Involvement Volunteers International

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible experience I had during the medical aid volunteering trip to Aborlan last week. Your dedication and support played a significant role in making my time in the Philippines both memorable and enriching. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed and made to feel at home, thanks to the wonderful team. Their hospitality, the amazing food, and the overall care they provided were exceptional. I would also like to give a special shoutout to April, my coordinator for the healthcare programme. She went above and beyond to ensure I had ample opportunities to learn and observe, and her guidance and care were invaluable. The programme itself was nothing short of amazing. Being able to go around the village conducting health checks for the elderly and children was an incredible experience. It was eye-opening to learn about the various barriers people face when accessing local health clinics, including stigma, costs, and the lack of resources and medical facilities. This experience deepened my understanding of the challenges in rural healthcare and the importance of community-based interventions. Working at the Rural Health Unit in Aborlan was both intense and rewarding. I had the opportunity to put my medical skills into practice by assisting with patient consultations at the front of the centre. It was a fast-paced environment where I quickly learned to recognize symptoms and determine the necessary medications within a short span of time. This hands-on experience was invaluable in honing my clinical skills and decision-making abilities. One of the most striking realisations for me was the extent to which the communities in Aborlan are under-resourced. The state of the hospital was poor, with a lack of equipment and severe understaffing. Despite these challenges, I was deeply impressed by the knowledge and dedication of the doctors. Their ability to treat patients effectively with limited resources exemplifies the essence of grassroots medicine. This experience has profoundly influenced my perspective on medical practice and the resilience required in such settings. Another highlight of my trip was spending time with the children in school. The joy and love they radiated were truly heartwarming. Their infectious enthusiasm reminded me of the simple yet profound aspects of life. Through my interactions with them, I learned to practice gratitude and appreciate the small blessings in life. Their spirit and positivity left a lasting impact on me. I became especially close to a beautiful little girl named Anna, I would love to come back and visit her again! The people I met in Aborlan, both in the community and within the volunteer team, made this experience the best it could be. Their warmth, kindness, and resilience have inspired me deeply. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this community, even for a short period. I am already looking forward to returning to Tigman to volunteer again and continue contributing in any way I can. Thank you once again for everything. Your efforts in coordinating this programme and ensuring our well-being have made a significant difference. I truly appreciate your kindness, care, and the opportunities you provided for me to grow both personally and professionally. This experience has been transformative, and I am excited to carry these lessons forward in my journey in medicine.

The volunteering was really and unforgettable time and I would definitely do it again! We got to experience all the work they have to do at this great project to increase the population of the sea turtles. They are also trying to better the environment of this small island and change the mind of the locals there to get rid of the big trash problem they have there. Everyday was something special. We helped cleaning the turtle tanks, cutting fish for the turtles, Cleaned the turtles, get to feed them, went to clean the beach and the street. The only negative thing I can tell about our volunteering experience was that there were to much volunteers which didn't really care about the volunteering work. There were just there to make party and not for the truly good thing the team is trying to do there. But that was the fault of the other volunteers. This project is such a good thing and I really hope that future volunteers will take it more serious! Because only than there will be a real progress soon :) I really hope for more volunteers with the same intentions than we had, because it is an awesome project!! The Team was soooo great!! They are people with such a good heart and they really want the world to be a better place for animals and humans. The Coordinators really have a passion for this project. Additional to that they are always here for everyone if there is any problem and they always trying to keep you in a good mood. The whole team there is amazing! Everything is clean and the accommodation is really comfy. The food is delicious and there is something for everyone. Maybe not to much participants. Because we had way to much participant and like at least one half of them didn't really care for what they are trying to do. And maybe longer working hours. Real volunteers would love to spend more time a day helping the people there so save the turtles and keeping Nusa Penida clean ;)

We enjoyed our volunteering experience in Fiji and loved interacting with the warm and welcoming Fijian people. Masi and Mare were great hosts and made our stay as comfortable as possible. It was also nice to meet and enjoy the company of Chris and Ruby and hear of their experiences each day. Sampreeti loved her experience of volunteering in the kindergarten as well as accompanying us on the health checks door to door for those who were too disabled to attend clinics in person. We also went to a special needs school (Sunshine School) one day with one of the chief guests who was attending a function at the kindergarten. I donated my bp instrument to the health visitor Aseni and hope it will help her monitor the health of her community through discussion with her local medical personnel. Sampreeti also donated a small amount of stationary supplies to the school for the little students. The school and the Lovu Hart Community were very kind welcoming. I gave a small health talk and watched Aseni deliver a talk to the children and parents on health issues. I enjoyed working with Aseni who was a diligent and caring health visitor. We will carry happy memories of our visit to Fiji. Thank you. Thanks, once again, Dr Susmita & Sampreeti

The construction was working on a community park. The local children worked with us on moving dirt with the wheelbarrows - very nice to see them care about their park and interest in us. The only downside in the project was that it was monsoon season which made outdoor work difficult. Local accommodations in Kathmandu were great! Very comfortable and afforded us an opportunity to interact with volunteers from around the globe. The local team was the best ever. Well managed, very professional and very helpful in all things for Nepal. Food was great, cleaning was great.

The volunteering was a lot of fun. I become more skilled in cooking techniques, and learned many things. It was also exciting for me to live by myself in a foreign country and I had a lot of fun with exploring Lisbon by myself. The food and accommodation was very good. The staff were always very helpful and supportive. The local team was also very friendly, caring and easy approachable. They helped me with planning weekends and were there to answer any questions I may have had.

Volunteering has been the best experience of my life; I met incredible people and will definitely never forget it. The local food was amazing, and I will definitely want to prepare these dishes when I return home. The local team was very helpful, resolving any doubts immediately. The accommodation also met all my expectations.