Volunteer for PoD’s new community football team in Ghana

Volunteer organisation PoD has launched a women’s football team in rural Ghana  – and you could join them!

The ladies football team, which started in March 2014, involves up to 30 women between 13 to 35 years old getting together on the village football pitch for fun sports sessions every week.

Running football training in Ghana

They, and the community’s men’s football team, would love to have more sports coaching volunteers around the year to help them increase their skills. The community is keen to learn other sports too, so if you are more interested in netball, cricket, volleyball, rugby or anything else they would love to learn.

Gemma, from the PoD UK office who has just returned from her African visit says “It was fantastic to watch the ladies team develop while I was on my recent project visit; everyone was keen to learn new skills and proudly posed post match in their new football kits. It was great to see the community supporting the first ever ladies football team in their first match against the neighbouring village – especially against the spectacular backdrop of the red setting sun!”

The football kits for each player are kindly donated to the charity by a past volunteer, but donations are more than simple hand-outs – the time given by volunteers helps the women and girls develop skills beyond the classroom. The women have lessons with a teacher from the secondary school before the volunteers run football sessions for the squad.

the ladies football team, Ghana, Africa

These sessions help them to increase their in confidence in everyday situations. It is also a great way to encourage team work and inspire increased school attendance by having fun in a relaxed environment, since many girls drop out of school early to start a family or help their family income.

A confidential weekly women’s health group run by the community nurse has been established to compliment the training and allow the women to ask questions they may not want to ask in a regular clinic.

If you would like to get involved in coaching football or any other sports in Ghana find out more about how you can get involved on the PoD volunteer website – visit www.podvolunteer.org

Go behind the scenes helping rhino on a South African safari

Ever wondered what it’s like to work on a rhino conservation project? This new trip, supporting the charity Helping Rhinos, not only offers the excitement of a safari but also allows you to go behind the scenes with rangers in the Kruger National Park region.

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Poaching of endangered rhino is a big problem in South Africa. The charity Helping Rhinos runs a community project to help combat the problem in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve on the edge of the famous Kruger National Park. The project is involved in the tagging and tracking of rhino, training rangers, and working with local communities to raise awareness of wildlife conservation. On this safari trip guests will get a fascinating insight into life as a conservation ranger, learning bush skills and following their work as they monitor rhino out in the field. With every booking of this trip, tour operator Native Escapes will make a donation to Helping Rhinos.

Alongside the awesome rhino, you’ll also get the chance to spot the ‘Big Five’ on various drives, day and night, and walking safaris. Timbavati has been dedicated to conservation since 1962 and is now characterised by strong populations of cheetah, lion and leopard, as well as large herds of elephant, buffalo and wild dog. The region is also home to the famous ‘white lions’ known only to occur in Timbavati.

Accommodation

Over the nine day trip you’ll be staying at two different safari camps. The Tandu Tula Field Camp in Timbavati is relatively luxurious but has the style and feel of a bygone-era camp of the old explorer days. The non-permanent camp has been designed for minimal environmental impact with its four custom-designed tents and communal mess tent hosting a total of eight guests. Each tent has military-style camp beds, open-air bathroom with hot water bucket shower and eco loo – all part of the ‘out in the field’ experience!

The next half of the trip transfers to the Hoyo Hoyo Tsonga Lodge in Kruger National Park, where real safari luxury awaits. Six stunning ‘beehive’ style air-conditioned suites house king-size beds, en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers. The stylish interiors, fabrics and artworks have been sourced from the local Tsonga community. From the lodge deck, you can watch animals gather at the nearby watering hole or as night draws in exchange stories around the communal campfire.

The Helping Rhinos Exclusive Safari runs from 31st August to 8th September 2014 (inclusive).

For full details, including full itinerary, prices and booking, visit www.nativeescapes.com

Touring with The Township Sisters in Cape Town

Guest blogger Rachel Watson takes a walking tour of Cape Town’s townships with new guides The Township Sisters…

The township name Masiphumelele means “we will succeed” in Xosha (one of South Africa’s 11 official languages) and the residents are doing just that. From the corner barbershop to the ice cream store, the library to the township pub, Masi (as it’s known for short) is a bustling, welcoming community waiting to be explored.

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I toured Masi with The Township Sisters, friends Ali and Mandy who have come together to help visitors to Cape Town experience a township tour through local eyes. They offer walking tours, guided by local people who have grown up in Masi and therefore give visitors a unique insight into the township – telling stories, introducing you to members of the community and leading you around as only a local can.

We met girl friends perfecting a Beyoncé dance routine in the community hall, teenagers catching up on homework in the internet cafe, a lady hand printing cotton tablecloths to be sold, children playing in the street… and all had a smile and a wave, a friendly greeting for the visitors to make us feel instantly at home in their community.

The Township Sisters’ tours are on foot, meaning that you’re right in the heart of the action – no soulless tour bus here, no peering out of a window and passing through without getting a true feel of the place. The comparison between here and the five star waterfront area of Cape Town couldn’t be more stark, but the friendliness and warmth in Masi shines through the comparable harshness of the living conditions. Taking a tour with The Township Sisters was a highlight of my time in Cape Town, and a unique experience.

Recommended for… Anyone who wants to experience a township tour in Cape Town, from a local perspective.

Be aware that… It’s a leisurely stroll so no particular level of fitness is necessary, but as the tours are on foot people with mobility issues may struggle.

‘Good’ credentials…

  • Touring on foot rather than in a vehicle makes the tours much more eco friendly
  • The Township Sisters support community projects in Masi – such as the local crèche – by arranging sustainable donations such as blankets, furniture and uniforms.
  • Tour guides are recruited from local people, providing jobs for members of the Masiphumelele community

 

For more information about The Township Sisters, visit their Facebook page here

About the author: Rachel Watson caught the travel bug during her gap year in 2002, and has no plans to stop exploring! She works in Customer Operations and blogs about her travel experiences in her spare time. Visit Rachel’s blog at http://dancing-like-no-ones-watching.blogspot.co.uk/ or follow her on Twitter @RacheyRoo183

Dive in! Marine conservation projects in Fiji

Guest blogger Laura Robinson, of NGO Frontier, profiles a project that lets you gain a dive qualification as you volunteer…

In the heart of the South Pacific Ocean, Fiji includes 333 islands which are famous for their excellent selection of white sandy beaches, coral diving and pristine environments. The crystal clear waters that surround each island include an array of marine creatures including over 1,200 species of fish and 12 species of whale.

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Frontier’s Fiji Marine Conservation and Diving project gives volunteers a dive qualification and familiarises them with surveying underwater species. Volunteers in Fiji can also contribute towards the publication of scientific papers, gaining them some great credentials for future employers, for undertaking projects on their time abroad. As well as obtaining a PADI qualification, you also have the chance to carry out a BTEC award as well as a CoPE qualification.

The work

While earning a PADI qualification, volunteers conduct scientific baseline data surveys of reef areas, mapping the beds and mangrove growth in the area. New skills include underwater visual reef censuses which assess the coral cover to determine the extent of coral bleaching. On rare occasions, volunteers get to undertake research which involves the impact of fishing on coral reefs and to observe the impact of marine trade on endangered marine invertebrates.

Accommodation

During the project volunteers stay in a simple beach house on the island of Beqa. The house has been constructed by local craftsmen, using traditional building techniques and materials which aims to give you an authentic experience while you are away. Life at camp is very simple but also very fun, and you will experience what it is like to live almost carbon neutrally. Food in camp consists largely of rice, fruit, pancakes and fish which are purchased within the country to help the economy.

Recommended for… Anyone that enjoys diving and living a simple lifestyle, whilst also caring about local communities and their environments – and you must have a passion for conservation and wildlife!

Be aware that… This is better for longer-term stays; the first few weeks are spent on training with more survey time in subsequent weeks.  The work may be intense and challenging at times and activity varies depending on the time of year.

‘Good’ credentials

  • Once patterns have been identified, work begins alongside local communities to raise awareness over the value and vulnerability of their local marine environment.
  • Frontier also aims to create seasonally protected areas for turtles during nesting.

 

About the author: Laura Robinson works for Frontier, a non-profit international volunteering NGO that runs over 300 conservation, community, and adventure projects in 57 countries across the globe. She can be found blogging on Frontier’s Gap Year Blog or posting on the Frontier Official Facebook page.

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Positive favela tours launch in Brazil

To celebrate World Responsible Tourism Day on 6 November, guest blogger Andrew Thompson of responsible tourism operator and South America specialist Sumak Travel, describes a fascinating new initiative in Brazil…

View from the top of the Santa Marta communityResponsible tourism can help reduce poverty and support the creation of sustainable livelihoods pursued in harmony with the environment and local culture. In Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, for example, Sumak Travel has developed a different approach to the ethically suspect practice of ‘slum tourism’ where some tour operators take visitors around shanty towns in vehicles with security guards. Instead, by working with local partner Soul Brasileiro, we have started running a relaxed walking tour of Santa Marta, a favela (shanty town) inhabited by around 5,500 people.

Under a state government programme launched in preparation for the World Cup and the Olympics, shanty town inhabitants have been trained as bilingual tour guides and can speak English, Spanish, French and several other languages. The cost of the tours is modest and fixed by the municipality, and between 15% and 20% of the revenues must be reinvested in local social and community programmes. The guides themselves are asked to spend their earnings inside the community.Michael Jackson mural in the Santa Marta community - Rio de Janeiro

Visitors can walk around, meet the locals, see the incredible views of the city and shop for locally made handcrafts at the market, including art made from recycled materials such as old tin cans. The tours are advertised across Rio, and favela residents are incredibly proud of the publicity generated for their community. After years of being ‘invisible,’ they are now protagonists, eager to tell Santa Marta’s story and show off its facilities.

Soul Brasileiro is a local tour group that describes itself as ‘nuts for Brazil!’. They believe responsible tourists should be given a chance to understand not only the beauty of the country but also its social problems: “this understanding is the only way to seek joint solutions and build a better Brazil every day” it says.

At the top of the Santa Marta communityTo that end it offers a whole range of community tours, nature treks, and hands-on encounters with local cooking, arts, and culture. They have a particularly exciting project called Nature, Kitchen and Culture which is developing an organic community garden.

We take a similar approach with less known shanty town projects in Sao Paulo and with Quilombos (hinterland settlements of people of African origin) in Paraty, in partnership with Brazilian responsible tour operator Aoka.

Click here for more information on Sumak Travel’s tours of  Sao Paulo, Paraty and Rio de Janeiro. (All pictures courtesy of Sumak Travel).

 

About the author: Andrew Thompson is a freelance writer, blogger and management coach; he works for Sumak Travel. Brought up in Latin America, he has worked for BBC World Service and been a foreign correspondent in Mexico City (The Guardian), Buenos Aires (The Times), Rio de Janeiro (BBC) and Rome (Inter Press Service). As editor of a team that produced a radio documentary on social reform in Latin America, Andrew won the 1994 King of Spain Journalism Prize. Visit his blog at http://www.yorugastories.com/

 

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Volunteer guilt: the symptoms and how to cure it

Let’s be honest. While volunteering overseas is generally considered a worthy way to spend your time, there are plenty of cynics out there – and sometimes those questioning voices are in your own head… Is this project really making a positive difference? Am I properly skilled to do this work? Do people really think I’m just a ‘poverty tourist’? Should I really pay for the privilege of volunteering?

Sounds like a common case of ‘Volunteer’s Guilt’ – but you can overcome it, and still be a responsible and decent traveller! Let’s tackle the issues one at a time…

Is this project really making a positive difference?

Unfortunately, the volunteer travel industry doesn’t currently have a worldwide accreditation scheme which means that among the majority of genuine projects, there are a few bad eggs.  At best, some travel companies may ‘dress up’ overseas trips to undeveloped countries as ‘voluntourism’, getting tourists involved in activities which have little or no positive impact on the local communities or environments they purport to help. At worst, projects may be mismanaged or blatant cons – this is, thankfully, rare.

The cure: Ensure you’re booking with a reputable organisation with plenty of experience in volunteer travel. If a particular organisation is unfamiliar to you, it doesn’t mean it’s dodgy – just ask questions about how long they’ve been working in the area, check if they have links with local groups on-the-ground, and search for peer-to-peer reviews online.

Am I properly skilled to do this work?

Sometimes everyone can suffer from a lack of confidence. You may feel overwhelmed by what’s being asked of you and that more ‘qualified’ volunteers should be involved. But you probably have all the skills you need – quite often that’s as simple as the will to get involved! However, if you feel uncomfortable about any of the tasks asked of you, don’t book the trip. There have been stories of orphanages letting volunteers, unqualified in childcare, to do more than they should (this is an area that’s currently under the spotlight as tour operator ResponsibleTravel.com recently removed orphanage holidays from their site). Ask yourself if you would expect to take on a similar role back home – if you wouldn’t, don’t book it.

The cure: All genuine projects will be up-front with what skills are required. Always ask before you book, and even suggest what other skills you could offer on site.

teaching during a gap yearDo people think I’m a ‘poverty tourist’?

This can be quite a common worry for travellers in undeveloped countries – the thought that they are only there to get a first-hand glimpse into cultures and lives very different to their own, do a bit of ‘work’ to feel good about themselves, and then leave back to go back to their First World comfort without any lasting support given.

The cure: Make sure you’re happy with the level of work you’ll be required to do on your project. Quite simply, the more hours you put in, the bigger the difference you’re making to the local people and environment. And if you’re happy skipping the occasional leisure day, you could even ask if there is an opportunity to do more good work!

Should I really be paying for the privilege of volunteering?

Many people still grapple with the notion of paying for a volunteering holiday: ‘If I’m already volunteering my time, isn’t that enough?’ Most volunteer travel organisers will set a price for your place on the project, alongside the costs for transport and accommodation.

The cure: Volunteering holidays still cost money to run. All reputable operators will be up-front with what these costs are for, and will provide a breakdown if requested. Quite often, a large proportion of these costs will be going straight to the local community involved – to pay for homestays or camping accommodation, food and the services of cooks, cleaners, local guides and project leaders. 

So don’t feel guilty about doing something amazing and worthwhile. As the majority of people don’t even take volunteering holidays, you’re already well-ahead of the pack – that’s nothing to feel guilty about!

Let us know what you think in the comments below…

This blog post originally featured on Frontier’s Gap Year Blog

Greening the city – Southbank’s Festival of Neighbourhood

This month, Goodtrippers took a trip to London’s Southbank – usually a carpet of 1960s industrial concrete – to find a decidedly ‘allotmenty’ feel to the place…

The Southbank Festival of Neighbourhood, this year’s backdrop to the usual comedy, performance, music and drama that takes place over summer, aims to be London’s friendliest neighbourhood. Artists, designers, architects and community groups were invited to bring the joy and warmth of the village green, allotment and street party to the Southbank. And it’s refreshing to see the grey concrete area housing giant topiary, arty wheel barrow installations, an orchard and window boxes crammed with vegetables and herbs.

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First up as you approach from Hungerford Bridge, is ‘The Greenhouse’ full of herbs growing in 600 hessian sacks ready to be harvested and used in dishes in the nearby Riverside Terrace Cafe. It was originally designed by Andrew Lock in collaboration with local schoolchildren. Now you can smell the heavenly mint, lavender, sage and basil whilst reading the labels for recipes of the dishes they’re destined for.

Behind ‘The Greenhouse’ is ‘Octavia’s Orchard’ – 30 three metre high fruit trees housed in galvanised, steel street bins (prettier than it sounds!) dotted along the busy walk-way opposite the cafes and bars of the strip. Named after National Trust founder Octavia Hill, the orchard, by What If:projects, takes inspiration from Hill’s idea that “tenants and all urban workers should have access to open spaces… Places to sit in, places to play in, places to stroll in, and places to spend a day in.”London Housing estates are invited to ‘adopt’ part of the orchard and seating for their grounds at the end of the Festival’s season.

Turning back to the river, you’ll find Queen’s Walk Window Gardens, a large-scale allotment designed by Wayward Plants using reclaimed windows. Growing typical allotment produce such as courgettes, onions and tomatoes, the space is tended to by volunteers and aims to grow 500 meals as part of Capital Growth’s ‘Growing a Million Meals for London’ campaign.

Round near the Hayward Gallery you can’t fail to spot ‘The Sweepers’ – two gigantic pieces of topiary-style art by Shipshape Arts, inspired by Londoners who swept up the mess created by the riots in 2011. As part of the series, ‘Neighbours’ is another two-character supersize topiary installation behind the Royal Festival Hall.

Also near the Hayward Gallery is ‘Roll Out the Barrows’ – a ‘rollercoaster’ shaped installation of small wheel barrows planted-up with real plants. Part of the Edible Bus Stops initiative, the creators are inviting community groups to come forward and ‘adopt’ a barrow to tend to throughout the summer, then roll back to their community in September.

We didn’t get a chance to sample Luke’s Cafe (British food served from a humble garden shed) or have a drink on the Queen Elizabeth Hall roof garden and woodland garden, and there are plenty of other children’s activity spaces, murals and more dotted around the area.

Certainly a breath of fresh village air this summer!

For more information, including details of all the features and how to get involved, visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Promoting urban gardening and allotments
  • Growing fresh produce for local cafes and ‘Growing a Million Meals for London’ campaign
  • Volunteers involved
  • Sustainable and lasting impact with Octavia’s Orchard trees being replanted in London’s housing estates

 

 

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Teach in Ghana – an educational experience

Guest blogger Ellie Cambridge, of NGO Frontier, profiles a volunteering opportunity with Ghana’s new generation…

school children in GhanaGhana is a land of contrasts featuring vast areas of land brimming with animals and birds, a stunning coastline, mountainous terrain and the highest waterfall in West Africa – fancy volunteering there? The people are renowned for welcoming visitors, and with education hugely important to local communities, you’re bound to discover a warm welcome if you join this teaching project.

Education provides Ghanaian children the opportunity to move away from less well paid trades and into something that could give them a better future. Many schools in Ghana rely heavily on the help of volunteers. Frontier’s Ghana Teaching Project gives volunteers the opportunity to help underprivileged children do something special with their lives.

The workteaching English in Ghana

While earning a TEFL certificate, volunteers will teach English to the pupils of a local school, mark their work, prepare homework, develop lesson plans and help organise extracurricular activities, such as sports clubs. Much of the teaching work that volunteers do requires creativity and a flexible approach in order to make learning fun and memorable for the children. In order to prepare for the teaching, volunteers are encouraged to sign-up to a training weekend to get their TEFL certificate off to an excellent start.

 

Accommodation

Volunteers stay in a homestay which provides ample opportunity to really get to know the Ghanaian culture and lifestyle by living with a local family. Volunteers are provided with three delicious meals a day, eating traditional Ghanaian dishes. The homestay is part attached to the community school where volunteers teach (your daily alarm may be the children singing as they arrive for school!).

 

school child in GhanaRecommended for… Anyone who wants to make a substantial difference to Ghanaian children’s lives, have a passion for teaching and are willing to get heavily involved in community life.

Be aware that… While clean and comfortable with everything that volunteers need, the accommodation is fairly basic. The food will be nutritiously well-balanced and filling, but may not be exactly what you are used to, so it is always good to be prepared for this difference.

 

‘Good’ credentials:

  • The project provides constant and dedicated education for children that otherwise may not receive it
  • By building English language skills, volunteers directly contribute to the development of Ghanaian business and the economy by increasing children’s communication skills, influencing their career choices later in life

 

About the author: Ellie Cambridge works for Frontier, an NGO dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities in the world’s poorest countries. Find our more about Frontier’s volunteer projects and ethical adventure trails and gap year planning.

 

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New education project calls volunteers to Peru

Non-profit organisation PoD Volunteer (www.podvolunteer.org) has announced a new education project in Peru and is now calling on willing volunteers to join and support their work.

school children in PeruThe partnership, with a local community education initiative, is in the Peruvian town of Huaraz in the Ancash region and will provide educational and emotional support to children from low income families. If you want to join them in Peru, here’s a flavour of what you could be experiencing…

Activity

The project encourages a holistic approach to education combining homework tuition, emotional well-being classes, recreational activities and daily nutritious meals in a family orientated environment.  The community school was established in 2006 to support a low income area where many children were struggling to achieve in the school system. The school runs two daily sessions to compliment the state school system;

  • 9am – 12pm: Secondary school students attend the community education project, they then spend the afternoon at state school
  • 3pm – 6pm: Primary school students attend the project following their morning classes at state school. This is a big help also to many single parents who would not be home to look after their children in the afternoon.

 

The objective is to provide the children within extra support in their studies. Volunteers act as mentors offering help with homework, education on health and wellbeing and emotional support for students from difficult backgrounds.volunteering in Peru

Volunteers are involved with a number of tasks which can include:

  • Helping with homework; Spanish, English, Maths and other subjects
  • One-on-one tuition with children who are struggling
  • Informal lessons
  • Creative activities; music, arts and crafts
  • Active games and sports
  • Help on the nutrition awareness program, healthy living and hygiene education
  • Building and maintenance at the school

 

If you have any specific skills or interests then the community education project are always eager to involve this in the volunteer work. Especially if you have experience in social work, psychology, art, environmental sustainability, literacy and numeracy intervention, health education, fundraising, or languages and translation.

teaching in PeruAccommodation

Volunteers stay in a basic but comfortable volunteer apartment, located in the centre of Huaraz and about 10 minutes’ walk from the community school. The apartment has a fully equipped kitchen where volunteers can cook. Bedrooms are shared with shared bathrooms.

Recommended for… Anyone with an interest in education, community development and working with young people and volunteers who want to immerse themselves in Peruvian culture.

Be aware that… The language barrier can be tough, we recommend volunteers try to pick up a few phrases before you travel and consider lessons when in Peru. You will find you pick up many phrases naturally whilst volunteering! Also, accommodation is not private – bedrooms and bathrooms are shared with other volunteers on the project.

Good credentialsLaguna Churup, Peru

  • Help fight poverty and child labour in Peru by providing educational and emotional support to children and adolescents from low income families.
  • Build self-esteem through helping plan and execute personal and emotional development workshops, crafts, and sports.
  • Support an ongoing local community initiative which has been operating in the region for seven years.

For more information on the role, what’s included and the project price visit PoD Volunteer – Peru, Community Education

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Top 10 Tips for Responsible Travel

We love to hear your ideas for how best to enjoy responsible travel. Here Gemma, Placement Manager at PoD Volunteer, a leading non-profit volunteer agency, shares her top tips for travellers.

PoD volunteersVolunteering is a great way to get to know the local community and a fantastic way to travel responsibly by helping local projects. However, when you are travelling abroad there are extra steps you can take to avoid your actions causing offence or harm to the local environment. Here are top tips from PoD Volunteer (www.podvolunteer.org) that can help you become the best ethical traveller!

1. Buy locally – This way you get to explore the markets and shops, sights and smells, plus try new local delicacies (which can be quite an experience!). By buying directly from the farmers and small businesses you are helping to ensure they are paid a fair amount for their goods.

2. Haggling- We all like a good bargain but there are right and wrong ways to bargain when travelling abroad. Top rule is to be friendly, smile and remember it’s all about compromise (but don’t show that you like the item too much!). Remember. you can always walk away if the price isn’t right and don’t worry if you ended up paying 10% too much- you wouldn’t even notice this extra mark up when shopping at home.

getting involved

3. Understand and respect local customs- The last thing you want to do is offend locals when you arrive so it’s good to check out what is socially regarded as rude. In Malaysia it is rude to point with a finger (you should use your thumb), in Thailand the head is the most sacred part of the body so you should not touch anyone’s head, and in India when eating with your hands you should not eat using your left!

4. Use water carefully- Clean water is very valuable in many countries so try not to waste water by taking long showers or leaving taps running.

5. Ask before taking a photo- In certain societies around the world people believe that taking a photo takes their soul too so it’s always polite to ask before talking a photo of someone. They may want to see their photo on your digital camera once you have taken it.

herd of elephants6. Carefully think about the souvenirs you buy- When buying items it’s good to carefully consider purchases and make sure you are not supporting activities that damage the environment or are a result of illegal activity. Make sure you are not buying a souvenir made from ivory, endangered hard woods, ancient artefacts or endangered animals.

7. Use refillable water bottlesMany countries do not have recycling facilities so each plastic water bottle you throw away will end up on a rubbish heap. Use refillable water bottles wherever possible by filling up with water from clean water dispensers or use water purification tablets.

8. Respect the environment– When trekking keep to the well-walked paths, do not damage coral when diving and do not remove anything from its natural environment. Read and follow local national park rules and regulations.

9. Travel Green– Explore the country by using public transport, bike or simply walking when it’s convenient. It reduces pollution and carbon emissions plus it’s a fun way to meet locals!

10. Get involved with local communities- The best memories can be made from joining in with local communities but don’t forget to ask first before entering a holy place and make sure you respect local cultures, traditions and are dressed appropriately (many religions prefer visitors to have covered shoulders and legs before entering certain building or areas, if in doubt just ask).

And an extra one for luck!

11. Hellos and Thank Yous- It’s easy to learn two words before arriving into a new country. A smile and even a badly pronounced “hello” or “thank you” will get you a long way and they will respect you for trying!

At PoD Volunteer we want to ensure that a volunteer’s impact is always positive and never damaging so we advise our volunteers on our social, economic and environmental policy in our project information booklet when volunteers apply for a placement overseas.

If you would like to explore the world and volunteer you can view a range of project options from PoD Volunteer here: http://www.podvolunteer.org/Type-of-Volunteering/

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