International Humanity Foundation

I volunteered for IHF and worked as. Co-director at the Bands Aceh, Medan and Jakarta centres. The staff who are actually on the ground running these projects are fantastic. Unfortunately, the reviews I see coming out on sites like Glassdoor are all true. I was badly bullied by the CEO. We did not receive the funding we should and often used our own money to buy food and travel for the children. She is absolutely vile to her staff, removes children from their families without cause and insists they call her 'mom' it was a very disturbing experience.

I joined ihf bali center right when I wanted to devote myself to international NGOs, my first impression was pleasure, volunteering, meeting international volunteers from various countries and helping children in locations where IHF bali center is located and all of that is at IHF here we all can together knit dreams and make it happen, from small things we can share and know how the abilities and capacities of children and strive to develop their capacities in learning something new happily,
so if you have the same mission and vision of the development of education in the world. don't hesitate to come and become a volunteer like us at IHF

International Humanity Foundation is a home for many children. Whatever they do is for the best of the children under the foundation. They are doing a great job and God will bless them.

I have had the opportunity to stay for over 4 months in Kenya with IHF. Besides playing and doing other activities with the kids I have also had the opportunity to meet some of the teachers and staff from the school, some people from the shops, some guides touring around tourists, local staff helping the children and the people from the community providing services to the home (food delivery, internet, farmers, etc.). In short plenty of time to get to know the kids and community.

I am grateful I got plenty of space and opportunities to do and learn in this program what I wanted to do and learn about. So much help is needed in many areas and thus I was able to start easier helping out with some photos and social media. And finally with more complicated tasks such as finance, budgeting and the reports. I believe that is the greatest thing of the leadership program, you can grow in the tasks you do. You are there for a longer period of time and if you learn quick enough you have lots of time to learn about different tasks.

Hello, my name is Dewi Ayu. I have been volunteering in IHF Jakarta center for about 10 months. This is my first time joining as a volunteer for a pretty long time. And it is such an awesome experience. I have passion in education, and with joining this foundation make me learn how the condition of education in my country is. Not an exact one, but still it makes me realize that some children out there really need a help regarding their education. The good thing I can say is that IHF really try to maintain their contribution to the community. And also it has a warm team. And I am proud to be part of them.

My name is Rita. I have been volunteering at International Humanity Foundation or IHF for about 2 months. Despite my background at education field, I still find it very challenging to teach here for the students turn out to need extra attention regarding their background from mostly low income family. I have never been in voluntary working before, so IHF has helped me figure out what it is to be involved in educating those children. For the record, our challenge of working here is not only transferring the knowledge but also educating them to behave - for not speaking bad words but being polite instead. Besides, I feel more considerate and selfless. At the beginning, I forced myself to adapt with the children's situation. Once I get closer to them, I see hope for a greater future. And I am proud to be one to motivate and inspire them to reach their dream.

Hi! I'm Sifa volunteer from IHF Jakarta. It's wonderful experience as volunteer in IHF. I already 10 month join in this family. IHF really help me from jobless after graduation :)
Basically, volunteering is my favourite activity but in IHF I get a long term as volunteer. As an English teacher I can improve my English as well than before and established my confidence. I believe in IHF I can be better as a human because in there I met with many good people from difference background and learn more and more how to sharing and carrying with another. Teaching in IHF become an obligation in my life and absolutely children is my teacher because the give me a big impact to go on.

I volunteer as an English teacher in IHF Jakarta. IHF is filled with many wonderful children and K would love for IHF to get noticed by bigger audience

I am a local volunteer from indonesia i have been volunteering for a month in this organization and i can say for certain that this organization care for the children and their education.

My name is Lucas and I've volunteered for IHF twice in Bali and I can tell if you are looking for a wonderful experience you should choose IHF. You will experience a deep cultural inmersion since you are mostly surrounded by Indonesian people from the surrounding villages.
The place where Bali center is located is paradise, calm and relax and everybody around there is nice and always greet you with an smile. The experience of teaching the children is unique, most of them are willing to learn and classes are really fun. Moreover, you get to know the other volunteers and even make new friends around the world.
I highly recommend this experience since you can see that the center has a big impact on the comunity and it's a lot of fun.

I've participated as volunteer in IHF at Bali Center for 3 weeks (September 2018).
It has been a wonderful experience, trying to contribute my bit. The area where the center is located is amazing: beach, gardens, rice fields. The small village where it is, enables you to be involved in a enriching cultural exchange: muslim and hindu religions, yoga..
I would recommend this project specially for people looking for their first volunteering experience as there is nothing extremely shocking to be taken aback by.
It is a educational project although no previous experience as teacher is required. This was my case, but I quicky felt confortable teaching thanks to other volunteers guidance.
The children are fantastic as well as IHF staff.

I volunteered at the Bali centre for 4 months and the jakarta centre for 1 month. my experience there at bot centres were amazing. till today I feel so connected to the children and the people around buitan(Bali). the whole town of candidate leaves a big positive impact in your life. Friendly helpful people full of respect. Centre manager Gina is the most amazing and thoughtful manager you will ever work with. We created a family environment at the Bali centre and still keep in touch till today. The children there are amazing and full of respect.... you will love and enjoy your time in Bali..... Farhad xxxxx

I was a volunteer at the center of Nakuru in Kenya. At first, it was hard to adapt. Indeed, it is a big change to go from a "luxury" life to basic-needs life. However, the children are so amazing that you get attached very fast.

My advise: don't forget your computer to do some financial and communication work.

Horrible fundation.
They only take care about the money. They don't take care about their education.
Even they don't know about they culture. Really the worst experience I have ever had. I would never recommend them for volunteering it's a waste of time.
I wish the close the foundation cause it is an organization who only wants the money for their benefits.

I was a work study volunteer last summer, in Jakarta. My time was amazing ! It is the most rewarding experience that people can live once in their life. You help child, you discover new culture, new country, you work with people from very different background. You discover how is running an NGO also. Completly great, I will always recommend it.

IHF was my first volunteering experience. I was so nervous about traveling and going on my own but they made my experience amazing.

I was so grateful that I found IHF at that time, I looked for some foundation that offered volunteering activity near my homevillage. Thanks in abudance towards IHF because they give me a very valuable experience as a local volunteer. Even I just make a little movement but personally I've gained a good feeling, a kind of satisfication for being useful to my community, I can share and transfer knowledge to our young generation for their betterment in the future. Besides that, as a young Balinese I am so curious about overseas countries, their people and culture as well. Therefore, IHF provides that precious moment to work and interact with those fellow volunteers from different countries. I'd love the way my fellow friends engange themselves toward our community here. They are very adaptable. Such a great experience to be here. Thank you for helping my people here, IHF

I have been volunteering at the Bali Center for two weeks now. The co-directors and kids have been very welcoming. I have enjoyed my time so far learning about all that IHF does for the community the center is located, and about what the other centers provide to the children as well. I will be here for 6 more weeks, and am excited to see what those six weeks bring on this beautiful island.

I stayed two weeks at IHF Bali center, and it was the most amazing experience volunteering ever. The codirectors were so nice and helpful with me, and the children were above my expectations: kind, amazing, everyday motivated to learn and grow, always with a smile and thankful with the IHF work and all the people involved!
I really think two weeks is not enough, but if you want, you can really help and make a change. IHF really make a change and I want to go back so much to keep helping them grow!

Deanna, IHF Chiang Rai, Thailand.

At the start of the year I finished my university degree in Australia and thought it would be the perfect time to travel and do some volunteering work. I found an ad posting on my university website and was immediately drawn to doing the Work-Study Program in Chiang Rai. I liked the idea of not only volunteering in the centre but also getting hands-on experience working for an NGO and seeing how an organisation run by volunteers worked. The thing that attracted me to volunteering at Chiang Rai was the young ones who live here are from a Lahu Hilltribe village, an extremely marginalised group that I wanted to learn more about and understand the challenges they face.

I had done a small amount of volunteering work in Australia but had never undertook something like this. I always had an interest in International Development and thought, if I don’t do this now then I will never do it! So I applied, was accepted and before I knew it I was on a plane to Thailand. I am coming to the end of my four weeks of volunteering and cannot believe how quickly the time has gone. Before I arrived I didn't know what to expect, luckily, everyone here has been welcoming & extremely kind. I am living with 5 incredible teenagers who are intelligent, funny, at times cheeky, but also caring. They look out for each other and I often find them looking out for me. We have had a lot of fun together, especially teaching guitar and playing music around the house. Music can work in such a special way, as it has demonstrated to me that it can help to overcome language and communication barriers. My time so far has not been without its challenges, and getting to know each other has, of coarse, taken time, but that is all part of the experience.

I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and will miss everyone dearly when I have to go. I feel extremely fortunate to have meet these incredible young people.

Co-Director in Chiang Rai, Vounteer experience with IHF

Hi I'm Sarah, I'm from Switzerland and I'm a financial advisor.
I have been in Chiang Rai, IHF center for more than one month.
I really would like to explain to everyone how special this opportunity is.
You will meet 5 smart, clever, funny, happy, intelligent and self-employed persons.
They don't need us,.. in this reality sometimes we need them and they can do whatever.
They would like to receive attention, affection, and time to show us all what they are able to do but at the same time remember, they are not able to ask for important things.
They feel that they already receive a lot and are always thankful for all that they can have at the center.
They are young men and women, they are proud and know that in order to secure a future they must and will continue to fight against many prejudices and against the ignorance of others, and with those who have achieved things more easily due to their advantages and financial stabilities. That's why they don't like to say thank you too much.
But if you thank them for all the amazing and wonderful things that they are able to do and to teach you, then they will be very grateful. They are very respectful and they have so much to give and share. You will be surprised to see how much they can give when they don't have much, they will share that little bit that they have with you. One face, one smile, one word here is able to open and melt the heart of anyone.
Whoever is going to have a voluntary experience should remember that this is their home, we are guests, we need to adapt ourselves for them. It is only in this way that the young ones are able to open up to you, and allow you to participate in their lives and share with you the good and bad moments. Yes, sometimes there are some misunderstandings and some problems, but this happens in all the best families too. What these young ones need is someone that is able to demonstrate that they can take care of them, like a big, strange but lovely family.

I had volunteered a little before, but never for an actual NGO. When looking for possibilities in Asia, I found IHF and was inspired by the work it does for children and the local communities. I needed NGO work experience for my future and IHF seemed like a good choice, so I applied and was placed at Medan. I work on my international online tasks in the morning and early afternoon, then in the evenings, I help teach English to some of the classes. The center here offers additional education to supplement the lacking school system. On Fridays, I lead the Special Activities class that allows the children to experience things outside of standard curriculums, such as arts and crafts or cultural exchange programs. The center also visits TEP students who don’t attend the evening classes, but who have sponsors to help them with daily living and their school costs. The children are full of energy and always smiling and the volunteers enjoy being with them. In my short time here as a Work-Study Volunteer, I’ve learnt a lot about how an NGO works with it’s staff and community and skills that will be useful in my future.

Ive volunteered at two IHF centers and was always met with warm smiles and genuine people. Its a refreshing change from other organizations I've worked with.

I have been in this nonprofit since one month ago. Our labor here is giving an opportunity of learning English and Computer to a lot of children and help them to improve the basical indonesian education. I really love this, what we do in an awesome enviroment.

I stayed at IHF in Bali earlier this year and felt at home right away. The impact that IHF has on the community around it is evident. When people know you volunteer for IHF they always greet you warmly. I cant recommend IHF enough. The children really need help with their English and IHF gives them the conversational skills they need.

I volunteered with IHF Bali and had such a great experience. The children were so eager to learn and the staff really took care of me. Ive used other volunteer organizations before but always ended up feeling like it was just a money grab. With IHF, I saw how the money went directly to the children's care.

I am Ilya Katrinnada from Singapore and I am a student at Yale-NUS College. Over the summer, I interned at the IHF Banda Aceh center in Indonesia as a work-study volunteer. Since I was in elementary school, I have been wanting to work at an international NGO that deals with poverty, and being there meant that my childhood dream had come true. I decided to apply for an Indonesian center because I can communicate in the local language, and also because I wanted a place to comfortably experience my first Ramadan (the Islamic month during which Muslims fast from dawn till dusk) outside of my home country. And also because Indonesia, for various reasons, has a special place in my heart. Three months ago, when I first told some of my friends that I was heading to Banda Aceh, I received mixed reactions. A handful warned me about the strict enforcement of Shariah Law, some told me that there is nothing much to do here, and many others were really excited for me. Regardless of what people had said, I was very happy to be spending my summer break with IHF Banda Aceh. From teaching introductory sentences to kids as young as seven years of age and facilitating intellectual discussions amongst high school students, to receiving an Acehnese birthday bash involving flour, bird eggs and water from the drain, and smiling at passers-by while riding through the countryside en route to watching the sunset at the beach, my days were nothing short of amazing. My experience had taught me so much. Firstly, I learnt the intricacies of running an international NGO. My online tasks exposed me to what occurs behind the scenes, such as promoting IHF to people all over the world and finding sponsorships for deserving children (which is always very rewarding). On the other hand, my at-center tasks showed me the importance of being spontaneous and flexible – no matter how many students turn up for lessons or activities, the show must go on. Secondly, I learnt that in order to win a child’s heart, it is important to know how to play his game. During my time there, I taught taekwondo to some of the younger kids. Some of the boys already had some knowledge of martial arts, and I feel that this common ground really helped me establish a connection with them. We moved from martial arts to playing football and volleyball, and just talking about life. Thirdly, I learnt the value of community. There was a strong sense of community in Aceh, and this was portrayed every day when kids and volunteers from various ages and backgrounds walked through IHF’s gates. We taught each other and learnt from one another. We always had a good time together, and the more people there were, the merrier it was. To me, IHF was more than just a center – it was indeed a family. And the moment you decide to join us, you will immediately be welcomed with open arms.

I am a rising senior at a college in New York, United States, who is nearly finishing her volunteering time for the International Humanity Foundation in Bali, Indonesia.
At school, I am studying politics, with an international focus so traveling experiences are a huge supplement to my education. I decided to volunteer for IHF to learn more about the running of NGOs, live in a different part of the world, and contribute my time to the betterment of others.
IHF is an international NGO that has education centers (Indonesia) and children homes (Thailand, Kenya) where people can volunteer and donate money towards improving the lives of young ones in need. The IHF Bali location hosts activities and supplemental English, math and computer classes for locals in the neighboring areas. As a volunteer, I am awarded the opportunity to help teach these classes and host activities to have fun with the kids.
It has been an enjoyable experience to interact with so many sweet kids. Everyone in the community is so friendly, as it is impossible to walk past someone without expecting a greeting. I have learned that, despite cultural difference, the Indonesian children are very much similar to ones back in my country. Indonesian kids love to dance, sing, play around, and learn from volunteers, such as myself, and others of IHF. Overall, I feel that I have learned a lot from the experience and appreciate the chance to have lived in such a nice community in Bali.

I was originally following the one-month program, but after all the fun that I had I have changed my program to 6 weeks. This has to be one of the best experiences I have ever had so far. I can never imagine I could have this much fun teaching and traveling at the same time. It is one of the best things to see kids' smiles and how much they are keen to study just shocks me. I would make the same choice again if I ever get a chance like this.

Already finishing up my third week volunteering with IHF, it's today I officially start counting down the last week. This work-study volunteer opportunity is a life experience I will never forget. The welcoming Banda Aceh community, loving children, beautiful scenery and fascinating attractions are just a few of the reasons I will really miss this place once my time here is done.

I've always thought it would feel great to volunteer for an NGO overseas whether it be administrative work, natural disaster clean-up, building or teaching but could never find a short-term opportunity. Knowing I was not in a position to leave for more than a couple months at the most, I left the idea on the back burner. Then I came across International Humanity Foundation on the Volunteer Canada website. Now, instead of having no option, I had 2 short-term options to choose from!

I knew two weeks would not be enough time for me to get an experience which would fulfill my expectations (IHF's voluntourist program), so I chose the four week work-study program; I am so glad I did, and part of me wishes I could stay longer. Although three weeks is a relatively short period, it's enough to give me idea of what it's like to life with less at my fingertips and in turn have such an appreciation for what I have.

The families here are so friendly, always wanting to take the international volunteers around to show Aceh's attractions; museums, shops and beaches to name a few. They enjoy hearing stories about where the volunteers are from, their culture and stories from back home. Wanting to introduce us to their friends and expose us to much of the beautiful Aceh life as possible in the limited times we are all here for.

Along with the local volunteers, the other international volunteers here at IHF Aceh make this a really comfortable experience; I've never had a moment where I didn't feel safe or taken care of. We spend most of our days in each others company and really look out for one another. I could not have asked for a better “fill-in|” family to spend these last three weeks with.

Not only are the people here amazing, the experience in itself is what makes this so memorable. Teaching these passionate, dedicated students to piece together proper English sentences, making new friends from different parts of the world, eating authentic Indonesian meals and even learning a bit of the Indonesian language along the way is just a small slice of my Aceh life list.

Now having a better idea of what's it like to be more involved with IHF; how they operate, spend their money, connect with the community and recruit for volunteers (international and local) and students, will give more confidence in applying for the next short-term volunteer opportunity which comes my way. My passion for volunteering for those in need has increased over the last three weeks thanks to the experience I'm having here. Fundraising, recruiting and forever telling stories about my life changing adventure with IHF Aceh will continue on for a very long time.

My name is Heidi and I am coming to the end of my time as a work-study volunteer in Jakarta, at IHF's education centre here, and I urge you to volunteer too, if possible! I've had a lovely time; it was a rewarding experience and I learnt so much, and my only regret is not that I came here, but that I didn't book a flight in the more distant future.

My name is Beatrix, I am currently volunteering at IHF's Chiang Rai Center. This center has a great potential to expand and I hope someday IHF Chiang Rai can reach out to other children. The children here are so full of life. They have such a bright futures ahead of them thanks to IHF. It saddens my heart to think what their lives would be like without IHF. I can just picture these beautiful faces with tears in their eyes because they don't have a choice but to work in horrible conditions. When I think about this, one word struck my heart. Trafficking. Trafficking is such a huge part of Thailand now and it makes my blood boil to think these children, MY children can be trafficked. But I know that IHF have played such an important role in their lives. IHF have given these children the opportunity to escape these horrible cycles and give them a better future. I wanted to volunteer because I want to help those who are in need. God has always put this in heart since I was little. Getting to know the children here in Chiang Rai has been a big blessing to me. Seeing their smiles and hearing their laughs makes my heart smile. Whenever I think about what IHF have given these children so generously, I stop and thank God for IHF and my time here with these beautiful children!

After a long hard journey of 24 hours , I came to Bali night. Agus was waiting me at the airport , in the car we were talking about Bali.

I was really looking forward to IHF, there were all volunteers, some were eating and others were going to sleep. I also went to sleep .

The next day, I woke how I met the middle classes, children ... the center is amazing, very nice and very large, I feel very comfortable here, with pool too.

The kids are great, they are eager to learn and they are very funny, they always ask me things about my country, my family...

I really like the culture of Bali, the lifestyle of the people , especially how everyone is respected and climate , of course

I still have four months here, I hope enjoy here like these early days.

I work as a co-director for IHF in Nakuru, Kenya. I've been here for three months already and I can tell that joining this organization was a good decision to made. The team is very solid and everybody tries very hard to make the center a better place for the children. As a master's graduate in Conflict Resolution the opportunity to work hands-on for an organization such as International Humanity Foundation is very full-filling at the professional and also the human level. This is a huge learning experience which is already shaping the kind of person I aim to be. I would recommend any of the options (volunteer, work-study, co-director) that IHF offers to anyone interested in development.

My Name is Vijay and I was an IT Professional. Now I am changing my career to Teaching English after completing the TESOL Course.

After having completed the TESOL Course in Bali, Indonesia, I was privileged to spend a month of quality time at IHF, Bali among the children and volunteer's of IHF.

I had the opportunity to be an hands-on English Teacher for Young Learners and Teenagers from the age of 8 to 16. It was very educational, and I learned alot of teaching knowledge from the time I spent here. Mainly, the different ways the Kids interact and the enthusiasm for learning.

There is so much satisfaction teaching kids and nothing can surpass the joy of helping others. Its great volunteering at IHF, Bali. I was really touched by the kindness of the kids, and I also had a chance to give back to the community in a meaningful way.

IHF in Bali gave me a opportunity to volunteer in the education center, to teach English classes to different ages of students as the students get to learn only a minimal English at the School. The friends I made at this center will surely live in my heart for a long time. The experience has been a very good experience in my life. Anyone looking to make a difference in the world, help children, the community and make great memories with some amazing people should join IHF.

This experience is a very good memory which will always remain throughout my life. All the volunteer's at IHF helped me very much at making this experience a success and also very educational.

IHF provides good meals and housing. The living conditions were suitable for any person from any part of the world since there were volunteer's from almost all parts of the world.

As a work-study volunteer, you get to be part of a team and complete tasks assigned by the respective Team Director. This is helpful for every volunteer to work as a team and communicate with other team members for a real life work experience.

At IHF, I had managed a class with around 4 students to a class with more than 20 students. Its a satisfying experience in my life. Through volunteering in IHF, around the most underprivileged families, you can become down to earth and also know the amount of facilities that the underprivileged families have. I highly recommend IHF to all who want to make a difference in their life and give back to the community and be selfless.

It's a experience that I will always cherish for the rest of my life and will do the same in your life too.

Wish you all a very Happy New Year 2015.

Best Wishes
Vijay

My name is Andy and I am currently as a local volunteer at the center of the IHF in Aceh . I have something new experience when I joined the organization, such as learning about the culture and language with all my directors and this is an opportunity for me to improve my English skills . As a nurse, focusing on studying nursing, but in this time, I had to teach math to students of elementary school. I had to learn again and anyway, this is a rare opportunity. When seeing them enjoy learning , laughing , I found happiness, can be very close to the childrens.

My name is Shylie and I am currently a work-study volunteer at the IHF center in Bali. In signing up to be a Work-Study volunteer at the International Humanity Foundation, I was unsure as to what I should expect from the experience. On arrival, the first thing I noticed was how beautiful the center is. Beautiful flowers and trees surround both the main house and the smaller house where we sleep. Everything is made from bamboo and wood and the garden is so well maintained.

However, after meeting the children, I was no longer so pre-occupied with my surroundings. Getting to know the kids and the ways in which they learn and study has been the most difficult yet challenging part of this whole experience. The kids here don’t learn the way I learnt at school in Australia and getting used to that is a big part of this whole experience. The most rewarding aspect of my time at IHF is knowing that these kids leave the center every day having learnt something new that you have taught them.

In my time off I have also seen some amazing places in Bali with the other volunteers that are here and it’s been great having our own little family. It’s truly been a home away from home.

I’ve been here for two weeks now and have two weeks left of my time volunteering. Sadly, I wish I had more time but it’s great to know that I will be welcomed back whenever with open arms.

I'm a graduate student from China, I wanna a break after I finished the research report this term, that's the why I decide to be an international volunteer. I can say that IHF(International Humanity Foundation) is not hard to find on DOUBAN website, which is very famous website in Chinese youth people.

My classmates, friends, professors are jealous of the international volunteer stuff, especially the place is Bali. When you talking about Bali, everyone will think of honey moon, swimming pool, wonderful beach, blue ocean... We know it's beautiful~

But please understand that IHF Bali Center is not the land of dream, we are volunteers here and the weather is really hot. Talk about those Balinese children, they really need a lot of help with education, some kids are smart, cute and shy, I really adore them~ We have classes every afternoon expect for Sunday, English classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Wednesday is computer class and Saturday is special class (painting, cooking, dancing, yoga and so on).

Some little kids can’t understand Eglish a lot, and we learned a little Indonesian which is fun. Apa kabar? (How are you today?)

When the work-study volunteers finish their teaching and online job, we have time to enjoy the local life, like I just said before, swimming pool, wonderful beach, blue ocean(LOL). All of the local people I met are really hospitable and sweet.

I have always wanted to volunteer but I was studying and I could not do it in summers because I had to work to pay for my studies. So when I completed my Master’s degree in law last September in France, I had two choices: finding a job straight away or applying to be a volunteer. I am 23 years old, I love travelling and sharing cultural experiences, and I knew that I could not take this opportunity when I will have more important obligations such as a permanent job or children (or at least it would be much more difficult to leave for 8 months). That is the reason why I chose the second option.

IHF Bali center is located in a small village, Buitan, in East Bali. The good thing is that it is very easy to meet locals and share a part of their daily life, to talk to them and to learn from them.
Of course it is quite isolated but it is always possible to reach other places with a motorbike. Anyway, the week is quite busy with class preparations, the international tasks on the internet for IHF and games and special projects with the children before classes or on Saturdays. It is only my third week here but I already feel very comfortable with my work as it is exactly what I wanted to do: sharing a little bit of my knowledge and positive energies with the children, sharing a daily life with the other volunteers and directors, being part of a local community (of course not like a Balinese person but what I like is that I am not considered as a tourist which is much more different from my other experiences as a traveler). I like working a lot at the beginning of the week and having more time to spend with the children and the local community at the end of the week.

Our center provides free math, computer and English classes for Indonesian children. They go to the public school in the morning and are free to come to the center in the afternoon from 1pm to 5pm according to the schedule. Our classes are relevant because of the absence of a good educational system in Indonesia. Children often come before their classes to play and speak together and with the volunteers. It is not always the best time for us because it is lunch time but I think it shows that they feel good in this place and that is the most important thing. Moreover, they convey such a nice and positive energy that it is impossible not to appreciate their presence. They are always eager to learn a few words in another language, to dance or to show us the most popular Balinese songs. I think I will try to follow the same students during my stay here as a teacher so that I would know exactly what they have learnt and what the specific difficulties are for some children. I used to be youth leader in summers and it helps me a lot to teach the younger children with playful educational tools.

I started to learn Bahasa Indonesia from the first day I arrived in Bali. I think there are lots and lots of advantages to be able to express yourself and understand the local language (actually, they speak Balinese but everybody understands the national language which is much easier to learn and which you can speak in all of the 18,000 Indonesian islands). First of all, it is really useful to teach the younger children. Of course it is not good for them to translate every sentence they hear in their own language but using Indonesian when they do not understand what you are expecting from them is really interesting. Moreover, when they start being too naughty (even if they are always respectful), they listen much better Indonesian warnings than English ones. Of course I repeat them in English as they should know the class instruction in this language.
Speaking a little bit of Bahasa Indonesia also enables me to be in contact with the local population. I often go to the beach, sharing a few words with the fishermen for instance. It is also part of the culture to ask a lot of questions about how old you are, if you are married, what you did during the day… so they are not offended and they even like it when you are interested, and even more when they see that you are making the effort to learn their language (they actually know how hard it is since a lot of Balinese people had to adapt to the arrival of tourist flows and learn English).

I do not want to try to think of what I gained from this experience yet since I am staying 5 months in IHF Bali Center and this is just the beginning for me. I can just say for now that this experience is even richer than what I expected, culturally speaking and in terms of sharing with the population, the volunteers and the children. Hopefully, I will take the best of this opportunity for a deeper immersion in the Balinese culture in the next few months.

=> www.ihfonline.org

My name is Kerri. I am currently a volunteer at the Bali IHF center. To an outsider, the center provides supplemental English, Math and Computer classes to children who live in the area. To anyone who knows a bit about IHF or who comes here, knows that it offers so much more than that. The center is a place for the kids. On any given day there are children running around, playing cards, talking with the teachers or just hanging out. The center gives them a safe place to go and provides them with opportunities and resources that most of them would have never had without the IHF. At the IHF – the children are the number one priority. I’ve learned that you can do a whole lot with a little and that sometimes it’s the smallest things – like taking the time to have a conversation about the latest Indonesian pop song – that mean the most. So far, my experience has been extremely fulfilling. It’s great volunteering with an organization where you actually feel like you are making a difference.

My name is Jing from Beijing and I’ve been working here at IHF Bali center for 3 weeks now. Before coming here, I had worked as an English teacher at a secondary school for 3 years, and the experience helped me quickly blend into the work vibe at IHF Bali, especially when it comes to working with the young.
Here at IHF Bali, we offer supplementary classes to underprivileged students from primary to senior high school. Almost all the courses are taught by helpful volunteers from all over the world. Apart from the knowledge we try to share, it’s also the abundant care, love and joy we bring that the kids cherish dearly.
One would be naïve to think that we are here only to give and teach. The fact, however, is we ourselves are undergoing a process of self-reflection and transformation. By spending time with the local, getting to know the culture and trying to see things both through their lenses and ours, we are learning, day by day, and gaining understandings about a once unfamiliar land, which we now feel connected with. Isn’t it one of the marvels of life?

My name is Esther Manzanera and I am a Work-Study Volunteer in IHF Bali. I have been here for already two months and I could say that this experience has changed my life so I would recommend it to anyone! Since the day that I left my hometown in Spain and I arrived at the center I could see how easy was to help the children most in need. I have enjoyed the happiness of the kids, which is the most grateful thing that you could have. They do not worry about material things, about having the best PlayStation or iPhone, they don´t need those things to be happy, they will be smiling every day even living on the most basic conditions. The life in IHF shows you a different way to understand the world where you learn to value the most simple things.

In the Bali Center we have around 200 children registered so there is always a lot of work to do here, so I would like to encorauge everybody to come here to see the life through our balinese children's eyes. Living with their culture, learning about their families, traditions, religions, costumes, and appreciate a different way to live.

This is the second time I come to Bali center, I never thought about that I will come back. But now I’m here.
I’ll stay Bali center for 5 months at this time. I’m very glad that many children know me by name. I also remember these children: Icha, Goga, Putu, Meri, Melinda……I miss them very much. And I also happy I can see Hanna and Gregor again, I adapted to the center’s life soon in Hanna’s help.
Everything of center gets in order. The children have some change happening, Some kids are very quiet, some kids are very lively, but they are not shy any more.
Now I’d taken the class for four weeks. I really hope that my time don’t walk so fast.

I teach SD1 to SD5, although the course is easy, but also it’s not lightly in class. I will ask students to repeat the word after me. Especially for the sd1
SD1’s kids can’t speak any English I teach them simple word, and teach them to read again and again. Sometimes I pointed to a book, table, desk or eye, nose, hair, let them to speak out the English word.
Sd3’s kids are most naughty. They always like jumping and yelling at the class. It’s not easy to let them listen carefully.
In Sd4, every children’s English level are different, every time I will to teach based on their level., some kids can recite a essay in half hour, but some kids have reading problem. I need to teach them from simply phrase.
There are all girl were came to class in sd5, they are sensible clever girl. It’s easy to teach them.
Sometimes I will give them sticker when they have good performance, they will super happy for this.

I think I was 4 or 5 when I went to a very poor part of Mexico called Oaxaca and my parents took a picture of me with many rural kids in the jungle. It was definitely my favorite picture in the world. I used to take it to school and tell the other kids I had been in Africa and I had made new good friends. 

It was not true, but I loved the idea of traveling far away to another continent and meeting different kids to play with them and make new friends. As time passed, together with many different life experiences, I developed a very intense interest in different cultures and societies, especially in the ones that were suffering or struggling with poverty or war. 

When I graduated from high school I took a sabbatical semester to figure out what I really wanted to study for my university. My options were narrowed to learning something I was sure I could be able to use after to help people have better lives, as well as choosing a career that would allow me to learn things from all around the world. So I decided to study International Relations. 

I really enjoyed university, I was one of those nerds that would make all the reading, participate in the classes, get involved with the assignments, and always trying to get the best from what the teachers were trying to teach us. I always enjoyed more the social subjects, especially things that had to do with conflict resolution and human rights. 

Since my first semester I decided to orient my studies to the Middle East and African region. I have always been drawn to this area and I find it very fascinating, contradictory, ironic and sometimes sad. Most of my essays and research projects were orientated in studying the conflicts and the main problems in the area. 

When I finished university this May 2014, I was sure, and had been thinking about it for 4 years that I was ready to go to Africa and find an organization in which I could volunteer with. The original plan was to do it for 1 year, but then I decided that 6 months were enough. Now that I am here, I want to stay for a long long time.  

It was difficult to find an organization in which I felt comfortable with the way they do things. Most of the NGO's working in Africa today have all these different projects and programs that I consider are not really helping anyone. It's more like a "voloun-tourist" thing where you pay great amounts of money and you travel and "help" at the same time. But at the end, they only make short visits to each community, and I am sure that 1 week or less in a new place is not going to make any difference. That was definitely not what I wanted, but was the only easy thing to find everywhere.

After many months of researching, asking people that had done similar things in Africa, I found IHF. I felt comfortable with the organization for many reasons; the first one is that they were not asking me to pay a lot of money when I was going to be doing volunteer work. It’s ironic to think that you have to pay for working. The second one is that the name of the program was called “work-study volunteer”, and I found interesting that while working in the center I could also learn all the administrative functions of an NGO by doing my “International Tasks”. This was an important reason, because as I have graduated from university, the fact of doing some volunteering that could also give me an administrative experience sounded like a good decision.

It’s been one month since I came to Kenya. The center is located in the neighborhood of Githima in the city of Nakuru. One month has passed so fast and so slow at the same time. The center is overwhelming, there is always something to do, there are always kids around, and there is always something happening. I have learned many things from the children at the center. They all come from a tribe called Pokot, which is in a very dry area of Kenya. The situation in Pokot is not very promising; they face continuous drought problems, not enough food, lack of education, and violent conflicts with other tribes caused by robbery of cows and goats to pay for the wives they would like to have (it is usually more than two).

The children at the center were chosen some years ago by the chiefs of their tribes to be sent to IHF because they were orphans, came from a very poor backgrounds, or had a specific situation going on that was better they lived and got access to education with the organization, than staying in Pokot. Many of them have been living here for more than 7 years, they have grown up here going to school in Nakuru and learning how things are done outside their tribe. It’s not easy for them to live without any close relatives, with different customs and with international directors and volunteers that come and go.

The school system in Kenya is very complex, the problem is not that there is a lack of schools; the problem is the bad quality of the institutions. For example, it is still permitted for teachers to beat the children with a stick; they do things like sending them back home because they are not wearing the exact uniform (which costs a lot of money, and not everyone can afford it); and they let the kids sit in silence without anything to do in a classroom all day long while they are having a teacher’s meeting; amongst many other things. So it is our job to make sure that the kids are getting the best possible education while living here, but the educational system is not really helping.

As a work-study volunteer we are committed to 4 hours of local tasks and 4 hours of international work in the computer. I must say local “tasks” are my favorite. “Tasks” is in semicolons because I don’t see them as such, for me, spending time with the kids, helping the local staff with their chores, or taking them to see a doctor when they are feeling bad is what I came here to do, not work, but a way of living and helping around. I get to learn a lot by doing all these things and getting involved in the lives of the children and community.

We have many talented, intelligent, active, curious, capable, amazing young minds at the center, and I am really hoping they will grow older to become leaders of their community, professionals, doctors, teachers, musicians, engineers, soccer players, and I imagine many more bright futures ahead of them, buy it is not that simple, we already have a few that have graduated from high school, and many that are about to do so, but they haven’t had the opportunity or the funds to go to College or University. We still need to work a lot to find the best way to ensure higher education for the IHF family.

One of the things I have enjoyed doing with many of the children, is coloring mandalas (designs that represent the universe and energy flows). I brought many different styles of them, with different meanings and levels of complexity. The kids love choosing one and knowing it’s going to belong to them until they finish it, their name gets written on the paper, and then they can start coloring. They enjoy it even more when there is music on and they can relax and draw. I have decided to make one of the walls in our room the art wall, so every time they come visit us, they get very happy to see their mandalas making the room warmer.

Learning the names has been one of the most difficult things, there are so many, with very similar sounds and the same letters. Many of the girls start with “Chep” something, and they all have recently shaved their head for school, so the faces were very difficult to distinguish at the beginning. It’s definitely not simple, but after asking some of them more than 10 times, looking carefully to their facial structure, expressions and personality, I think I got almost everyone’s name now. My new plan is to get to know more about them, their lives, their fears, their dreams and their expectations. I have enjoyed very much listening to some of their familiar stories, their current worries, and their plans for their future.

I hope my experience will continue to be as enriching as it has been now. I am sure I am learning much more from them than what I could teach them, but I am also sure that I want to make my time here worth it by contributing positively to the challenges that we are facing in the center and with our IHF family. I believe that the only way to change something is to change ourselves first so we are able to share something of value with the community, and I also believe love is very powerful tool.

In my life and travels I've often experienced and seen how knowing other languages really opens up a world of opportunities in all areas - personal, educational, career etc. So apart from teaching English back in Singapore, I've always hoped to volunteer my skills in other countries.

This year, I finally managed to arrange a month off work, and so decided to take a month-long stint at the International Humanity Foundation (IHF) Banda Aceh centre. This centre was established to help the disadvantaged in Acehnese society, a mission that became more critical during the 2004 Tsunami. Ten years on, the city and people have made a great recovery, and the centre continues its work providing education and opportunities for the community to interact.

At the centre, I was largely involved in teaching English and Mandarin classes for children and teenagers ranging from 7 to 17 years old. I was also a part of the centre's daily routines - planning lessons, cleaning and sweeping, and looking after the children until their parents picked them up. On top of that, I was given jobs helping out IHF itself through online work. All of this gave me a first-hand insight into the needs, challenges, and possibilities running a centre and working in an NGO.

In the end, what I really liked about the Banda Aceh centre was how both local and international volunteers came together in a family-like atmosphere - we didn't just work together, but also hung out at the centre on weekends, or went out to eat and see the city together. This is an experience that just visiting as a tourist doesn't always give you: a way for everyone to share and understand their culture and also themselves.

Jakarta center locates in the east part of the city, it offers the local children (from SD1 to SMP) English, math, Aflatoun and computer classes on weekdays and Saturday. As a work study volunteer in Jakarta center, I am responsible of teaching activities such as English and art classes and undertaking international assignments from four different teams in IHF. My initial purpose of volunteering is quite straightforward—to help those in need, but gradually I find that in the process of voluntary work, what I have learned is no less than what I have taught. Thus, being a volunteer connects me with the unprecedented life and experiences I cannot even imagine before. What I have gained from this work study volunteer experience is learn how to swiftly accommodate myself to a new environment and people from various culture and background, and the most important, how a grassroots NGO as IHF, operates to realize its commitment to children in need.

Here comes the third week. I am supposed to be in Medan center for four weeks. Since half of my journey has already passed, I’d like to talk about my experience here. I’m an ordinary girl from China, who is looking forward to having a different experience. I like to meet new friends from different countries and like to communicate with children since normally you’ll learn innocence from them. Here, I started to get used to say morning to everyone when I get up. Here, I started to forget about all the social networking services and started to sense the bright sunshine from the beginning of each day. Here, I made lots of friends including the children, volunteers, house-keeper, and co-director. Here, I am exposed to different culture and learned different styles of the buildings. I teach classes here and do some postings to advertise this organization. I play games with children, sing songs and watch them dance. I’ll miss everyone and everything here I guess when I left.

I stayed at IHF for one month in Medan. I had a great time playing with the children at the centers and teaching them English. One of my highlights was doing some new student recruitment where we had to walk through the streets and hand out fliers. The children in the community were very excited to see foreigners and wanted to talk with us. People in Medan are very friendly and will often talk to me when I am walking around. It is a great cultural learning experience talking to people and if you want to learn Indonesian there are ample opportunities. The center accommodation was better than I expected for a developing country, but it was often a bit dirty. People in Medan have basic necessities and other things such as mobile phones. The country is advancing very rapidly. It is interesting to observe this. Medan has all the basic facilities one needs and is close to really cool places like Lake Toba and areas where Orangutans live. The local volunteers and students are all very friendly and the place feels quite homely.

I’m a college student from China. I have been volunteering with IHF from 7.22-8-19. Where I have been staying is a town called Banda Aceh in Indonesia. IHF Aceh Center is a wonderful home for volunteers from all over the world. Here, we live, teach, work and have fun together. Usually in the morning, we do some housework, also some online tasks since I’m a work-study volunteer. In the afternoon, students of SD1 to SMP will come to the center to attend different classes. Although it takes efforts to communicate with the students, their eager for learning is really a delight for all of us. It’s so much fun to teach them as well as play with them. From my volunteering experience with IHF, what I treasured most is the friendship with all the local volunteers, who are always helpful and friendly to us. With every talk, we learn a little more about each other’s culture and I feel more close to the local life here in Indonesia. This volunteering experience has become part of who I am and I will carry the spirit of “pass it on” with me in the future.

I am a college student from China, and I am working at Aceh Center as a work study volunteer now. I have experienced Ramadan and the following Id al-Fitr, it's a great fun. I had a great experience with students here, and also the local people, other volunteers and of course my center director. At center, I taught classes to SD2 and SD5-6（all primary school student）with another Chinese volunteer. In the beginning it's a little bit difficult because young children don't understand much English, but we still found it interesting. These children are cute! Besides, we also do cleaning and other tasks, like recruitment, creating posters and flashcards. All in all, great to volunteer in Banda Aceh.

While I was thinking about applying for a volunteer experience with International Humanity Foundation, I went through a YouTube video about IHF, and in one of the comments there was written: “Don’t hesitate to apply”. I’m now nearly at the end of my experience with IHF here in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and would really like to thank the guy who wrote that comment, because it made me more confident about applying.
So now I want to give the same advice to whoever is reading: if you’re staring at this testimonial now, trying to figure out whether it is a good choice leaving your country and spend two weeks, one month or more, volunteering in one of IHF’s centers: stop thinking! Don’t hesitate anymore and send the application form! Volunteering with IHF is an absolutely unique and incredibly enriching experience. You will have the possibility to pass your knowledge to students, who are extremely eager to learn, but also to get to know a different culture in a deep way, to experience what real travel is. I met incredibly welcoming and nice local and international volunteers, and had the possibility to work in an international and highly stimulating atmosphere. Also getting to know, from the inside, how an international NGO works.
Often teachers says that teaching is a two way process, in which the teacher also learns from his students: this has been specifically true in my experience! In fact, working with IHF largely widens your perspective about the world and gives you the possibility to get to know cultures, ways of life and traditions different from yours. This experience will leave me life-lasting memories.

My name is Yuxuan Zhu. Originally from China, I’m now studying Economics and Psychology at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. As a psychology major, I always want to put my professional knowledge, passion for work as well as love for disadvantaged children into serving those who need us.

Volunteering is a way for me to learn about the world, to create value out of my skills to help others, and to tie myself with the world together with love and care. From my past two years of experience in volunteering in Youth Volunteer Association in University of Science and Technology Beijing, it generates happiness for both others and me at the same time. Bringing love and warmth to acquaintances is the best way to help us seek brightness out of the dark and give us strength to overcome difficulties throughout our lives.

Being a volunteer is not new for me; but it’s the first time that I have devoted such intensive time and energy to an underdeveloped country and that I have lived with children day and night. I was not only refreshed by the peaceful and gorgeous scene in Chiang Rai, but also touched by enthusiastic local people, especially the smile of our kids in the center. We are like a big family – though from different countries with various race and ethnicity, we feel as if we are jointly parenting our kids, paying attention to needs and characteristics of every single one. You are never worn out because the lovely faces will cheer you up.

I used to think this month in the IHF center might be hard for me, but after these two weeks, it turns out that it’s more heart-warming and encouraging than tiresome. Admittedly, we volunteers have been going through lots of challenges both physically and mentally - weeding the garden in the hot sun, picking up kids from school in gloomy weather, and sleeping at night with dogs barking and mosquitoes humming. It might be hard to imagine for those raised up in cities and fed by their parents. However, it is the very contrast of living conditions and the fact that the kids are so independent and cheerful that teaches me that it’s the optimism and hard work rather than physical satisfaction that brings us real and long-lasting happiness.

My name is Yanyi and I’m from Shanghai, China. I’m currently spending 4 weeks in total at IHF Jakarta center. My main local task is to teach English to first to fourth grade. Since teaching small children can be very hard for beginners like me, the staff here has been incredibly helpful. And when you see the children giving their efforts to learn and making progress, it’d be eventually worth it. Plus, the children are really cute :) I first came to Jakarta partly because I wanted to see Indonesia’s culture and local life, which would be new and exciting for me. But now I’m here, the more impressive thing I’ve found is how warm the people in Jakarta are, even though it’s such a big city. I have learned a lot from my colleagues, students as well as the local people and I’m just glad that I made the choice to come here.

Being a Volunteer at Banda Aceh, Indonesia

My name is Qihui ZHENG. I just finished my sophomore year. I am now at the International Humanity Foundation's Banda Aceh Center. I am eager to teaching kids and knowing more about the people around here. Though I just came here for about 10 days and get annoyed by the mosquitos, I have already been impressed by the kids who are so excited about new knowledge and local volunteers who are very friendly and sincere. Sometimes, we would hang out together; they are very enthusiastic about local food and places with good views. We had a lot of fun. As for recruitment task for centre on field along with local volunteers after the school year, we visited the neighbourhood by motor bike and walk. The scenery around is actually stunning. People around are really friendly even if we are strangers to them. I will leave at 27th July, but for a moment, a-month-stay seems to be too short for me.

The International Humanity Foundation (IHF) has a small children’s home in Chiang Rai. As a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) we are registered in the US with the IRS as a 501(3)(C ) organisation. We are also legally registered with the Thai authorities as a Foundation in Chiang Rai and as such are operating and have been since conception as a legally recognised NGO. We have a Thai Council (albeit who has been inactive for some years). We have been contacted by the Thai authorities to file our financial statements and are currently in the process, through approved auditors, of submitting our financial statements.
Our volunteers come to us as either voluntourists using a tourist visa or longer term volunteers come to us on a Non-Immigrant ‘O’ visa. Thai law is contradictory on the visa requirements currently and we follow (as do all other NGOs in Chiang Rai) the guidance that an NIO visa is sufficient to work legally as a volunteer and a work permit is not required.
Therefore in both instance IHF is working legally and responsibly towards our volunteers and to state otherwise is in error. Visa rules and conditions change rapidly in Thailand and as such we give the best advice to our volunteers that we are able to at any one time in a very fluid situation.
Julie Polzerova
Executive Director, Thailand and Kenya.

My name is Mary Stuart Wannamaker. I am a 22 year old from Charlotte, NC who lives in Madrid, Spain studying international relations, political science and foreign languages for my Bachelor’s degree. Yet, this summer, I am happily living in Nakuru, Kenya with the International Humanity Foundation family as a Work-Study Volunteer for 2 months (just shy of 9 weeks). Knowing that I am interested in a career goal concerning international development, human rights, and NGO organizations, when I heard back from IHF Kenya, it was an opportunity I could not pass as a summer internship. Upon my arrival to Nakuru, I was loved and greeted by many kids home from school on a Sunday and a handful of my co-workers. It was a great start to what is a great summer – or should I say winter as I am now in the Southern Hemisphere? I knew that Kenya deals with famine going into it, as each IHF center (centers are also found in Thailand and Indonesia) declares a focus on the particular issue within its country. Yet, I have learned much more of all the work that the center embodies since my arrival. As many of the children are from a Kenyan region known as East Pokot, a handful of our IHF team recently traveled out to the homeland for a famine feed, and from this, I was truly able to better understand what famine conditions exist with valuable second-hand stories as I stayed behind with the kids (yet, I hope to embark on a similar trip as well in the future to the communities so special to IHF Kenya). Though food is semi-plentiful in Kenya’s fourth largest city, still at the center, we depend on generous sponsorships to continuously feed the children through the weeks and send them to school with everything they need. Thus, play-time and study-time with the children is equally important during one’s time at the center to guarantee and maintain their fortune as happy, healthy, and loved by continuously focusing the attention on them, the reason why I, and all of us, are here in Nakuru. Though, as a work-study volunteer, I am involved less in all of the obligatory local tasks and more with the online international work to maintain volunteers and directors in all of the centers (including Thailand and Indonesia), I find that my time with the kids, helping around the center’s farm, and aiding as well as building relationships with our local ladies who help and cook and clean are all equally important in not only making a difference, but becoming a part of the Kenyan family. Though I seek to be involved in large-scale global issues regarding human rights and development, the personal connections between persons-to-persons and grass-roots movements are where real change begins for the individual when it comes to an improved and fair lifestyle, and I am very thankful to IHF Kenya for granting me the opportunity to embrace all aspects of local and international work, learn the ins-and-outs of how an international NGO runs, and continue to grow more loved ones around the world with an improved sense of cultural competency and leadership as well. I know already, that IHF Kenya is not only allowing me to love and learn from the Kenyan children and community, but it is also shaping me for great work in the future.

I’m a college student from China, have been stayed in Jakarta centre for 23 days, just left a week to leave this wonderful place. It’s a really impressive experience for me. The first reason I came here is want to help the local children. But they conversely teach me a lot. The longer time I stay with them, the more I can find how lovely and warm of them.
At the centre, I taught SD3/4 students. The boys in SD3 are sooo naughty but smart, I should always say “Duduk” (means ‘sit down’). For the SD4 students, I love them very much!! When they finish the homework, they will call you see it. The crazy thing is they almost finished it at the sometime, you could hear everyone called “Miss” and you didn't know who was the first, ha-ha! The exciting news is that all of them have a great grade in the final exam, and enjoy the “pass it on” ceremony!!

Certainly, the directors in centre are all nice, they helped me a lot. One of direcyors- Ayu, recommended the so many snacks near the centre, reeeally delicious and company with me to supermarket for buying necessities of life. Even take care of me when I have a favour, soo warm! Whatever, it is a unique trip in my whole life, knowing how to cherish what you have and being able to get on well with children.

I am Chaoran Wei, a rising junior in College of William and Mary in the United States. I am originally from Xi’an, China.
I am currently a work-study volunteer in IHF Kenya center, and my work is basically to guarantee the normal function of the center together with other volunteers and directors. What i do specifically can be divided into two parts. First, i need to complete weekly online tasks for IHF to promote the organization on internet. Second, i need to do some local tasks and projects, including, for example, tutoring math and contacting with local media for potential partnership.
I want to volunteer in Kenya for many reasons. The major one is that i have never actually live in Africa before. And IHF provide for me a great opportunity to actually live in the place with local people and indulge in a culture i never get to know before.
Also, i volunteer in IHF because i want to help under-privileged people in poor countries. Even though what i can do is tiny compared to so many people that need to be helped, the fact that i am trying to contribute to kids’ present happiness and bright future already makes me worthy of volunteering here.

My name is Nora Shepard. I'm a rising junior at the University of Michigan and I have been here at IHF for two months now, and they have been some of the best months I have ever had in my life. I serve as the medical intern, which means my responsibilities include taking care of the children if they are sick and taking them to the hospital if they are too sick for me to feel comfortable handling. I have had to learn quick-thinking, responsibility, taking initiative, and patience. They have been the hardest two months I can remember having, but also the most rewarding. Coming back to the kids at the end of a long day at the hospital or at the end of a busy week makes everything worth it. I have learned what it means to work with a grassroots organization, and I'm learning how to work with a company starting from the bottom. I wouldn't trade these two months for the world and I am already dreading the day I leave.

It's funny, because my experience was definitively different and way worse compared to the ones I could read above!!!
I had to wait 8 months before I could join IHF in Thailand. Meanwhile, I fundraised almost 400 euros for IHF projects, but none from the organisation gave me any proof about where this money actually has gone. However, I trusted them.
The plan was to volunteer there for one year, working as Co-Director at the children centre in Chiang Rai. During the months before my departure, IHF Executive Director told me very vaguely about a legal issue IHF was facing, but to her it did not seem something to mention to me in detail...nothing to worry about! However, because of this issue I could not apply for a proper "working visa", because IHF could not give me a "working permit". Given that my country could not release me a "volunteer visa" (due to diplomatic agreements between my country and Thailand), I had to apply and get a "Double Entry Tourist Visa". However, IHF told me to not worry. As soon as I get to Chiang Rai, the legal issue would be solved, IHF would release me a "working permit", and I would get a working visa to work legally in the country.
I still trusted them.
Finally at the end of April 2014, I flew to Bangkok looking forward to work and give my best contribution to the IHF centre in Chiang Rai. However, the best was yet to come.
The first day I arrived at the children centre, I was surprisingly told by other Co-Directors (volunteers like me) that the apparently insignificant legal issue was instead a serious problem, definitively something to worry about and to solve as soon as possible.
Long story short: IFH HAS BEEN WORKING ILLEGALY in Thailand for the last years...not clear how many. They DO NOT HAVE LEGAL BASIS TO OPERATE in the country, and in the last 5 months the organisation already received several notices from the Thai authorities!
Not only, IHF is incapable to deal with its legal issues, but also THEY DO NOT TELL VOLUNTEERS about how serious the situation might be for them!!! Everyone who is involved with an illegal organisation might face unpleasant consequences. In particular, in Thailand, volunteers who work under a tourist visa face enormous risks, including deportation, insertion in a black-list, payment of high fines and also incarceration up to 5 years!!!
Once I got to know all this, I had no doubt. I did not want to get involved in all this and I left, just a couple of days from my arrival in a place where I was supposed to work for one year!

I rated IHF with one star just because I could not rate it less.

DO NOT TRUST IT!

I am at the end of my four months volunteering in Bali, full of impressions and experiences which are not yet in order. Instead of writing about the mixture of thoughts I have decided to share some notes from my diary with you. My name is Dominika, from Slovakia.

4 months ago – Several days ago, I arrived to the center. Everything is different. I see animals everywhere - outside, inside. Spiders in my room, crab in the kitchen sink, frogs and gecko in the bathroom. Thanks to the humidity and everyday temperature above 30°C I am non-stop sweating feeling smelly and very unattractive. Nobody cares, I know, but it takes time to get used to it.
On Monday, I met with children coming to the classes for the first time. It is hard to believe that these cute faces can make such a big noise. Children were asking me on my name, presenting their names, but honestly I remembered hardly three at the end of the day. Also, I was present at some classes to see how they look like. Teaching itself didn´t seem to be difficult. I am more afraid if children will accept me and listen to me while pretending that I am a teacher.

3 months ago –During the first month in the center, I tried to do my best to adjust to the whole system and find myself in the position of teacher. I have my three stable classes – SD3 (these children cannot sustain in the sitting position longer than 15 minutes, nevertheless they are very nice and some of them I found very smart and interested in learning), Juniors (teenagers who make me disappointed as I cannot find any way how to attract them, everything is boring and non-interesting to them) and Seniors (these “children”, some of them over 18 years old, are the best listeners, hungry for new information, however their speaking skills need to be improved).
Apart from classes, I spent a lot of time on special projects related to garbage and thanks to it I got a nick name “garbage girl” which makes me really proud of it. We cleaned the awfully dirty beach in front of our center and after we, together with the local community, used all the collected rubbish to build special benches under the worldwide project Peace on Earth Bench Movement.

2 months ago – None of the days in the center are similar and every time something unexpected appears. Although I really like time in the center, after the first real trip to the neighboring island Nusa Penida I realized that I cannot do work here properly without understanding Balinese lifestyle and mentality. Beautiful nature and people who are not shy to ask you what´s your name, where are you from, where are you going, if you have husband or children. Everywhere you meet friendly and helpful people who are open to talk anytime. After Nusa Penida I went for other trips and always I came to the center refreshed, filled with new ideas and energy to continue in work.
In Bali, I celebrated my 25th birthday with all the volunteers and children who made it special. Maybe because of the magic of the birthday, my relations both with children and also with volunteers deepened and I now I feel more relaxed while working in this friendly atmosphere.

1 month ago – All the long-term volunteers staying in the center from my beginning were leaving, even the directors were going for 2-week holidays and I (as the “senior” volunteer) was asked to welcome all the new coming volunteers and supplement directors in a few of their tasks. I was happy for this challenging opportunity as I could implement several of my ideas during this time. Instead of counting days until the end of my stay I spent a busy month with loads of work done. Luckily, the great volunteers came and all the tasks changed in fun.

I spent several months out of home many times, sometimes it is easier, sometimes I was counting days until the end. In Bali center, it took me time to feel comfortable because of a lot of differences to my previous life. But once I gained this feeling I didn´t lose it and leaving will be difficult. I´ve just remembered the sentence from the IHF promo materials talking about IHF family which sounded to me ridiculous. I am not melancholic, but now after the volunteering I got meaning of it.

Many people make list of resolution to complete as New Year approaches. As for me, this year, I decided to incite the volunteerism in me. Having living as expatriate in other country for seven years, I thought it would be the right time to go back home, Indonesia to make contribution to my countrymen. In this place, where education only belongs to the privilege few, it’s amazing to have NGO like IHF which gather people from all over the world for an eye-opening experience. I teach English and Computer class in Bali Centre, play with the children, do project on Saturdays, build friendship with fellow volunteers, learn how IHF operates and travel the whole Bali Island. While it may seem that I have given out a lot, but as a matter of fact, I received much more. It’s a good feeling to see the kids nodding their heads because they understand what you teach them or smiling and laughing of your funny face expression. At the end of the day, you realize that not only you have made a difference in their lives, but also the other way around, they have helped you to grow as a person. With this trip checked off the bucket list, I am so glad that I collected some courage to buy the plane ticket and fly over. I can’t wait to come back for many more great adventures with IHF!

I,a university-girl from China,19 years old,have stayed IHF Bali for 3 weeks,and will stay 1 more week here.I really enjoyed it.It’s like a big family here,warm and comfortable.
Everyday I woke up in the morning I was full of energy,course there were many lovely children who were waiting for me to bring them more knowledge,they laughed all time,so I was happy to do everything and worth to do everything.And the people here,they are so nice.They helped me a lot,when I was worried about class,when I felt lonely,etc,just like I was at home.I love them so much.
I am leaving here after I finish next week,I am so glad to have such a good experience in my university-life.I learned a lot from them,such as team work,taking care with every detail.And the most important,the guys are my good friends now,I will cherish this friendship between us.I will miss them,I will miss all things here.Maybe I will go to Bali again,I will come back to see my friend to see all children here.

Hi everyone. My name is Julia. I'm from Ukraine. And I made a decision to join IHF Jakarta Centre for a month. I'm finishing my Master's degree in international relations and I think that volunteering is an amazing adventure which will give me many answers on my questions.
I arrived to Jakarta on 1/04/2014. The Centre is situated in the Eastern part of the citywhich is considered to be not prestigious but secure. It has 3 classrooms painted in a funny manner. It is equipped with fans, so you can survive inside. There is no showers and hot water. But it is not difficult to get used to conditions. There is always food in the kitchen, so you'll never get hungry.
You can be free in planning your time. As to the job you are considered to do these are local and international tasks. One should be ready for different work to be done: starting from managing the books on the shelves ending organizing a local fundraising event. So, anyway your work will be connected with children but do not narrow your expectations to teaching. The best thing is to go for recruiting. Weekly I join Ade (a boy living in the Centre) and went to the poorest part of Jakarta to promote the IHF Centre and to motivate parents to bring their children to study. As to your international tasks. There are 4 teams: Fundraising, Media, OOTT, University relations.
Most of children attend classes after regular school so we start at 1 pm and finish at 8 pm. So it depends on Curriculum but you will have some free time for exploring the city daily.
Actually there are 3 landmark places in Jakarta - Kota, China Town (Glodok) and an area round National Museum All are close to each other. The biggest problem is that you just can't walk to get from one place to another. And because there is no life outdoor all promenades are made in numerous Shopping Malls. There is a Sudirman Street full of shops and fashionable places nearby. Such as a Skye Bar on the 56 floor of a Grand Indonesia Mall. But if you are not found of shopping, and going to the bars there is a solution -- the Rawamangun Zoo. It took us 4-5 hours to see it.
The most difficult thing personally for me was to adapt to the organization. But by time you get used to the team and to your role in it because all people are not here by case and then you have that natural desire to be fully involved. Perhaps, a month is a too short period to live through it. But you shall definitely try.
If you want to know more or see some picts you can follow my blog http://korzhiv.wix.com/iwashere or write all the questions you have on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/julia.ko

I have been with International Humanity Foundation (IHF) Co-Directing the Chiang Rai center for a little over 6 months and have learnt more than I expected. Before joining IHF I worked with different non-profit organizations as a private prosecutor prosecuting cases of commercial sexual exploitation and just completed my Masters’ in International Crime and Justice.

Working with a grass root nonprofit like IHF is the most valuable experience one can have. As a director you take care of the overall management of the Center along with caring for the children. Handling finances has been something that I always dreaded but with HF I was made to get over this fear. I have learnt so much and am thankful for patient colleagues and management who I have learnt so much from. Every day is a new experience with new challenges, and even though language is a barrier everything works out and things get done.

The children are the best part of this experience. Living with teenagers and toddlers is challenging but a learning experience which I am sure I will use later on in my personal life. It took awhile for them to get to know me and trust me. Now, we have developed a close relationship and spend most of the day together. They have taken time to teach me Thai and to cook local dishes. We truly live as a family and that means there are times when we annoy each other, however, we learned to deal with these situations with love and humility.

It makes me so proud to attend meetings at the children’s school and hear praises of how they are excelling in school. IHF’s mission is education and it is pleasing to know that these children take it seriously and are thankful for this opportunity. Our oldest boy is in law school and is also excelling. We have many talks on the current legal situation globally and how he wants to be a human rights lawyer too one day. He has learned so much from IHF and wants to now give back to society and to others who are less privileged than he is. All this makes my time and the effort I put in here mean so much.

I look forward to see what the next few months have in store for me. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and count my blessings.

Being a volunteer teacher was what I wanted to do for a long time. Now the dream came true. As a counselor of overseas education in China, I helped Chinese high school students to pursue their higher education in American universities. I wondered if I could do something for the students who lived in wholly different backgrounds. When I knew IHF had educational centers in Jakarta and Bali, I applied to be a volunteer without hesitation.

I arrived at Jakarta center on March 3, and began to teach Chinese for the junior high school students in the first week. In the following two weeks, I also taught English for the younger children from age 6 to 12. Familiar with the common characteristics of teenagers, I got along well with the junior high school students, and they learned Chinese fast with strong passions and good methods. I was happy that they liked my class. It was a small challenge for me to teach young kids. Without any experience in teaching children, I prepared for the classes more carefully. It was more difficult for us teachers to teach young children because we also needed to maintain discipline in the classroom. The goal of education was guiding children to study, think and explore. It's more important for children to learn something in IHF because of their limited learning resources and poor conditions. I felt fulfilled when the kids acquired English vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation that I taught.

Besides teaching and doing online tasks, I harvested friendship. The co-directors and local volunteers were nice. Hanging out with them on Sunday made me excited. We knew more about each other as well as the city in our spare time. I would miss the students and the co-directors after leaving Jakarta at the end of March.



I arrived in Bali on April 1, 2014. The working and living environment in IHF Bali center was very clean. The co-directors were nice, and they often communicated with us volunteers to know our feelings. I met and worked with volunteers from other countries. The atmosphere in the center was like a big family. We lived near the sea, and the sound of waves was like a song accompanying us all the time. I liked this place.

I taught English classes for the students in 10 and 11 years old. They were very active and smart, and could acquire knowledge in a short time. I also taught computer classes. I tried my best to solve the Excel questions that students raised. Taught by another volunteer, I learned to woven bracelet. I felt achived when I made my first bracelet. The bracelets would be sold, and the income would be a part of the fund for the children.

On every Sunday, we volunteers traveled temples, volcano and beaches. The scenery was very beautiful. I liked Bali and the staffs in Bali center. They were not only my colleagues, but my brothers and sisters. One month went quickly, and I would miss the co-directors and other volunteers after going back to China.

How lucky can I be? I would say lucky enough to have the opportunity to experience life in Indonesia as well as in Thailand. From an educational center in Bali to a children's home in Chiang Rai. From lush beaches to mountains. From a small village to a small city. From south to north. From heat to cold. From the Indonesian to Thai language. Coming "back home" to Bali, a place in Asia and far from my actual homeland of Romania.
I have been volunteering in Bali for 4 months with IHF, teaching english and computer classes. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed teaching English until I came back after a month spent in Chiang Rai (north of Thailand) with the same NGO, where they run a children's home.
Bali gave me the chance to rediscover myself, to learn that I don't need  much to be happy, and that my decision to volunteer with this NGO as opposed to another was a good one. I was afraid before coming here that I wouldn't be able to teach the children as they would deserve to be taught, that maybe they wouldn't like me, and that being so far away from home (or even Europe) would give me a feeling of insecurity (which actually really did occur, but only for one month). 
Most of my fears disappeared after the first month, when I realized that as long as you put your soul in doing something, or give it a real try, you can not fail, especially when you work with children. You just need  make them feel confident about what they know, and let them know they are doing a great job. And what does one receive in return? Lots of love, respect, smiles, hugs and great memories. I feel that the kids give us back more than we, the volunteers, can offer them! So, in summary, I must say that I spent many joyful months in harmony with amazing children  (everyone should meet them!) and a serene place on the beach with many exciting nearby places to visit.
But my IHF experience didn't end there!...
I then chose to go Chiang Rai. I needed to leave Indonesia for my visa, so why not to go to another center that IHF has in Asia? I had to pay a flight ticket one way or another, so why not to make it a month? It's not something very common, actually. Usually one makes this decision before arrival. You can choose to split your time between different centers that IHF has (Indonesia, Thailand and Kenya) as long as you do it at the beginning of your program, so I was grateful that my request was accepted . Perhaps beneficial for me was that  there are always more volunteers in Bali than in Chiang Rai, so a good dispersion of resource allocation, even if for only one month. 
Chiang Rai was a totally different experience, but just as great as Bali. I loved that it was so different: people,  children,  climate, and the mentality. The center was also very different. There we lived with the children,  cooked for them and they for us, helped with the daily cleaning, and  picked them up from school. Of course we spent  time with them before and after working on our online tasks (media, fundraising, recruiting). 
There are 12 children living at the center, and the majority belong to the Lahu Tribe in the north of Chiang Rai.(you can read more about the tribe here: http://www.thailine.com/thailand/english/hill-e/lahu-e.htm). Being near the city of Chiang Rai, the kids have the chance for a better education, safer environment, and exposure to technology. They are all kind, polite and maybe a little bit shy, except the smallest ones (raging from 10-13 years old), who are more willing to treat you like a “buddy”, which is very fulfilling. It is very nice to spend time with them, going to the local night market, to the pool, bowling, or just hanging out in the park near the center where we can also play basketball. 
What impressed me most about them? Their big hearts! They shared everything, not just between themselves, but also with the local people, who were even less fortunate than they. They really know how to give - chapeau for them! I am really grateful that I had the chance to meet them and live with them for a month. 
Life in Chiang Rai is also really nice, actually. Is a small city but you can find anything you need and the people are so open and kind that is impossible not to make friends. Compared with Bali, Thailand is more similar to a western type of life and the people are more open than the Balinese. There are nice places to visit, quite impressive actually.  Experiencing the Saturday  night market fills you with joy. Tasty food (I must say, I am in love with Thai food;  in Bali I stayed away of spicy food, but in Chiang Rai, ther was no chance! In 2 weeks, I got so used to it and liked it so much that now I need every meal to be spicy. I just love it!)...cheap souvenirs, welcoming places to hang out and a dancing floor in the middle of the market with local people and local music. One just has to go in the circle and the locals will teach you how to move. After all of these amazing and colorful impressions, I know I need to return to Chiang Rai. And I am sure I will.
Now I have returned to  Bali for another month, and  I couldn't feel better about being so enthusiastically greeted  by the children when they saw me back with the volunteers and co-directors. It really feels like home. I am afraid of the moment when I will have to take my flight back home. Asia, you touched my heart!

I came to the International Humanity Foundation’s Chiang Rai centre as someone who had never travelled to, let alone worked in, South-East Asia before. Ready for a new challenge. The centre hosts eleven children who come from a hill-tribe near Chiang Mai. It provides them with a home and support. All the children attend nearby schools. The centre gives them the chance to get a good education. I do not see them in the day. But in the evenings I catch up with them, and it has been impossible not to warm to them over the course of my time here. I split my time at the centre between online work promoting IHF and local work – whether that involve maintenance tasks or spending time with the children. It has been a good introduction to working for an NGO.

Hi, my name is Xavier Clapin-Pépin,

After 2 months, the exciting experience and the challenge of adapting to International Humanity Foundation (IHF) center in Bali continues. However, these times give me chance to clarify my fields of interest. Although I love teaching to children, my principal interests for me at the center is the daily management and organization in general. I am constantly looking for new challenges and I was happy to deal with difficult tasks at IHF. Of course, for me the first challenge is the difference of language. All my life, I have spoken French but I have always been in contact with the English-speaking environment without speaking English. The advantage that I could find at the IHF center in Bali is that most of the volunteers are like me, English is their second language. We have Chineses, Indonesian, a Slovakia, two Germans etc. Diversity is so rich and everyone wants to improve their English so it’s a perfect environment to accomplish that goal.

I sincerely believe that education that we give to children is priceless for their future. In addition, they are in contact with volunteers from all around the world. For them, it’s like having the opportunity to travel during their childhood around the world. Obviously, we understand that is not always easy for the children to come to the center and receive English courses because English is often their third language. To encourage them to speak only in English, we have put signs everywhere in the school written : '' speak in English please.'' I think we are good to motivate them. For instance, in my English class with children around 11 or 12 years old, I offer them at the beginning of each class to watch an English video cartoon for the ten last minutes, if they stay quiet during the class. This trick allows me to capture their attention a little more.

In the same vein about motivation, last week we held graduation ceremony and everyone at the center have worked hard to make this event a success. We prepared diplomas for all children and some recognitions prices for children with the best results or those most involved in class. We find the space to accommodate more than 60 students at the same time and prepared several games to keep them captive and happy. We have also provided them with juices and food. I'm sure this ceremony graduation greatly motivate children to continue to work hard and participate the best they can.
In the center, I try to help as best as I can the co-directors 3 (Intan, Greg and Johanna). I think one of the best decisions I have taken is to rent a scooter for my short travels. Finally, this scooter has become very useful for everyone at the center. For example, when Intan needs to go to the nearest town to buy school supplies I’m glad to lent her my scooter.
I wanted to volunteer to live a great experience and give my time and energy without necessarily receiving a salary in return but to help people. I consider myself someone very lucky. I was born in a middle class family in Canada and I always had everything I wanted. For a long time, I wanted to help the people in need.

I feel that children recognize my dedication and this recognition is priceless. In recent months, I have improved my English a lot but I mostly learned to reconcile some problems. Living in community is never easy and we must be prepared to make big sacrifices. Although, solidarity is stronger than ever and this is wonderful especially since we live rather modestly in the center. I understand better the cultural tradition of Indonesia and my journey has inspired me to explore the world more. Being a volunteer for IHF is an opportunity of a lifetime !

Xavier Clapin-Pépin

How time flies.I have been IHF Bali Center for three weeks.
Our main work is having English class,computer class and doing some posting ,writing blog,fundraising work.The classes are interesting and the kids here are so cute.Talking about working,sometimes we are in a state of depression because we can not find a new website to post our ads. But when we make it,it is so excited.Indeed,it is a effective way to call on more and more people to join us.Take me for example,I came to IHF Bali center just after I saw the posting which is on a Chinese website.So I really hope the other volunteers will come here because of my posting work.
Our volunteers are from different countries but we get along like a family.I was not very well three days ago.All of volunteers were very concerned about me.My director gave pills to me that made me feel very warm,and it relieved my homesickness too.
Although I have considered working in NGO before,it is really hard to hold on after I experience it.It is impossible to do that if you are lock of enough braveness,enough commitment and enough patience.So I am very admire our directors and long-term volunteers.
I come from China and grow up in a relatively good family.My parents always tell me that you should cherish all surrounding you and to be a good person.I did not realized that before.Now,it is time for me to refresh my brain and have a new start.
What impressed me most was the first day I arrived here,I ran to the sea as a landlubbers .I was so scared and suddenly a little girl embraced me and spoke to me softly:Oh Doria,you are my friend.it moved me so deeply.I think when I face any difficulty later,her words will drive me to overcome all difficulties.
That the reason why you should come here.

I have been working here for two weeks,not only teach children English and computer but also do some posting and charity work.Although volunteer come from all over the world,we still happy to work together.Our job is not very difficult ,in addition to the class , we will also accompany children play games ,such as playing football ,swimming in the sea ,teaching them do some artifact by themselves We do not stay here for a long time ,but have established a deep feeling whit every child ,every time some volunteer have to leave ,children always have a tearful farewell to them. what touches me the most is that one day , I asked them to write their dreams .Most of children dream to go to hotel as a waiter .It hard to say this is not a good dream. I hope they can have more independent ideal to do some things they really want to do ,and have a brighter future!

I arrived in Chiang Rai from California after a very, very long 2 days of flying. I traveled there for a volunteering opportunity with the International Humanity Foundation (IHF). There I lived in a Children's Home with 11 children, aged 10-18, and other volunteers from around the world. The center was in a quiet part of the city, surrounded by lush, green hills that I loved walking around. All the neighbors were really nice. Smiling was necessary for any walk and sometimes they even stopped you to offer you food or a shot of rice whiskey; be careful, it's powerful stuff, politely declining is always okay.
At the center, I did local tasks, like cleaning, cooking, and activities with the children; as well as international tasks online. The international tasks mostly consisted of posting information about IHF, which was boring and often frustrating but I also did some writing for the newsletter and worked on local fundraising, which were more interesting. The best part was the children. They were shy at first, which I understood because they see a lot of volunteers come in and out but they warmed up to me, especially the younger ones who like to play games and watch movies on your computer. We would take them to the park or on outings occasionally and that was always fun. I loved going into Chiang Rai city. It seemed a little dirty and crowded at first but once I got used to it, it was easy to manage and quite lovely in parts, like near the river or the gorgeous park full of flowers. The Saturday night walking market was my absolute favorite thing. I know there are bigger markets in other Thai cities but I've heard this one is a little cheaper and the sellers are honest people who charge fair prices. The food was amazing of course, even for a vegetarian! Near the food stalls at the market, there was a big area for dancing. The locals dancing there love when the foreigners try. The steps don't seem hard when you're watching but once you start, it can be a little tricky. If you're lucky, the children might show you a few steps.
My time in Chiang Rai was really great. Even when my work was driving me crazy, I loved being in that area. I enjoyed the people and children I met and the experiences I had. I'm glad I spent the majority of my trip volunteering in Chiang Rai; it was a great introduction to Thailand.

Hello, I am Julia; I come from France, from Toulouse to be precise. I am just graduated from an engineering school in agriculture and food industry.
After five years of studying, I didn’t feel I wanted to start working right away ,and as I had always wanted to volunteer I just decided to give it a try!
I found International Humanity Foundation (IHF) on internet and send my application. Few days later I was about to volunteer in Banda Aceh center in Indonesia.
Banda Aceh center is at the extreme north of Sumatra Island, it welcomes students from 7 to 18 years old to teach them English, maths and computer classes. The younger ones are so lovely but can also be silly, as any child in the world.
I have been teaching English those past days, it can be difficult and some communication problems can occur as long as English is not my mother tongue and my bahasa Indonesia is not really good yet!
Anyway, a lot of projects are on here: vegetable garden, wall fresco, fundraising, art craft workshop… and I am glad to be part of it!

My name is Katarina and I come from Slovakia. I am a volunteer at IHF Centre in Bali. I am a social worker and I love travelling, so a few weeks ago I decided to do something for the community but at the same time to do it abroad. And Indonesia has got a pretty high number on my list of countries I would like to visit. I have already done some volunteering in foreign countries and I think that there is something special about being a volunteer abroad. It gives you this experience of being with different people from different countries, sharing the cultures and language, learning something new in a very informal and welcoming atmosphere. I guess, this is what I love about volunteering abroad, when people are truly interested in other people´s experience, culture and perspective. I find this a really good way of learning something new and also offering something from me and my culture to other people. I believe that you can grow a lot in many ways while travelling and volunteering at the same time. You will look at the world from a wider perspective. The world can become more colourful to you and you can see more beauty and diversity among people with every new experience abroad. You can also become more adaptable to different situations and even more curious about different ways of living. One of the beautiful things about volunteering is, that even though we decide to give our time, our smile and our effort „for free“, actually, it is never really for free, because while volunteering we obtain so much that it is not possible to put a price on it. IHF is giving me all of this!
Bali centre is placed in a beautiful environment by the beach, so if I need some rest or some time to myself, I simply go out and have a walk listening to the waves. The centre is very cosy, full of pictures drawn by the children and most of the day also full of the kids’ laughter. They come every day except Sunday and we teach them English, Maths and computer classes. They try hard to improve their knowledge but at the same time they enjoy the lessons, too. Apart from teaching we also do art workshops or any other interesting workshops we can think of. Some part of our work is also to promote our centre in various social media and among the local community. Any talent or skill offered is utilised in this centre. Every volunteer has got a lot of space to put their own ideas in place, so they can easily see the fruits of their hard work. The time passes by really quickly here, as we have a lot to do but after the hard work we always reward ourselves with a nice trip to some beautiful temple or exciting city. Volunteering at IHF gives me a feeling that I am part of something bigger that can make a real difference to these kids' lives. In return, they are giving me a lot of memories that I will cherish forever.:)

My name is Sina, and I am a psychologist from Germany. I was interested in volunteering for many reasons, but mainly I was searching for an opportunity to be part of a great social project and to get to know the Indonesian way of live and the culture of the people at the same time-that’s when I found the International Humanity Foundation online. Therefore I decided to go to the IHF Center at Bali to do voluntary work as an English and Computer teacher in 4 classes and to do online work e.g. for the Fundraising and Media team for 4 weeks.
The IHF Center itself is a beautiful Balinese-style house by the Indian Ocean nearby a Muslim and a Hindu village with a big green garden with water fountains and 4 big classrooms plus a separate guesthouse for the volunteers. When I taught my first lesson in English I got a warm and pleasant welcome and the great opportunity to learn my first Indonesian words from my pupils: “Saya Sina! Umur saya 25.” Which means that my name is Sina and that I am 25 years old :) It really was an amazing experience to meet the pupils and they are very open-minded and inquisitive.
And whether you’ve had experience with volunteering or not, since the day I arrived, I felt that joining IHF was the best choice and I love the work and especially the wonderful and lovely Indonesian children - I have enjoyed every minute of it.
I am really deeply touched by the passion of the other volunteers and the co-ordinator here at the Center- everyone is working so hart to relieve poverty and cares about every single child! I am so grateful for all those nice people I got to know here during the last couple of weeks and of my new experiences and impressions which changed my way of seeing life and what is really important to me!

...there aren’t many words to express the feeling of satisfaction and awe when a child learns something as simple as the days of the week...

A Challenge and a Change: Volunteering for IHF Bali

Volunteering at IHF Bali has been everything I thought and hoped it would be. The center and the accommodation have a beautiful, rustic and traditional charm which makes me feel like a heroine in a novel pursuing some exotic, bohemian dream. The children are as gorgeous and exuberant as you would imagine Balinese children to be. Some days, when I am doing yoga for example on my balcony overlooking rice fields, I have to pinch myself to believe I am here, fulfilling my aspirations to help those who are less fortunate and in turn get to experience a beautiful, amiable and endearing culture.
The work has been a challenge, but a very much welcomed and enjoyable challenge; I think most volunteers would agree. Coming from the UK as a qualified teacher, I felt that I’d been stretched to my professional capacity. I was becoming complacent with my career and in turn a little bit bored and this spurred me to look for volunteer work abroad where I could learn new skills and where I would be challenged both professionally and personally. Teaching English as a foreign language at IHF Bali has been the change and challenge I needed. I’ve had to re-evaluate my classroom management skills, my resources and, above all, my linguistic skills.

Volunteering or teaching abroad is not something to be afraid of because, whether you’ve had experience in teaching or not, once you are here you will love the work, the children and the whole experience. For example, there aren’t many words to express the feeling of satisfaction and awe when a child learns something as simple as the days of the week and how to tell the time in English; or the feeling of wonder when you see a Balinese beach for the first time; or the contentment you feel when you know you would usually be at home on a wet morning moaning about the drudgery of your normal working day.

I’ve also had the experience of working within the online dimension of the charity where I’ve seen the hard work that other volunteers and center directors invest in order to recruit volunteers, promote the charity and generally uphold the charity’s ethos. This aspect has been a challenge. However, to experience the time, effort and zest that other volunteers invest in the charity has been truly inspirational; I have seen for myself, first hand, the compassion in humanity and the lengths people go to on their own and as part of a team for a cause like IHF. There is very much a ‘can do’ attitude which I think we could all do with a dose of to improve our outlook on life. And above all, IHF’s ‘pass in on’ philosophy has been a wonderful breath of fresh air; it very much coincides with the fundamental principle that governs my life: be the change you want to see in the world.

Volunteering abroad for IHF has been the flight and change that I needed to feel like I am experiencing life’s incredible, kaleidoscopic journey; and to have this experience whilst helping those less fortunate is priceless.

My name is Lange Wei. I’m the work study volunteer in Chiang Rai, Thailand for three weeks, and I very enjoy the time that I stay in here! Children are very friendly, active and creative. Although, the things I did every day are similar like cooking, picking up the children and cleaning, I don’t feel boring. Children always bring something new to you. I have more understandings about life by accompanying with children. We look like a big family. Now, I just have one week left, I think I’ll back to see them some day.

My name is Kevin, and I am a work study volunteer at the Nakuru center. I have been volunteering at the center for the last month. I was interested in volunteering for many reasons. First, for a long time, I have had an interest in learning more about Africa. My major in school is international studies, with a focus on Africa and the Middle East. After learning about the work that IHF conducts, I knew this would be a worthwhile internship, and indeed it has been. The directors at the center are wonderful. They truly care about the kids, and work very hard to ensure that the kids are not only well taken care of, but that they also have access to school and health care. The directors work with the local community to build political and economic relationships that will continue to help the children and the center as a whole. I have assisted in this process, and it has been a wonderful opportunity. I have learned many things, including the difficulty and exhaustiveness of running an NGO, and how important it is to build rapport with local leaders. I will remember fondly my time with IHF Nakuru.

About me: born and raised in China, attending university in California, studied abroad in London. Coffee junkie, vegetarian, environmentalist, human rights and gender equality advocate, jazz and tango lover, and crazy about dickens and shakespeare.

I learnt about International Humanity Foundation online. From a background of economics in college, I chose to come to a Southeast Asian country – Indonesia - to see the difficulty and potential of the economic and social development in one of the poorest places, and Bali in particular because I was interested in the huge economic inequality on an island thriving with tourism and traveler-oriented services - so far, Bali and IHF have delivered all my expectations.

Living in a small Indonesian village proved to be even more difficult than I thought. The level of underdevelopment is far worse than anything I have ever experienced. I have complained about the inconvenient living conditions and the often malfunctioning wifi. I have biked up the mountains on a recruitment trip and seen for myself the kind of mistrust the locals have in a US-based NGO like us. I have been constantly surprised by the local kids’ excitement upon seeing a foreigner and their lovely ‘hello’s and ‘good morning’s.

Volunteers at IHF Bali started an art project to decorate the center. We asked the kids to draw the ‘IHF hand’ on a piece of paper, write down their names and decorate the drawing as they wish. The kids dived right into it and created many remarkable drawings. Their creativity and imagination surprised me. Moreover, I was pleased to witness their excitement over such a small art project. Every day after the English classes, most volunteers complain about how hard it is to discipline the small kids and get them to focus on the class material. We college students are used to sitting in a lecture hall, staying concentrated for couple of hours and taking in as much information as we can. However we forgot that it is more important to encourage creativity in children. Many of them may not be good at following instructions, especially after a full school day, but they are eager for opportunities to show their individuality. In a collectivist country like Indonesia with strict cultural and religious constraints on personal choices, the small projects we create might give the kids the best moment in their day.

More than everything, I am deeply touched by some kids’ eager for knowledge and passion for English learning under an incomplete and shockingly corrupt public education system. This makes me realize that the free education provided by IHF Bali is working against the social norm and that we have a long way to go to prove our legitimacy and credibility. When we talk about NGOs and volunteering work in the US and other developed nations, we focus on the generosity of the donors and the sophisticated process of recruiting qualified volunteers, yet we have often forgotten the importance of reaching out to the locals and working our way best into the cultural and religious traditions in the area we work in. These traditions, however little merit they may have, are far more powerful in a country like Indonesia than our optimistic western ideology of free education, democracy, equality, and individual merits.

Many NGOs like IHF are great international efforts to relieve poverty and provide education opportunities, nevertheless we all need to realize that the overarching goal of our work is to serve the ‘local’ community, to benefit the ‘locals’, and through a long and hard time to influence the ‘local’ values in a positive way. And this is the hard part: to establish our trustworthiness in a remote Indonesian village and to get them to welcome our good intentions, however unrealistic they might seem to an Indonesian person. I am yet to reach this goal, but this one month experience at IHF Bali has definitely made the picture clear to me.

My name is Fiona, and I am a Scottish student heading into the final year of a Politics degree. I found the International Humanity Foundation online, seeking an opportunity where I could be involved ‘on the ground’ but still gain experience of the internal workings of a grassroots organisation; IHF provided a perfect platform for this. IHF’s Bali center provides supplementary education to Indonesian students in an area otherwise dominated by tourism. Teaching Maths, English and Computing to students up to senior high school, IHF helps to plug the gap that state education creates. As part of a Work­Study placement I spent 4 hours a day doing local tasks such as preparing and teaching classes or spending time with students, and 4 hours completing International tasks as part of various IHF teams, including Media and Fundraising. From this experience not only have I gained insight to the workings of an NGO from different perspectives, but I have also learned a lot from the students; the local village is split into Hindu and Muslim halves, but live together harmoniously. Coming from a Western state which has infinite choices and opportunities, to find communities which exist using far less means really struck me ­ that an entire family can survive on selling fish at the roadside, for example, is a concept extremely abstract compared to our western perspective which is now ingrained to include laptops, mobile phones and SLR cameras as the norm, nevermind washing machines, televisions and cars. Additionally, I noticed that a lot of communities here have something which evades many families in western states ­ happiness and contentment. Happy to provide basic requirements for their families, and content with the lives they have built, while many western families are always yearning for the next thing; the next video game, the new Apple product, a sunnier holiday.

My name is Wang Xiaochen, a year 3 undergraduate in the University of Nottingham. The center I am work in is located in a peaceful area in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The center is very colorful outside and the people here are pretty nice inside. The work I do here are regular and not hard, and you can do what you want for the center and the children here. When people ask me about the reason I do volunteering, the answer is pretty easy. I just want to do something for the society and try best to value myself. And I also believe that everyone can do little things to make a better world

My name is Sue, a year one student from University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China. This is my first time to go to Indonesia and be a volunteer in IHF Medan Center. Medan Center is the biggest center of IHF in Indonesia, with more than two hundred students. IHF Center provides free education of English, Math and Computer. I teach English in our Center and have a good relationship with our director, local teachers and students. I choose to become an IHF volunteer because I want to help people. Of course I'm trying to help them now, and I also have the chance to practice my English, to make more friends and to learn to be independent.

I have now been in Kenya, Nakuru for almost 3 months, it has so far been the best experience of my life. I can’t imagine myself going back to the UK, and doing a job that is not closely related to what I am doing at the moment. I am a youth worker and I would like to be a social worker, I have experience with NGO work, however, it is not extensive. I was very surprised at how much trust and responsibility I was given with IHF, but I was also given constant training and help by more experienced directors and staff at the centre. We work long hours and some days are exhausting, but being surrounded by the children make everything ok, they uplift me and it helps to think that though I am stressed I know I am making even but a small difference in their lives and that thought always helps me and pushes me on to work even harder. The work is so versatile that I do many things, for example I am in charge of the legal side, I also work on the fundraising side but also do report writing and volunteer training.

My name is Evie, and I’m currently a second year university student from London. I first heard about the International Humanity Foundation’s work through my sister, who has volunteered as a Co-Director in both the Medan and Chiang Rai centres. I quickly found myself fascinated and impressed by the charity’s efforts, so it seemed absurd to not seize this amazing opportunity and apply for a Work-Study volunteer placement. I soon joined my sister in Chiang Rai, and it was honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made, not only a chance to volunteer with thirteen incredible children for a great cause, but also to discover a country as beautiful as Thailand for myself.

IHF Thailand is a home for children from the Northern Thailand hill tribes, who have have found themselves in vulnerable situations. It creates a family, support network and provides education to empower the children, alleviating them from marginalisation and poverty. My time at the centre is spent either online - completing work to assist the charity’s efforts, or locally - be this cooking dinner, helping the children with their homework, or mostly, just spending memorable, quality time with the children.

Working in Chiang Rai has motivated me to travel in the future. The knowledge and experience I have gained here is invaluable, learning about the IHF through its various mechanisms– fundraising, recruitment and the importance of media for example - I’ve gained an incredible introduction to the NGO sector, something I was relatively unaware of before.

The time I’ve spent with the children has proved invaluable, and inspired me to cherish every second of this opportunity.

My name is Yasien, and I am an undergraduate student at Austin College in Texas, USA. I am pursuing a career as a physician, and hope to someday work on international health issues. This summer I am volunteering with the International Humanity Foundation in the Aceh center located in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. This center is an education facility for children, we hold many classes daily that are free and open to any children in the area.

At the center I am in charge of teaching English, Math, and the newly added Arabic class. Each class is held for one hour two times a week from Monday to Saturday between 2 and 6pm. We also teach English and Math in classes in a village outside of Banda Aceh called Blang Krueng. All of our students come to us in the hope that they can be better equipped for their future academic challenges. At IHF Aceh we do our best to ensure that every student is engaged and we work alongside them to master topics they have difficulties with.

I love to make use of things I have learned to benefit others, especially children. With IHF’s focus on passing it on, I am able to do what I love and have some unique experiences I never would have expected to have. I am learning more everyday, and cannot wait to see what there is for me to learn tomorrow!

With the beginning of my senior year of undergraduate studies approaching, I had decided to do something really valuable with my summer. I have studied abroad in numerous countries, and have a record bursting with service and volunteering. Thus, I began my quest to find a volunteering opportunity abroad the way any other sane-minded individual would; a google search. It wasn’t long before a free volunteering search engine had suggested that I apply to the International Humanity Foundation.
My involvement in the IHF happened entirely by chance. I found the foundation in a wide-sweeping search, researched the Foundation and immediately fell in-love with its cause and the varying opportunities they offered volunteers. I applied, completely willing to be placed in any of the IHF’s centers across Indonesia, Thailand and Kenya, and finally was offered a position at the center in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
My work as a volunteer in center has truly been life changing. The Chiang Rai center is unique to any of the IHF’s other centers in that it is a home for 13 children, all of whom are from Hilltribe villages. I came to Thailand expecting to teach English and interact with children who have had difficult childhoods, but what I have experience here has been so much more.
Living in center, sharing meals and playing cricket and surfing facebook with the kids has made me a family member, like an older sister, rather than a worker. I feel as if establishing real relationships and friendships with the children has made more of an impact on someone’s life than any other community service experience I have done.
Working with IHF in the community has contributed hugely to my professional and educational development. Witnessing the empowerment that comes from education, the realities of poverty, the multifaceted contributors to social marginalization, as well as understanding all factors of international developmental issues (i.e. lack of social systems, lack of infrastructure, social and economic inequality ect.) have given true insight and hands on experience into the issues pertaining to my studies of international relations.
Despite how long and tiring some days may be in-center, when I stop and consider all that I have accomplished I realize that my experience with IHF has been valuable beyond words. It has enforced my chosen educational track, and inspired me to pursue a more specific and focused trajectory in my graduate studies. I have grown as an individual and made incredible connections with the children and staff that I have been so honored to work with. I came to work for IHF expecting to do good in a community of under privileged children, and while I was none-the-less successful, it had never occurred that I would come out the experience being the one who changed the most.

My name is Adam Gloser. At 17 I decided to take a gap year in Prague, where I worked in 7 different jobs from a street salesman for a charitable company to a tourist guide. It was my goal for the entire gap year to get into a university and to travel to a foreign country with Thailand being my first choice. I got into the university of Herriot-Watt for Urban Planning and Property Development, and earned enough money from tour guiding and being a waiter to travel to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. But I thought it would be a shame to travel to these foreign countries with so much time to spare without using the time productively and volunteering at a charitable foundation. My friend and travel companion found the IHF centre in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and we both signed up.
Expecting a very poor centre with a few very young children, we were both very pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the centre to discover that all the basic amenities were present. A working kitchen, a water supply, gas, basic food, mosquito nets and electricity all worked relatively well. The main point of the centre is to provide a caring and nurturing home for children with poor backgrounds. The IHF provides the children with free education (the education system in Thailand is not free, the IHF relies on donations and sponsorship programs), food and water, a caring director, the provisions needed for mental development (books, pens, access to the internet, musical instruments etc.) but most importantly of all; a safe home.
As a Work-Study Volunteer our main task is to attend to the children. This means creating a fun programme for the afternoon, after the children come back from school. We arrived at the end of the school's long holiday. Therefore the children, who did not go to school, had almost too much spare time. We organised trips to the local riverfront called “the beach”, or to the local waterfalls, to the night markets, or spending the day cleaning the “pool”, tending to a possible herb garden. Plainly we tried to occupy them before boredom got hold of the children. Another task we had was providing entertaining but educational English classes. These were carried out after school 3 times a week through songs, flash-cards, games, reading and general conversations. However, some days the children were simply too exhausted from waking up at 6 in the morning and spending the day at school, that by the time they came home (at 4PM) their concentration began to drift away from studies, but their determination and eagerness to learn created some very memorable lessons.
I guess what I had learned from my experience at the IHF is what wonderful people exist in this world. I know this sounds cheesy, but the circumstances from which the children came from would prevent any other child from functioning in the ‘normal’ world. But the children at the IHF centre have smiling faces, are kind and are extremely eager to learn. Most of the things we did with them, they could do better. The best example is cooking; we thought we would have to cook for the children, but to our surprise the children would usually cook for us and make the food better than we ever could! I learnt a great deal of humility, and came to the realisation that I am in fact spoilt. The children here have next to nothing but no problem is unsolvable. It has been a great moral boost, a feeling of actually doing something notable on this planet is a feeling I hope will not leave me in the near future. Most of all, the experience has created a new understanding of poverty, development and human generosity.

I’m 24 years old, from England and a professional ESL teacher. I am interested in volunteering and NGO work because I like to ‘give something back’ and I would like to work for NGOs full time in the future.

Firstly, a bit of information about where I volunteered: the IHF center in Aceh is primarily an Educational center, although they are currently looking for orphans to live in-center. It holds free English, Maths and Computer lessons six days a week for students from the first year of Junior school to college level. It has many local volunteers who teach and help with the daily running of the center and two full-time local volunteers; the director, Philippe, and the co-director, Joko.

While I was at the center I taught English classes to all ages five days a week as well as helping with things such as recruitment campaigns in local underpriveliged areas and the running of events such as workshops. Teaching these kids was great fun because they really want to learn, they have a motivation which is really different to the children I have taught before and they are always up for a laugh. The recruitment campaigns were eye-opening for me because we generally visited slum areas of the city and it made me realise all the stuff that I take for granted back home.

I was also involved in a project where we visit a school in an area far away from the center twice a week to teach English and maths. These classes were crazy because sometimes there were over 25 kids in one class but awesome because they spent the whole time laughing and smiling. I made them run around a lot which might have added to the craziness but they were still pretty well-behaved when I asked them to be quiet or when I was trying to teach them something new. These were my favourite classes here because there is so much energy bouncing around and I’d always finish the two hours sweaty and exhausted but with a big grin on my face!

As the center is small it is a great place for your own ideas and input. Whilst I was there I spearheaded a project where I created a yearly curriculum for all the English classes for the center to use. I also organised putting on a charity fundraising concert which was stressful but really easy in a lot of ways. I had the idea for it on a Monday evening and by the Saturday night the concert had started! People here are really helpful and businesses and the media are easy to reach so it is comparatively simple for your ideas to come to life when you look at all the red tape you would have to go through in many other countries.

I wanted to volunteer with IHF because they offered a varied volunteering experience and the chance to learn about NGOs by doing international tasks daily online. I was involved in the fundraising, volunteer recruitment, media and university relations teams. I have learned a lot about these different aspects of the running of NGOs and it has been a great experience. It was cool to see the results of my work, for example in the fundraising team I was given a lot of freedom and was able to create an email template with photos etc for volunteers to use when contacting their friends and family about IHF.

I chose the Aceh center particularly because I wanted to experience a vastly different culture to my own. It has been fascinating learning about the 2004 tsunami as there is a museum and there are many monuments in the city. I was initially a little nervous about going to volunteer in a predominintely Muslim community as I thought that I might do something wrong or offend someone. However, it has been very enlightening, the Acehnese people that I have met have been extremely friendly and have been keen to explain their religion and culture to me. I have made lots of friends and I love the taste of Acehnese coffee! The scenery here is gorgeous as well, they have loads of white sand beaches and towering tree-covered mountains. On days off local volunteers usually come to the center on their motorbikes and drive us round the city or to the beach.

In general I have had a great time at the Aceh center and I can’t believe that it’s almost time for me to go! I have learned a lot about the running of NGOs and the processes involved in keeping a education center like this open. It requires a lot of hard work and long hours but is also very rewarding. Through my online international work I have gained experience in other areas apart from teaching. I have also learned about the pressures of organising an event and how to use them as a fundraising tool. If you come here I reckon you will have an awesome time and come away with a new set of friends and experiences just like me!

This is the third week we came here and it is a good chance to review about what we have done and learned here. As one member of volunteering team, our work is mostly about the advertisements postings on websites. During the time I did the work, I know more about our volunteers and directors of IHF. Every time I was posting, the only wish was that more people can see it so that we can help center get more good volunteers and directors. I believe, there will continually more people come here because helping others is really a happy thing. Although our time here is almost running out of and work is almost finished, I will remember what I learn from here. Volunteering team, I am grateful that can get a chance here to contribute my helping!

This is my 9th week at this center. The weather was just amazing, the rain and the sun were taking turn off and on a few times in a day. The field beside our center was flooding, a lot of dragonflies with different colors and tiny bugs flying around. Every morning the day start with very fresh air and the surrounding just looked so green and nice. It was really joyful!

On Wednesday’s computer class, Emelie and I were teaching the children regarding some theory knowledge and how to handle and keep the computers well. The children were sitting on the floor, according to them it was the Pagarwesi Day and they were not allowed to sit on the chairs. So they were a bit exiting and distraction because of sitting on the floor and quite close to each other.

We are a bit busy this week because of preparing the new curriculum and test papers. When I told the children regarding the test and the prize award day, they seems like quite expecting for that. Hopefully we could have something special and exciting on that day.

I have been a volunteer at the IHF center in Chiang Rai for three weeks now and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Most of the kids here are teenagers, so it was a bit of a struggle at the beginning to get their attention, but the more I get to know them, the more I realize how amazing they are. The children live at the center and we spend most of the day with them, we work, play and cook together, so you get to know them really well. IHF is doing some amazing work in helping these children and it is a privilege to work for them.

I came to the IHF centre in Thailand in July as a voluntourist for two weeks and loved it so much that I'm already back again, this time as a work/study volunteer for one month. Initially what attracted me to IHF is that it is transparent, unaffiliated with any religion, respects the Thai culture and is affordable. Having worked within the organisation I now respect it on a whole new level. The Thai centre does a lot with a little, encourages a 'family' environment, and the directors work tirelessly.

I feel very fortunate to be part of IHF; an organization that cares for education and in spite of all the challenges it faces, it keeps pushing towards the goal of providing education for the most vulnerable children. This organization has inspired me to keep contributing to causes that focus on education.

Volunteering with IHF Bali has been great because it allows me to interact with a genuine part of the island. Life here is traditional, and the needs of the surroundings are in coherence with local customs. Volunteering with IHF also allows me to work with an NPO and to be apart of every part of the organization, it's an allrounded learning experience - albeit intense. Between teaching and tending to regular maintenance I get a chance to play with the children that visit our center, at those moments makes all the hard work worth it.

I volunteered with IHF in the Jakarta center, and it was a great experience. Teaching the kids was challenging, but a lot of fun, and I learnt so much about how important education is, and how to get it to the kids who need it the most. I still miss the friends I made, and I would definitely go back and do it all again!

IHF is distinct from other NGO’s in this field as we practice the ‘Pass it on’ ethos in marginalized regions. I volunteered for the Thailand center in Chang Rai which houses 12 young people ranging from 8 to 17. I am currently undertaking the position so far I have learned so much, not only about looking after the children and teaching but of their culture of the culture in the hill-tribes of Northern Thailand, in particular the Luhu. It has been a rewarding challenge so far. I have also gained so much knowledge about the ins and outs of running and NGO, the issues that go on day in day out. Its been a great experience in not having comforts of home. I have gained so much so far from this valuable opportunity. Please take the time to familiarize yourself further with the organization - www.ihfonline.org. And the blog http://ihfblog.wordpress.com/home/.

If you have any questions at this time, feel free to e-mail one of the helpful volunteers - [email protected] . If you’re ready to apply visit: http://www.ihfonline.org/volunteering.