Excerpt from www.kiwimagonline:
If you're looking for a rewarding vacation experience for your family this summer or fall, there are excellent opportunities to be had. Research your options (and the appropriate age of children you might bring along) at:
CHOICE Humanitarian
This group focuses on ending poverty and leads expeditions to Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, Kenya and Nepal.
Cross-Cultural Solutions
This organization will help match your family with the right trip in one of 12 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Earthwatch
If you want to help the planet, this is the group for you. Volunteers work with scientists on environmental problems in places as varied as Madagascar, Australia, and France.
Global Citizens
Past projects have included tree planting, building and teaching in developing communities in India, Tanzania and even the United States. More than half of Global Citizens' volunteers travel as a family.
Globe Aware
The one-week volunteer vacations in Peru, Thailand, Cuba, Laos and 11 other countries have no age restrictions. Kids as young as 2 have taken Globe Aware trips and helped with planting, building and more!
These trips can cost thousands - and may be out of reach for some families. Travelocity, however, awards grants of up to $5,000 to "change ambassadors," people who want to travel and volunteer but can't afford it. If you're interested visit www.travelocity.com and click on the "Voluntourism" button on the home page.
Comments
Check out the Planeterra Foundation at www.planeterra.org for voluntours - adventure trips run by Gap Adventures (www.gapadventures.com) that have a volunteer activity, usually for a few days, in many countries around the world. For example a South Africa wildlife adventure with 5 days volunteering at a primary school that is supported by Planeterra or helping with a sea turtle conservation project in Costa Rica before heading off to explore the country.
At Avivara, we believe strongly in the power of learning through volunteering.
Avivara is a Guatemalan NGO which offers a "full-service" program for people who would like to combine volunteer service, academic learning and simply enjoying the many beauties and people of Guatemala. It can design programs for individuals or groups, for a week, or for a year. For more information, see the Avivara website at www.avivara.org
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