Agape Volunteers www.agape-volunteers.com

I avidly recommend volunteering with Agape for many reasons! First up, the UK staff provided ceaseless advice and support during the preparation for my trip, ensuring I knew the specific details of my stay before I even set foot abroad. During my time in Kenya, the Agape team became like family. I completed an HIV counselling/testing program that equipped me with necessary skills that I then took into the community. Agape provided me with great independence, which I found SO rewarding.

I felt I could really delve into the Kenyan lifestyle, not being shielded from any realities. Agape offered me a genuine experience through which I made valuable connections and friendships with passionate Kenyans and volunteers from around the globe. Agape value transparency, a hands-on-approach, and voluntary work that promotes public needs not simply ‘voluntourism’.

This program was amazing. upon arrival at Richards Bay I was greeted by  our guide for the program. I met my other volunteers and we were of for our adventure. it is important to note that the program is facilitated by the org. live4now. I got the opportunity to see a wide range of animals and to interact with some of them eg elephants, cheetahs, snakes and crocodiles. The accommodation and meals were very acceptable.

He was most accommodating, knowledgeable and patient with our group. this was my first volunteering experience and it was beyond all my expectations. Our typical work day didn't feel like work because you would be driving between destinations and stumbling across a zebra or giraffe just standing there in the middle of the road and staring at you. Further the warthogs were amazing and they were your regular guests close to camp.

In fact camp was hosts to many guests including the elephants. on the plus side you were woken up on mornings by the most interesting call of the Hadeda Ibis. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.

I travelled to Kenya with Agape to spend one month working in an orphanage and it was a fantastic experience. The children were all friendly and incredibly keen to learn! I think most of the volunteers stay together in a group house but I stayed at the orphanage with three other girls. I spent my afternoons playing with the children and helping them with their homework and chores. I helped make chapati and sometimes the children sang for the volunteers staying there. The toilet was a hole in the ground but that is all part of the experience and I soon got used to it. I would definitely recommend taking lots of dry shampoo – it was a lifesaver!

Going to Kenya was my first real time away from home and I felt homesick a couple of times but there was another volunteer at the time who I could talk to. I was never on my own which made me feel safe and there were opportunities to go to local markets with other volunteers.

In my final week I was offered the chance to do some teaching at a local school. One of the other girls chose to stay at the orphanage but I moved into the house with a bigger group of volunteers (and a working toilet!). I am really glad I was able to do teaching as well as work in an orphanage as it gave me a more rounded experience. The children at the school asked loads of questions about the UK and some actually knew more than I did.

Volunteering abroad is always an expensive experience but before going I shopped around various organisations and Agape was very reasonably priced in comparison, especially for a once in a lifetime experience!

P.S. I have recently been offered a teaching assistant role. I do have other experience with children, but my employer has told me that my time teaching in Kenya is why I was offered the role. Definitely a CV booster ;)

Must pass on my thanks to Agape for the whole process and organisation arranging trips for these kids to go to Africa.

My daughter had the time of her life.

As a parent and letting your young daughter on an adventure of a lifetime naturally caused some amount of anxiety but from start to finish I have been impressed with the support and information provided.

Needless to say, she's started saving her pennies again.

Thank you.

After agreeing to work in a clinic/medical center in Kenya for 2 weeks, I paid the fees and booked my flights. After this was paid, I have been told I would now work for St-John ambulance. I expressed my disappointment and asked if I could therefore do 1 week with St-John and 1 week with the HIV center to which I was told there was no problems. My UK contact confirmed I was being picked up at the airport prior my departure. WHen I got to Nairobi, nobody picked me up. I had to pay for a hotel room which I have been promised to be refunded but it never happened. I got picked up the next day. On my second day, I got told I couldn't work with the HIV clinic as you need to do a 3 weeks course in order to do so..??? WHy have I been told it was fine to do it for 1 week then??? I spent my time wasting my time the first week. On the second week when I got to St-JOhn, they told me there was no work there for me and that they never had any volunteers working for them.. I wasted my holidays for this. I wasted my savings with wasted plane tickets and wasted time there. The whole organisation is completely disorganised. While I was there, a guy arrived and was supposed to do a 2 weeks sports program. On his second day he was told it was school holidays and that he couldn't do it. The kenyan people there made me visit places here and there which were basically a "pitch" to get money. I contacted the UK responsibles and they only tried to minimise my issues saying :" we're sorry that your placement didn't go as you expected" ... What placement? I wasted 6K total for volunteering with them and it never happened. A complete disgrace. And they don't take any responsibility for it. OTher volunteers staying for a long period witnessed many cases like mine. Please pass this along.

My time in SA was absolutely wonderful, however it just can't be put into words!

Every time someone asks 'how's it been?' or 'did you enjoy it?' I just reply with 'YES, it was amazing!' but with the amount of activities some planned and some unplanned (like caring for an abandoned baby elephant!) that we took part in, you learn so much, its just too difficult to explain the excitement and feeling you had throughout the trip.

I have to say one of the best parts about my time here was all down to the coordinators who took care of us, they were so kind and welcoming, it was definitely sad moment when leaving for the airport.

The only negative thing about Agape (minor problem) was that before the actual trip, we didn't really know anything, we had to send several questions through and each time we had to wait a few days for a response and sometimes we would have to contact someone else on the team to find out why we wasn't getting a reply.

All in all, i'd say 9.8/10, I'm sure ill be back.

I've just returned from the most incredible trip to South Africa. I'd heard so many great things about the wildlife conservation placement, but the programme still surpassed all of my expectations.

The programme coordinators were so friendly and welcoming from the very first day and automatically made you feel at home. The range of activities and projects throughout the stay was great and I couldn't believe the amount we'd managed to pack in over just a 2 week stay.

Some of the most memorable moments were the cheetah and elephant interaction, walking in the game reserve with our guide tracking rhino and the amazing Braais (BBQ)in the evening at our camp.

Overall, a fantastic experience which I will remember for many years to come.

Must pass recommendation of Agape for the whole process and organisation arranging trips for these kids to go to Africa.

My daughter is home now and had the time of her life.

As a parent and letting your 17year old on a adventure of a lifetime naturally caused some amount of anxiety but from start to finish i have been impressed with the support and information provided.

Needless to say, she's started saving her pennies again.

Thanks you so much. I am so Happy and recommended for all person.

I volunteered in Kenya earlier this year on the orphanage programme and I had an amazing time. I have seen one review here which seems to say that it is unsafe to work in Kenya, but that is totally not true. The team there take everything really seriously and it's all really well set up and safe.

I loved volunteering in the orphanage and I can't wait to go back! Also, you should definetely try and do some of the extra trips that they offer as they are a really good way to see the rest of thr country.