GVI

Project cancelled no refund. DO NOT CHOOSE GVI! Project cancelled - no refund issued I bought a volunteer trip to Thailand that was supposed to start on January 6, 2024....Read more

Project cancelled no refund. DO NOT CHOOSE GVI! Project cancelled - no refund issued I bought a volunteer trip to Thailand that was supposed to start on January 6, 2024. A week before departure, GVI canceled the whole project for me. They blamed problems with VISAS, even though I had a visa A reputable company would have immediately refunded the full amount because it was not my fault. Not GVI. Even though I took out cancellation insurance, now 7 months later they haven't paid anything back. Now they have stopped responding to my emails and it is impossible to get hold of people. So GVI has stolen both my experience and my money of GBP 3235.00. Google around and you will see that Global vision international is a scam.

Don't waste your money. They are basically thieves. I still have not received my refund eight months after cancelling my trip. The insurance contract said they would refund my money...Read more

Don't waste your money. They are basically thieves. I still have not received my refund eight months after cancelling my trip. The insurance contract said they would refund my money within 180 days, which passed 2 months ago. The only means of contact is a form, which I have filled out multiple times. The only response is that they are checking on the status. When I called the number on the website I was told there is no way to talk with anybody about the situation. After I posted a my review through Google Maps GVI immediately responded blaming the delay on people out during the holidays. The refund was owed before the holidays. Approximately 7% of the money owed has now been refunded. They have not refunded the remaining 93% yet, not told me when I will receive the rest of my refund. It has now been 80 days past when the money should have been completely refunded.

Please don't go volunteer with GVI!!! I booked the Coastal Conservation program on Curiseuse Island, Seychelles and what can I say - I got totally screwed by GVI! I was...Read more

Please don't go volunteer with GVI!!! I booked the Coastal Conservation program on Curiseuse Island, Seychelles and what can I say - I got totally screwed by GVI! I was supposed to start my 3-week volunteer work at the beginning of May. Almost 4 weeks before I was contacted by GVI and asked for a timely phone call, because they wanted to tell me something. On the phone, a "minor change" regarding the program was then announced, as at short notice the accommodation on Curieuse Island had to be closed due to renovation work. The program should then take place at the GVI base on Mahé in Cap Ternay. Since I knew that the Marine Conservation program takes place there and the main stock there is diving, I immediately asked if I would then be integrated into this - completely different - program. Since I do not have a diving license and am not allowed to dive at all for medical reasons, this was crucial information for me. I was assured that everything would be exactly as it should be on Curieuse. Only turtles would not be there. I also asked if the other volunteers (when I signed up, I was told that there were already 10 volunteers signed up in my time period) would also be there, or if some had cancelled due to the change of location. I was promised that I would not have to worry. Not only will the program be the same, but all the other volunteers would be there. It's just a different island. That should be fine with me then, besides it was all very short notice now and I had already booked flights and made travel arrangements. Arrived in Cap Ternay was one of the first sentences said to me: Hey Mila, super cool, you are currently the only volunteer in the Coastal Conservation Program! Super cool? Probably the opposite! At first I didn't think too much about it, because others from the Marine Conservation Program were also on the base. After the first few days I quickly realized that this is unfortunately a huge difference, because the others had other tasks and were on dives with the boat most of the time, I had little opportunity to get to know the others and spent most of the time alone in the camp. I had only 2 tasks during the day, which were done after 1.5 - 2 hours. The rest of the day I had nothing to do. The tasks were also definitely not the ones that were described. Since there were no supervisors for the Coastal Program in the base, the impression of a temporary solution arose very quickly and from conversations I overheard that the missing tasks were also due to a lack of material, since the base was originally designed for a completely different program, the Marine Conservation Program. So I was mainly supposed to help a student who collected data there for his PhD on mangroves. I definitely did not pay 3,000€ for that!!! The Coastal Conservation program touts working with turtles as its core focus. From a conversation with a supervisor I learned that this work would not have taken place on Curieuse at all, because at that time there was no season for sea turtles. Also from this info nowhere a trace on the website or the info materials of the program, which were sent to me. I have heard from other volunteers that I am not the only one who has been affected. All Coastal Conservation participants before me, who were also affected by the change, left the base earlier because they were totally frustrated. This also explains why instead of the original 10 volunteers, I was suddenly the only one. I also learned that GVI already knew about the closure of the base on Curieuse since February, but only informed the volunteers, like me, about the change shortly before departure. I decided after consultation with the supervisors on site to end the program earlier, because all this is simply an impertinence! To offer a program that no longer exists and to let people make the long journey to the Seychelles without a guilty conscience! In addition, without batting an eye, to demand far too expensive prices and then not even tell the truth! Currently, I am now trying for almost 2 months to get my money back, but GVI shows not a bit cooperative and ignores almost all attempts to contact me on my part. This appearance is absolutely not professional and unserious. Also under the aspect that it is supposed to be a non-profit organization. Unfortunately, my experience is not an isolated case. I am in exchange with other former volunteers who report exactly the same behavior of GVI.

I have now volunteered with GVI twice - in Seychelles and South Africa on wildlife conservation projects, both experiences were genuinely life changing. The staff are incredible, providing support from...Read more

I have now volunteered with GVI twice - in Seychelles and South Africa on wildlife conservation projects, both experiences were genuinely life changing. The staff are incredible, providing support from the very beginning, and the people that you meet become life-long friends because they are all like-minded individuals looking to make a difference. I had very little knowledge and no experience of wildlife conservation before volunteering with GVI but that didn't affect my contribution and experience. GVI have provided the tools I need to start a career in conservation if I want to. 10000% recommend to anyone looking to give back while travelling, have a career break and learn something new, or gain valuable experience for a career. I am now receiving regular job updates from GVI and I am planning another trip with GVI next year.