Global Vision International - www.gvi.co.uk

GVI Ltd may have worthy ideals but its financial dealings are far from worthy. I am fighting for a legitimate refund of more than a thousand pounds. This is nothing to do with failure to read small print, Terms and Conditions etc. I have confirmation of my refund entitlement in writing.

The organisation is suspiciously opaque. Phone calls are dealt with by underlings who have no power, emails are dealt with by automated responses expressing sympathy and promising to 'escalate' and 'prioritise' and still nothing. My refund is months overdue. I now discover I'm not alone and there are others who have waited longer. I do not intend to give up. In the meantime I urge others not to do business with GVI Ltd

My daughter went to Madagascar with gvi for 6 weeks. We had paid for 3 months and had taken our insurance to get money back from then if she cut her stay short. It is 6 months since she came home and we are still owed several thousand pounds despite numerous promises from them that we would get it. I considered taking them to the small claims court but I have given up. Be warned about this organisation. 

I went to South Africa for the animals, but the highlight of my experience were the friends I made during my trip (although the animals were absolutely amazing!) I met so many like minded people of various backgrounds and cultures, and during time off I had the opportunity to travel and meet the locals. I learnt a lot during my time on Karongwe Game Reserve, staff were very informative and passionate about what they do. I thoroughly enjoyed getting hands on with camera traps, research drives and participating in surveys, going from watching this sort of stuff in documentaries to actually doing it myself was an incredible opportunity. The accommodation was definitely basic but I didn't mind this, I found it added to the experience.

I booked the Coastal Conservation program on Curiseuse Island, Seychelles and what can I say - I got totally screwed by GVI!

I was supposed to start my 3-week volunteer work at the beginning of May. Almost 4 weeks before I was contacted by GVI and asked for a timely phone call, because they wanted to tell me something. On the phone, a "minor change" regarding the program was then announced, as at short notice the accommodation on Curieuse Island had to be closed due to renovation work. The program should then take place at the GVI base on Mahé in Cap Ternay. Since I knew that the Marine Conservation program takes place there and the main stock there is diving, I immediately asked if I would then be integrated into this - completely different - program. Since I do not have a diving license and am not allowed to dive at all for medical reasons, this was crucial information for me. I was assured that everything would be exactly as it should be on Curieuse. Only turtles would not be there. I also asked if the other volunteers (when I signed up, I was told that there were already 10 volunteers signed up in my time period) would also be there, or if some had cancelled due to the change of location. I was promised that I would not have to worry. Not only will the program be the same, but all the other volunteers would be there. It's just a different island.

That should be fine with me then, besides it was all very short notice now and I had already booked flights and made travel arrangements.

Arrived in Cap Ternay was one of the first sentences said to me: Hey, super cool, you are currently the only volunteer in the Coastal Conservation Program!

Super cool? Probably the opposite! At first I didn't think too much about it, because others from the Marine Conservation Program were also on the base. After the first few days I quickly realized that this is unfortunately a huge difference, because the others had other tasks and were on dives with the boat most of the time, I had little opportunity to get to know the others and spent most of the time alone in the camp. I had only 2 tasks during the day, which were done after 1.5 - 2 hours. The rest of the day I had nothing to do. The tasks were also definitely not the ones that were described. Since there were no supervisors for the Coastal Program in the base, the impression of a temporary solution arose very quickly and from conversations I overheard that the missing tasks were also due to a lack of material, since the base was originally designed for a completely different program, the Marine Conservation Program. So I was mainly supposed to help a student who collected data there for his PhD on mangroves. I definitely did not pay 3,000€ for that!!!

The Coastal Conservation program touts working with turtles as its core focus. From a conversation with a supervisor I learned that this work would not have taken place on Curieuse at all, because at that time there was no season for sea turtles. Also from this info nowhere a trace on the website or the info materials of the program, which were sent to me.

I have heard from other volunteers that I am not the only one who has been affected. All Coastal Conservation participants before me, who were also affected by the change, left the base earlier because they were totally frustrated. This also explains why instead of the original 10 volunteers, I was suddenly the only one. I also learned that GVI already knew about the closure of the base on Curieuse since February, but only informed the volunteers, like me, about the change shortly before departure.

I decided after consultation with the supervisors on site to end the program earlier, because all this is simply an impertinence! To offer a program that no longer exists and to let people make the long journey to the Seychelles without a guilty conscience! In addition, without batting an eye, to demand far too expensive prices and then not even tell the truth!

Currently, I am now trying for almost 2 months to get my money back, but GVI shows not a bit cooperative and ignores almost all attempts to contact me on my part. This appearance is absolutely not professional and unserious. Also under the aspect that it is supposed to be a non-profit organization. Unfortunately, my experience is not an isolated case. I am in exchange with other former volunteers who report exactly the same behavior of GVI.

I booked a tour for my son in February 2022 for a tour scheduled to take place in August 2022. The tour was cancelled due a lack of participants and I was told I would get a full refund. However, after contacting GVI over 20 times, I have still not received any refund.

Shocking company.

I signed up to the GVI Jalova ‘Wildlife Expedition’ in Costa Rica in January of 2022. I was sold a volunteer experience including Jaguar camera trap research, sea turtle conservation, riverbird monitoring and biodiversity studies. The site would be a 9 hour boat ride into the jungle. With a start date in May, I submitted all of the paperwork necessary for the scientific research permits in January. GVI confirmed this. I purchased a $240 covid test upon their request, as well as a £40 DBS check and accommodation in San Jose.

What was sold to me was not the reality of my experience. A handful of days before my start date, I received an email from GVI. They “abruptly” been informed by the Costa Rican National Park authority that GVIs permits had been “put on hold for the immediate future”. I was advised that the location of the project had changed to Tortuguero town under a partnership programme called ASVO. I was told that the programmes were of the same nature. I was not offered an alternative location by GVI. I was offered a later start date. Unfortunately, not all of us are in a position to be able to take three months off work to volunteer abroad. This was a one time, once in a lifetime experience. Or, so it was supposed to be.

I requested a pro rata refund. I had non-refundable flights booked, and a significant amount of money had already been spent in preparation for the internship. I was already in Peru on a separate (significantly better if I might add) internship, with a return flight from Costa Rica booked for three months time. I requested that I arrive, see the new programme for myself, and if I did not want to stay I could receive money back for the time not spent with GVI. This was refused.

I did not have enough money to travel independently, and I had non-refundable flights. To say that I had been left with no choice, would be an understatement.

The projects ‘of a similar nature’ at ASVO were composting and feeding chickens. We night walked into the forest and kayaked occasionally in the canals. We were situated in a noisy town.

To make matters worse, I was advised by all members of GVI staff on base that the issues relating to permits did not stem from a legislation change. Rather, permits were not accepted following the actions of a senior member of GVI staff who had been fired. Essentially, the member of staff’s name was on the scientific research permits of both the entire Jalova base, as well as all of the individual permits of the volunteers and interns. Upon discovering he had been terminated from the position, the National Park Authorities revoked the permits relating to the Jalova base, and rejected the individual permits that were being processed for interns and volunteers. Had GVI communicated with the authorities prior to the termination, this would not have occurred.

I have received written confirmation from the Costa Rican Authorities that GVI did not make the appropriate or reasonable steps to inform them of the termination of the member of staff.

I left the project one month early, without any form of refund. So too, did all 25 members of our group. Many remained in the programmes for the entire duration of their internships, due to lack of finances to travel independently and the cost of early return flights.

Up until late last year, GVI Jalova still offered and sold the Jalova experience on its website. Interns and volunteers were still being informed two weeks to their flights, with the same email sent to me in April, that their permits had ‘suddenly’ been revoked. Furthermore, they have updated their T&Cs to cover for the above scenario. Fortunately, a member of our group had a copy of the original T&Cs that we signed earlier this year.

GVI are still refusing us refunds, despite the appalling circumstances. They are filled with excuses, talking about changes that were ‘beyond their control’. They talk about GVI’s pre-departure training and the value it adds to the programme. To clarify – this ‘training’ is a short questionnaire on an app, that I completed within thirty minutes. Underwhelming, to say the least. They talk about career training and references. I have received, nor needed, none of them. And yet I am still denied a refund.

Do not waste your time, or your money, with this fraudulent company. There are other institutions that conduct worthwhile research and offer a fair experience to their interns and volunteers. Don’t make the same mistake that I, and countless others, made in putting our trust into GVI.

APPALLING. Do NOT book with this company!! They were quick to take the money for our daughter’s experience in Fiji then after we’d booked her flight they said she wouldn’t get her visa back in time. So why take our booking & why weren’t we told before we booked about this? Disgraceful customer service, clearly all working from home (baby screaming which is not professional & no interest in my concerns as a result) & pace of response is unacceptable once there’s an issue to resolve. No one returns calls, their lack of communication causes great distress, they don’t come up with positive solutions for getting an issue resolved. Their paperwork is SHAMBOLIC, checklists that contradict each other, an overwhelming amount of attachments sent. Refusal to give me a manager!s contact, back covering and our money wasted. VERY unprofessional, taking money without telling us a visa was unachievable.

For you who is considering booking a trip with GVI UK-

I advise you to do some research and read recent reviews about this company GVI UK, profiting from young people and students who were looking for a good volunteer trip. As a start you can search the FB page which is formed by parents and young students who have lost their money they paid for a trip with GVI which have been cancelled due to Covid.

There are many young people who have not got any refund from them and the way GVI has been responding and (not) communicating with us, customers, is distasteful, to put it mildly.

They are breaching the UK CMA Covid rules. They have been reported to UK ombudsman and the CMA and the Charity Commission for England & Wales.

I feel enormously sorry for the young students whom I have been in contact with regarding this. They are exhausted by efforts and correspondence with GVI that hasn’t reached anywhere. And this is a company claiming social responsibility and ethical behavior.

Please do some research before booking your trip.

This was a bit of a gamble for me - I'd done nothing like this before, never traveled abroad alone, never justified spending quite so much money on such a relatively short experience. It wound up worth it (indeed, my main regret is not staying longer!) although I think were I not interested in conservation as a career I may have regretted the cost! As I am, though, it was brilliant. Situated in a campsite in a tiny, beautiful town on the Greek coast and getting to work closely with a species as cool as loggerheads is a great start to any experience, and to top it off the staff were incredibly kind and passionate and the project was well managed and ran without a hitch for the 4 weeks I spent there. We did work with clear impact (such as protecting nests with wire, and subsequently finding predator tracks unable to reach the eggs) and engaged locals/tourists in collaboration with the local turtle charity in order to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the beach. The project felt useful and fulfilling, and if you love wildlife, making close friends or even just HOT weather this is a great experience to have (especially if you aim to work in conservation or a related sector!). The most cost effective thing to do is a 6-week internship, I'd say, although if you're not a fan of camping it may not be so fun to stay that long! Several staff members also had rather glowing things to say of other GVI projects, so I imagine all of their work is of similarly good quality.

This was a bit of a gamble for me - I'd done nothing like this before, never traveled abroad alone, never justified spending quite so much money on such a relatively short experience. It wound up worth it (indeed, my main regret is not staying longer!) although I think were I not interested in conservation as a career I may have regretted the cost! As I am, though, it was brilliant. Situated in a campsite in a tiny, beautiful town on the Greek coast and getting to work closely with a species as cool as loggerheads is a great start to any experience, and to top it off the staff were incredibly kind and passionate and the project was well managed and ran without a hitch for the 4 weeks I spent there. We did work with clear impact (such as protecting nests with wire, and subsequently finding predator tracks unable to reach the eggs) and engaged locals/tourists in collaboration with the local turtle charity in order to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the beach. The project felt useful and fulfilling, and if you love wildlife, making close friends or even just HOT weather this is a great experience to have (especially if you aim to work in conservation or a related sector!). The most cost effective thing to do is a 6-week internship, I'd say, although if you're not a fan of camping it may not be so fun to stay that long! Several staff members also had rather glowing things to say of other GVI projects, so I imagine all of their work is of similarly good quality.