding where to go and how much you’re going to spend.

There are many volunteer opportunities out there that don’t cost anything, like volunteer teaching at the Cloud Forest School in Costa Rica. However, these opportunities typically won’t include any lodging or food. It may help to consider the big picture. If you choose a free volunteering experience, the money you do spend will be going into the local economy—hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, etc. That will certainly help support the region, but it may not help the cause you’ve chosen in any appreciable way. If you’d rather help your cause directly, an all-inclusive voluntour will accomplish that (assuming you choose a reputable organization).

African Girl and a Volunteer

Image source: Bucketlisttraveladventures.com

The other benefit to an all-inclusive voluntour is having the experience of staying with a local family. Not all voluntours offer this, but many do, and the experience of living with the same people you’re helping will give you a much more personal connection with the project. It will also give you a lot of down time to relax, make friends, and ask questions at your own pace. If you are working in a non-English speaking country, living with a family may help you pick up the language faster than staying with other English-speaking travelers.

House Building Volunteers

Image source: Voluntours.ca

If you feel you simply can’t afford a voluntour, think again. There are several voluntour organizations that offer grants to volunteers to help with expenses. Often these grants are small, but in developing countries they can go a long way. The organization Honduras Children supports its volunteers with grants. If you have a deep passion for the project your planning and are determined to make it work, there are many other ways you can raise funds. Take a cue from J.D. Lewis and set up a website where friends, family, and local businesses can contribute to your trip. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to chip in. So many of us wish we could be voluntouring but can’t because of family commitments, health, or other reasons out of our control. Sometimes the best way we can help is by supporting others who have the time and ability to make the trip.

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