Volunteering Abroad. Best Affordable programs that will make a significant impact?

Pre-College Topics Summer Programs
1

Sorry I know there are a bunch of threads about similar topics, but I wanted some more specific answers.

I am currently a Junior in high school and I am really interested in volunteering abroad this summer. I have a few things I am looking for in a program but, most importantly, I want to make a significant impact when I go out to help. I want to focus on helping underprivileged children such as orphans, while also maybe doing some community outreach.

I have found a copious amount of sites with programs and a lot of them look promising, but I have noticed the prices vary greatly. Programs such as GLA go upwards of $5000 while others go for only a few hundred. I know that the activities we do and such would be much different, but I still think $5000 is an absurd amount to pay, and I want to make sure all my resources are making the biggest impact.

Although, my main focus is to go out and help, I also really want my trip to be an eye-opening experience in which I am able to expand my mind and experience new things during my travels.

So overall, can you guys help me in finding the best program in which I would make a significant impact, in which my money and overall efforts would be used best, while I also have a fun time? The more affordable the better but the overall quality of the program is what I am looking for. I don’t want a program where I pay $5000 for 2 weeks but the whole time we are just having fun and doing cool activities, but I also do not want a program where I pay only a few hundred dollars and I am living in a shack having no fun whatsoever.

I hope I made myself clear, and you guys understand where I am coming from.

Here is a list of the copious amount of sites I have found, and I would be great if you guys could tell me which ones are the best. I haven’t gone through every single one of them in depth yet:
http://www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/care/#care-centershttp://www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/care/#care-centers
https://www.experiencegla.com/why-gla/
http://rusticpathways.com/
http://www.goeco.org/
http://www.ifrevolunteers.org/
http://www.sageprogram.org/
http://frontiergap.com/
http://www.globalcrossroad.com/
http://www.originalvolunteers.co.uk/
http://www.gviusa.com/volunteer-options/under-18/
http://www.gapyear.com/articles/148975/gapyear.com-guide-to-choosing-a-volunteer-placement
http://www.volunteersouthamerica.net/

P.S I am interested the most in Southeast Asia or South America

Thanks

2

God forbid if u actually have to stay in similar accommodations as the people u want to grace with your magnanimity.

In other words, u want a comfortable and affordable poverty tourism trip that makes u feel good about yourself, to write about in your college admissions essay.

If u are really sincere about wanting to make a difference for underprivileged children, there are plenty of opportunities in this country called the United States. I used to volunteer tutoring math to poor inner-city kids-- no airline ticket or passport needed.

Then donate the money to UNICEF. Developing countries don’t need unskilled American teenagers needing a chaperone to come for 2 weeks to be condescending to them.

3

@GMTplus7 Damn man, why would you even waste your time commenting if you were going to be condescending yourself. Maybe I conveyed myself in the paragraph the wrong way, but I have good intentions. You do not know my back story, and please stop wasting people’s time if you are just going to judge and push your ill conceived opinions, without even answering the question.

4

I did answer your question. U just don’t like honesty.

5

Don’t volunteer with any of those places. I was exactly like you, I wanted to volunteer abroad and help make a (incredibly small) difference that will have an (incredibly small) impact on the community abroad. All those programs are either way too expensive OR they might be cheap like IFRE but they make the profit–the so called money donated to host family–that doesn’t happen.
Message me cause I found this amazing local opportunity with direct organizations. Btw I’m not from a company I’m a student too.
please don’t waste your money***

6

I know this is already a year old thread, just wanna add an org to the list, It is called Diversity Abroad.