Volunteer in Wildlife Conservation in Brazil

Brazil, the largest country in South America and the fifth largest country in the world, is home to a wide array of tropical and subtropical landscapes, including wetlands, savannas and plateaus. Containing much of the Amazon River basin, Brazil boasts incredible biodiversity and a flourishing ecosystem. This project offers volunteer travelers the chance to work in wildlife conservation at the foot of the famous Pantanal region, which encompasses the world’s largest tropical wetland area. Working alongside local scientists based in the region, participants will learn to set up camera traps, map out new regions for the presence or absence of large mammals and monitor various species to better understand conservation threats and identify key ecological issues. A special focus is placed on the local white-lipped peccary populations as their constant movement and unique feeding patterns render them incredibly useful for evaluating the health of the local ecosystem. Volunteers can also assist with community environmental education activities such as tree-planting, seed-collecting and teaching environmental classes at a local school. 

This 2-week experience starts at $2,272 per person and includes accommodation, food, airport pick-up and drop-off, and 24/7 support from the on-site coordinator. 

Promote Conservation on a Photography Safari in South Africa

Through social media, conservation trusts and foundations have the opportunity to promote their work and educate the public about the wildlife they are working to protect. This kind of exposure can help educate the public, bring in donations and present opportunities for the foundations. Creating a full portfolio of photographs of the animals can assist in research as well. On this trip volunteers will have the chance to hone their photography skills and take shots of many species in the wild, including elephants, rhinos, leopards and smaller creatures like chameleons, lizards and more than 500 species of birds. 

This project is hosted in Kruger, South Africa and will last four weeks, beginning with one week of photography courses with professional wildlife photographers. After that, the weeks will be filled with safaris and tracking animals to try and document their movements. The photos collected will be uploaded to a research database used by many research programs in the area. When they aren’t taking photos and working on social media posts or research databases, volunteers will also assist in the maintenance of the land. 

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Intern with a Human Rights Group in Morocco

Morocco stands at the crossroads of three worlds. Lying at the northwestern tip of Africa, the country seamlessly melds Middle Eastern influences with European flair. Morocco’s location in the world means that it often receives refugees escaping war and unrest. In the capital city of Rabat, volunteers can intern with a local nongovernmental organization that provides these migrants with a quality education, work training and other forms of assistance. This is a perfect opportunity to gain firsthand experience working with an NGO, especially with issues related to development, human rights and migration. Morocco is an Arab country with French influence, meaning that those who choose to embark on this internship have the option to learn Arabic or French (required to work in administration) while there.

This internship is offered by Kaya Responsible Travel. The minimum length of the internship is one month for $2,690. Each additional week of interning costs $432. Kaya offers sustainable volunteer and internship opportunities in 32 countries and works on 150 different projects that partner with local communities.

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Kaya Responsible Travel

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Conserve an Elephant Habitat Near Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The region surrounding the waterfall is known for its diverse wildlife, including Africa’s “Big Five” animals: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo. The “Wildlife Research and Conservation Volunteering in Zimbabwe” project focuses on collecting data on elephant movements in the Victoria Falls region to minimize conflict with humans. Additionally, plan to work with local schools to educate children about wildlife and conservation activities that help protect local species and their habitats. The trip lasts for a minimum of two weeks at a cost of $2,006, with $421 per additional week. Volunteers must be at least 17 years old to participate.

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Kaya Responsible Travel

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Support Young Peruvian Mothers

This project is located in Cusco, Peru and aims to support young mothers and their children. Due to social conditions, there has been a rise in teen pregnancies in the country. Therefore, this project offers the opportunity to work within the community with NGOS that provide accomodation, support and work opportunities for mothers. In addition, it is the goal to create a family environment for these mother-child pairs by giving them access to basic nutrition, hygiene, childcare and household lessons to the mothers. Additionally, there is the responsibility to teaching women valuable skills that can be used in the workforce or possible business ventures. Furthermore, this project focuses on helping these women raise their children in a healthy and safe environment. Some tasks include baby care, teaching basic English and running exercise classes. The duration of the trip is 2 - 26 weeks, it costs $1587 for two weeks, and you must be at least 18 years old to participate.

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Provide for Rescued Gibbons in Thailand

Thailand seamlessly blends together the modern and the traditional, boasting both tropical beaches and royal palaces. However, it struggles to protect its diverse wildlife. The “Gibbon Conservation and Rescue Sanctuary Volunteering in Thailand” trip works to place gibbons in a caring sanctuary. They may have been victims of abuse, survived rough contact with humans or even been injured. Gibbons are a small type of ape that lives in Southeast Asian tropical forests. Their habitats are disappearing due to deforestation, and they are often captured by humans. Therefore, gibbons are one of the most threatened primates. As a volunteer, plan to work at a local sanctuary to provide rescued gibbons with a safe and comfortable environment. The age requirement for this trip is 18 years old and it costs $1,343 for one week with volunteer opportunities lasting up to 12 weeks.

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Kaya Responsible Travel

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Provide Social Work in Cambodia

The “Social Work Volunteering in Cambodia” trip is an opportunity to work with nongovernmental organizations in Siem Reap that employ local social workers. Siem Reap, home to the renowned ruins of Angkor Wat, is located in northwestern Cambodia. This area is in huge need of assistance since many people struggle to feed their families. Many organizations in the area aim to provide creative solutions to help these households. Subjects such as parenting, sexual behavior, healthy relationships and violence prevention can be addressed with the help of communication and social workers. You must have a degree in social work and at least two years of experience working in the field to be able to go on this trip. The trip lasts for a minimum of four weeks and costs $1,976.