Volunteer Program Fees

The table below is a guide, as our trips are completely customizable and are priced out by the number of days on-site.  Please see additional pricing considerations below.

Duration of Stay Nepal India Ghana Kenya
2 weeks $1,410 $1,420 $1,525 $1,600
4 weeks $1,690 $1,700 $1,805 $1,880
6 weeks $1,970 $1,980 $2,085 $2,160
8 weeks $2,250 $2,260 $2,365 $2,440
10 weeks $2,530 $2,540 $2,645 $2,720
12 weeks $2,810 $2,820 $2,925 $3,000

Discounts:

  • Alumni volunteers are eligible for a $200 USD discount.
  • Youth (age 15 or younger) are eligible for a $200 USD discount.
  • Participants in groups or families of four or more will each receive a discount.

Only one discount may be applied per volunteer.

Additional Costs:

  • If you volunteer at more than one site, or choose to add on an excursion through one of our local partners, there will be an additional charge for transportation between villages, dependent on the distance and transportation option chosen.
  • In Kenya, your program fee includes two nights accommodation with Wendy Gaya, our In-Country Coordinator in Nairobi.  This includes the night of your arrival, and the night before your departure.  Additional nights may be added on for $30 USD/night.
  • In Kenya, we are happy to arrange excursions through our local partners.

 

 

 

Your Volunteer Program Fee Includes:

Personalized Placement

Village Volunteers will individualize your volunteer placement based on your interests and skills. We will answer any questions you may have to alleviate any of your concerns as you prepare for your volunteer experience.

Travel Preparation and Cultural Orientation

After you have applied, been accepted, and submitted your deposit, Village Volunteers will provide you access to our comprehensive preparation materials that will not only prepare you for travel but also for a cultural immersion experience.

Hospitality

As a volunteer, you will be provided with meals, clean drinking water, and accommodations that are safe, modest and clean.

In-Country Transportation

As a volunteer, you will have escorted ground transportation to and from the airport, as well as to and from your village placement. There is an extra expense for volunteering in more than one village placement due to the additional transportation costs.

Care and Supervision While Overseas

The safety and well-being of each volunteer is a top priority. The directors and volunteer coordinators of our partner organizations will be there to ensure your safety, while providing guidance and support as you acclimate to village life and participate in your volunteer activities.

Financial Support for Sustainable Development

A portion of your fee is used to support the programs of our partner organizations with which you are volunteering and to allow us to continue our advocacy through grant and proposal writing, fundraising and support of the volunteer experience.

Post-Program Assistance

Readjusting to life when you return home can be surprisingly challenging. We are there to help. We can connect you with alumni volunteers, and we support you if you choose to fund raise and increase awareness to support the village communities that touched your life.

Community Connection

As an alumni of Village Volunteers, we invite you to stay involved with our global community. We can connect you with fellow alumni in your city and will provide you with updates on the progress of the communities you served

 

Your Program Fee Does Not Include:

  • Airfare
  • Excursions and tourist activities
  • Visa and passport fees (as requried by country)
  • Immunizations (as required by country)
  • Travel health insurance (required by Village Volunteers)

Why Pay to Volunteer?

It is neither easy nor inexpensive to ensure that the volunteers are cared for while abroad which is why international volunteer organizations charge a fee.

For someone who’s already willing and committed to give up so much for the purpose of helping out, it’s natural to ask: “Why should I pay to volunteer?”

Most reputable volunteer programs, whether they offer volunteer positions of a few weeks or a full year, charge some sort of program service fee ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. These fees might seem extreme at first glance but the reality is that these fees reflect the real world costs and expenses that go into making your volunteer adventure possible, worthwhile and safe.

Keep in mind, that if the fee is very low, sacrifices are often made on the ground and, in many cases, the women working for your comfort are not paid and the NGO not compensated for your supervision. We emphasize immersion to focus on volunteer program’s goals and day-to-day operations to disrupt well-established patterns.

It takes a lot of time, effort—and yes, money to take good care of volunteers, and to get you to the point where you can make a real contribution without being a burden.

A separate hut or housing in the compound gives everyone privacy but the closeness of being neighbors. This is a true partnership where everyone benefits.

Village Volunteers is a nonprofit organization committed to keeping overhead in the US to be extremely low in order for your fee to make the most direct impact in the country you visit. Your volunteer fee is tax deductible as a humanitarian charitable contribution.

Tax Benefits

Village Volunteers is a 501 C 3 nonprofit organization. For U.S. citizens, in general 100% of the payments towards the program fee are deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Each country has different tax rules and regulations. We recommend that you consult a tax advisor on tax deductibility, including determining if and how airfare may be tax-deductible.

The table below shows the starting price for two weeks at each site. Additional weeks at Mama Maria Clinic are $175 per week.  Additional weeks at all other sites are $140 per week.  This is only a guide, as our trips are completely customizable and are priced out by the number of days on-site.  Please see additional pricing considerations below.

Program Site Price 
Nepal $1,410
India $1,690
Ghana $1,970
Kenya $2,250


Discounts: 

  • Alumni volunteers are eligible for a $200 USD discount.
  • Youth (age 15 or younger) are eligible for a $200 USD discount.
  • Participants in groups or families of four or more will each receive a discount.

Only one discount may be applied per volunteer.

Additional Costs:

  • If you volunteer at more than one site, or choose to add on an excursion through one of our local partners, there will be an additional charge for transportation between villages, dependent on the distance and transportation option chosen.
  • In Kenya, your program fee includes two nights accommodation with Wendy Gaya, our In-Country Coordinator in Nairobi.  This includes the night of your arrival, and the night before your departure.  Additional nights may be added on for $30 USD/night.
  • In Kenya, we are happy to arrange excursions through our local partners.

 

 

 

Your Volunteer Program Fee Includes:

Personalized Placement

Village Volunteers will individualize your volunteer placement based on your interests and skills. We will answer any questions you may have to alleviate any of your concerns as you prepare for your volunteer experience.

Travel Preparation and Cultural Orientation

After you have applied, been accepted, and submitted your deposit, Village Volunteers will provide you access to our comprehensive preparation materials that will not only prepare you for travel but also for a cultural immersion experience.

Hospitality

As a volunteer, you will be provided with meals, clean drinking water, and accommodations that are safe, modest and clean.

In-Country Transportation

As a volunteer, you will have escorted ground transportation to and from the airport, as well as to and from your village placement. There is an extra expense for volunteering in more than one village placement due to the additional transportation costs.

Care and Supervision While Overseas

The safety and well-being of each volunteer is a top priority. The directors and volunteer coordinators of our partner organizations will be there to ensure your safety, while providing guidance and support as you acclimate to village life and participate in your volunteer activities.

Financial Support for Sustainable Development

A portion of your fee is used to support the programs of our partner organizations with which you are volunteering and to allow us to continue our advocacy through grant and proposal writing, fundraising and support of the volunteer experience.

Post-Program Assistance

Readjusting to life when you return home can be surprisingly challenging. We are there to help. We can connect you with alumni volunteers, and we support you if you choose to fund raise and increase awareness to support the village communities that touched your life.

Community Connection

As an alumni of Village Volunteers, we invite you to stay involved with our global community. We can connect you with fellow alumni in your city and will provide you with updates on the progress of the communities you served

 

Your Program Fee Does Not Include:

  • Airfare
  • Excursions and tourist activities
  • Visa and passport fees (as requried by country)
  • Immunizations (as required by country)
  • Travel health insurance (required by Village Volunteers)

Why Pay to Volunteer?

It is neither easy nor inexpensive to ensure that the volunteers are cared for while abroad which is why international volunteer organizations charge a fee.

For someone who’s already willing and committed to give up so much for the purpose of helping out, it’s natural to ask: “Why should I pay to volunteer?”

Most reputable volunteer programs, whether they offer volunteer positions of a few weeks or a full year, charge some sort of program service fee ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. These fees might seem extreme at first glance but the reality is that these fees reflect the real world costs and expenses that go into making your volunteer adventure possible, worthwhile and safe.

Keep in mind, that if the fee is very low, sacrifices are often made on the ground and, in many cases, the women working for your comfort are not paid and the NGO not compensated for your supervision. We emphasize immersion to focus on volunteer program’s goals and day-to-day operations to disrupt well-established patterns.

It takes a lot of time, effort—and yes, money to take good care of volunteers, and to get you to the point where you can make a real contribution without being a burden.

A separate hut or housing in the compound gives everyone privacy but the closeness of being neighbors. This is a true partnership where everyone benefits.

Village Volunteers is a nonprofit organization committed to keeping overhead in the US to be extremely low in order for your fee to make the most direct impact in the country you visit. Your volunteer fee is tax deductible as a humanitarian charitable contribution.

Tax Benefits

Village Volunteers is a 501 C 3 nonprofit organization. For U.S. citizens, in general 100% of the payments towards the program fee are deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Each country has different tax rules and regulations. We recommend that you consult a tax advisor on tax deductibility, including determining if and how airfare may be tax-deductible.