Here is a brief description of the sorts of volunteer activities you can get involved in with Hands Up Holidays:
Repair and Renovations
There are many schools, hospitals and orphanages whose ambience and “mood” would be greatly improved by a fresh coat of paint, or simple repairs made to furniture such as chairs and desks. Like house building, this is another rewarding activity that often gets the community involved, thus providing opportunities to learn about another culture, share laughs, and touch lives.
Popular Repair and Renovation trips are:
Peru - Incas & Amazons
India - Ultimate India - In Style
South Africa - Southern Hospitality - In Style
Thailand - Taste of Thailand - In Style
Brazil - Waterfalls and Wetland
Fiji - Fiji Explorer
Kenya - Kenyan Encounter In Style
Building
We have partnered with established organisations such as Rotary International to build simple homes for a family who could not otherwise be adequately housed. You will typically work with professional local builders who do the tricky parts, leaving you to help with essential tasks like pouring concrete, and hammering in nails.
Frequently, the family the house is being built for, as well as other members of the community, will come and help build with you!
Building classrooms, playgrounds and libraries are other projects that you can get involved with.
The full cost of the materials you will use in building are included in the price of your trip.
Popular Building trips are:
Guatamala - Mayan & Mountains
Morocco - Taste of Morocco
Namibia - Simply Namibia
Namibia - Delta, Falls and Game Parks - In Style
Bali - Bali Bound
Thailand - Tantalising Thailand
Environmental
We are keenly aware of how closely connected harmony with the environment is with sustainable local community development, and have provided opportunities in Asia, and Latin America to assist with planting trees, gardening, and even helping with harvesting of crops (seasons permitting) – working alongside the local people, as we all learn the importance of caring for creation.
Popular Environmental trips are:
Ecuador - Ecuador Encounter
New Zealand - Southern Encounter
Australia - Far North Adventure
India - Sunderbans Smiles
Thailand - Elephant Encounter
Kenya - Captivating Kenya
Teaching or Being a Reading Partner
You may be teaching one student at a time, or you may be helping run an “English camp” for a local school, where the emphasis is on getting the children comfortable speaking English through the use of fun games and activities. We supply you with the appropriate teaching materials. Your students range from primary school children, to adults who can use their new skills to obtain employment.
Popular Teaching or Being a Reading Partner are:
Thailand - Village Vitality
India - Taste of India
Peru - Incas & Amazons
South Africa - Cape Classic
Fiji - Taste of Fiji in Style
Ghana - Going for Ghana
Vietnam - Hanoi & Hilltribes
Disaster Relief
Disasters such as the 26th December 2004 tsunami devastated many parts of South-East Asia. You can help in the worst affected part of Thailand to bring relief to the survivors, many of whom were left with nothing.
The nature of the relief work changes as tasks are completed, and people return to the area, and is influenced by the weather and seasons. Currently, the need is for furniture building, boat repair, and beach clean ups.
Popular Disaster Relief trips are:
Thailand - Taste of Thailand in Style
Thailand - Thai Travels
IT/Administrative/Marketing
Some charities are desperately keen for assistance in their offices, which then enables the charity staff to directly focus on the people they are serving. You can greatly assist any specific skills you have, such as in designing websites, bookkeeping, accounting, or marketing ideas that the charity can use to raise its profile – on a budget! Additionally, in Vanuatu you can assist with training locals in business or IT skills.
Popular IT/Administrative/Marketing trips are:
Bali - Bali Bound
Vanuatu - Big Island Explorer
Medical/Physiotherapy
If you have medical training, you can assist in medical clinics in Vanuatu; if you are a physiotherapist, your skills can be used with disabled people in both Indonesia and Vietnam.
Popular Medical/Physiotherapy trips are:
Peru - Incas & Amazons
Bali - Dynamic Duo
Vietnam - Vietnamese Venture
Vanuatu - Taste of Vanuatu
Village-Based Projects
This can vary from helping build a seawall, reclaiming land, and building footbridges in Fiji, to more ad hoc projects inVanuatu, Brazil and Ecuador. In all cases you get to immerse yourself in another culture, help alongside villagers, and typically stay with a local host family to further enrich your insights into another way of life. The cost of the materials are included in your tour price.
Popular Village-Based Projects are:
Argentina - Argentinean Aventure in Style
Brazil - Natural Natal in Style
India - Sunderbans Smiles
Thailand - Taste of Thailand in Style
South Africa - Southern Hospitality - In Style
View an introduction to what Hands Up Holidays is all about.
A mini-documentary about a Hands Up Holiday in Fiji
Watch a TV news clip about the launch of Hands Up Holidays