Updated for 2024
If you’re ready to effect worldwide change, one of the greatest ways you can make a difference is by volunteering for women’s empowerment and girls’ education. Despite making up 50% of the world’s population, millions of women and girls around the world continue to be marginalized and regulated to an inferior standing in their communities, depriving them the ability to reach their full potential and maximize their contributions to society.
When you volunteer for a cause, do you want to see immediate change? Are you hoping to help build a house in a week, refurbish a classroom, or dig a new well for clean water? If so, then this may not be the opportunity for you.
If you’re ready to effect worldwide change that may not manifest for months – or years – then read on.
The challenge is to change centuries of oppression, one mind at a time. It starts when you acknowledge that we all need to work towards women’s empowerment and girls’ education, not just in our own communities, but on a global level. Gender inequality is an insidious problem, and it affects more than just women; it impacts their families, from one generation to the next.
Imagine that your mother and her mother could not read, could not buy healthy food, or was denied basic health care. This is something women encounter every day in developing countries – in addition to physical and sexual abuse, or even being sold into slavery. It’s difficult to imagine if you live in an affluent country, where laws and different cultural norms promise you some level of gender equality.
But women can do more to help their families and their communities, and in the process break the cycle of poverty. The solution is education. Education not only exterminates inequality, it leads to economic and social development (which you can learn much more about in our recent article on volunteering for education abroad).
How can you help? Here are a few ways that you can make a difference for girls and women worldwide:
- Helping women have greater economic opportunity so that they can provide for themselves and their children. International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) oversees seven inspiring programs to help women and girls learn English, gain computer skills, and develop sustainable incomes. IVHQ’s sister organization Intern Abroad HQ, also offers a women’s right and education internship in Morocco.
- Working with an international volunteer organization like GoEco that provides opportunities on teaching English, computer literacy, and other skills to help women and girls build better futures for themselves, and earn an income to support their family.
- Volunteering with an NGO that teaches women about their legal rights. For instance, Maximo Nivel runs impactful human rights initiatives in Latin America, empowering women to overcome poverty and discrimination.
- Volunteering to support women affected by HIV/AIDS, such as this medical internship in Kenya through Projects Abroad. Alternatively, check out their dedicated women’s empowerment program in Tanzania.
- Volunteering to support female empowerment in Zambia through this project with African Impact
- Volunteering at a surf camp to provide sports coaching to disadvantaged young girls in Cape Town, South Africa with the organization Surfpop.
Ready to make a difference? Read on to learn about just a few of the many ways you can help women and girls build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.
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International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) is an excellent organization that partners with NGOs to offer impactful and affordable volunteer travel opportunities all over the world. IVHQ volunteer abroad programs start from only $20USD a day, and in the nine years since its founding, more than 130,000 volunteers have traveled with IVHQ. Listed below are projects to help support and empower women.
You also may want to check out IVHQ’s women’s education program in Kenya, where you’ll support women affected by HIV/AIDS. Through this program, you’ll work with a care center that provides counseling, guidance, and childcare if needed, allowing women to pursue income-generating projects, further education, and training in skills needed to pull their families out of poverty. To sign up, you won’t need a formal background in teaching or HIV/AIDS support, but IVHQ recommends that you prepare for your arrival by learning about issues women commonly face in Kenya, as well as some of the ongoing solutions to those issues. This program starts from one week at just $375 – to learn more and to sign up, click here.
Combat poverty and unemployment in Morocco when you volunteer to empower women through education with IVHQ. Since 2005, the Moroccan government has invested in programs to improve women’s education and livelihood, notably with income-generating activities and small businesses. This is where you can help. As a volunteer, you’ll teach English at Dar Attaliba (House of Female Students), as well as sewing, art, computer training, sports, and provide occasional childcare. Share your knowledge and skills in finance, health, communication, women’s rights, and single parenting. If you have a business background, you can help build websites to showcase and sell items the women make. Your volunteer work will enhance their professional development and also will improve their children’s education. Additional volunteer tasks are dependent upon duration, so stay longer and you’ll have more opportunities! You’ll live with a local family as well as other volunteers – an excellent way to immerse yourself in the Moroccan way of life. During weekends, you’ll be able to relax or explore Rabat, travel to neighboring cities, and even visit the south of Europe. Program fees start at $605 for two weeks. For more information about Women’s Education in Morocco, click here.
In this program, your assistance is needed by the women of Tanzania disadvantaged by domestic violence, homelessness, and living with HIV/AIDS. The stigma of the illness makes it difficult for women to find employment, leaving them unable to provide for their families. You’ll volunteer with local NGOs to assist local women in crafting Maasai beaded art, leather goods, clothes, and other crafts that they may sell to tourists visiting Arusha.
Another area where you can help is teaching English and finance to help them get finance to start small businesses.
Experience is not required, since all volunteers work alongside the IVHQ local team. Comprehensive understanding of Tanzania and its problems as a developing nation is recommended, however. Participants are accommodated in a volunteer house or homestay, sharing a room. Program fees begin at $295 for one week. Learn more about this important women’s project here.
To explore IVHQ’s other volunteer programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and beyond, visit: www.volunteerhq.org.
Women’s empowerment programs and girls’ education initiatives offered through GoEco aim to tackle key issues that create gender inequality, including unfair pay and treatment in the workplace, domestic abuse, and unequal access to education. Created by experienced volunteers in 2006, GoEco’s top-rated programs have been carefully inspected for quality and commitment to making an impact. Their programs come recommended by Huffington Post, USA Today, the Boston Globe, and many others. By volunteering with one of the projects below, you’ll help empower girls and women to brighter futures. Currently, GoEco is offering a special travel grant where you can stay for the 3rd week free! Check out the qualifying programs here!
Take a look at this program to empower Sri Lankan women through the English literacy program to give them better chances of employment and confidence. Through this program, you can be a part of a movement to break down education barriers by improving their English. You will lead the lessons in a group of 3-10 women, as well as help them practice English speaking skills in creative ways. Each day, you will spend 2 hours teaching and then some time on planning lessons. The longer you are involved, the more you will be able to contribute to the lives of these women and the more meaningful your relationships will become. Located in Galle, you can enjoy this coastal beach town or do nightly yoga sessions, movie times with fellow female volunteers. Click here to get started!
Journey to Kathmandu with GoEco, where you’ll help local women gain the necessary skills and education to find employment and become more self-reliant. Your role as a volunteer will involve teaching English and computer skills, hosting vocational training classes, running hygiene and reproductive health workshops, educating young girls about their rights, and organizing fun social activities.
When you’re not volunteering, explore Kathmandu, a city filled with beautiful temples, historic sites, and shopping and entertainment. Ready to make a difference on a volunteer adventure? Project fees begin from $800 for 13 days. Find out more and register here!
What Volunteers Say – Review from Ana
The two weeks I spent teaching the amazing women I met [in Nepal] were a wonderful and complex experience. We sang songs at the beginning, laughed and discovered new things together, language being no obstacle. I was pleasantly surprised that even when the class was over, or in any other free moment they had, they were constantly trying to repeat and improve their knowledge. It was an honor to work with these smart and powerful women.
Founded in Peru in 2003, Maximo Nivel offers volunteer and intern abroad programs, TEFL certification, study abroad placements, and Spanish language programs in Peru, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. 25,000 travelers have taken part in Maximo Nivel’s affordable programs, which start from just $595 for one week abroad. Among the many educational and career-building opportunities provided by Maximo Nivel are internships in human rights, education, and much more to help you build better lives for girls and women in need. You also can customize your intern abroad placement to make the greatest impact and learn the most you can from your work.
If you’re passionate about human rights, Maximo Nivel may have the perfect internship for you: based in Peru, Costa Rica, or Guatemala, this internship invites you to work with a community organization, government agency, or an NGO to promote change through social justice and empowerment. As an intern, you’ll assist with community outreach, education, research, and fundraising while immersing yourself in your community and learning about politics, religion, gender, and ethnicity in your host country. To sign up, you must be able to stay at least four weeks in-country, and you must be enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s program in social work, international development, or a related field. You also must have intermediate Spanish language ability – though if you need to boost your Spanish skills before starting, Maximo Nivel has an online Spanish class and a Native Spanish Program to help prepare you for your internship. Click here to learn more.
Maximo Nivel also offers an excellent education internship in each of its three locations in Latin America, where you’ll gain classroom experience and teach a variety of subjects to students of all ages. You can choose to work with early childhood, elementary, middle school, and high school students, and you’ll be placed alongside a local teacher who will help guide you and boost your leadership and teaching skills. As an intern, you’ll have the wonderful opportunity observe classroom instruction and management, help with planning and conducting lessons, learn about Latin American culture, and much more. This internship lasts four weeks or longer, and is open to students in bachelor’s or master’s programs in education, secondary education, or a related field. Click here to learn more about Maximo Nivel’s education internship.
If you want to volunteer with children, Maximo Nivel has an amazing program in Latin America where you can make a positive difference in the lives of children who suffer from poverty, homelessness, lack of education, or abuse. In this volunteer abroad program, you’ll travel to Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru to work side-by-side with local staff to support some of the country’s neediest children through educational programs, emotional support, sports programs, games, hygiene, homework assistance, and much more. You can stay one week or longer, and can expect to volunteer for three to four hours each week day. Learn more about volunteering with children here.
Since its inception in the early ‘90s, Projects Abroad has become one of the largest volunteer travel organizations in the world, with more than 600 trained staff members supporting more than 10,000 volunteers every single year. By connecting volunteers with staff and local counterparts on every program, Projects Abroad emphasizes cross-cultural understanding and learning to make a positive impact for communities in need.
Advocate for equality and help empower women with a Projects Abroad program. While making a difference, you’ll also gain valuable skills. Depending on the program you choose, you may learn more about the legal field, enhance your business acumen, or get practical classroom experience. These programs are ideal for you if you’re passionate about women’s rights and justice for all.
Many of Projects Abroad programs in Tanzania focus on supporting local women. The country struggles with gender inequality, so the group has put long-term goals in place to address this issue. By having multiple projects working towards the same goals, they can ensure women are supported on all sides. Choose from several women’s empowerment projects in Tanzania:
- Work with human rights professionals to raise awareness and advocate for equality
- Help women build up their small businesses in Micro-finance to create sustainable income
- Promote education for all on a teaching project
What Volunteers Say: Review from Jake
“Overall I absolutely loved the Micro-finance Project. It was an incredibly hands on project which not only allowed me to help women in need, but it also helped me learn and grow as an individual in my abilities.”
Founded in 2007, Volunteering Solutions has hosted more than 17,000 volunteers to date. With 150+ projects across 27 countries, Volunteering Solutions has a variety of programs, including initiatives to empower and educate girls and women.
Known for affordable, high-quality and impactful service projects. Volunteering Solutions offers women empowerment volunteer programs in countries such as Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Morocco. Whether you want to volunteer at an NGO or work in an education program, Volunteering Solutions has the project for you.
To learn more about Volunteering Solutions and apply to their program, visit their website here (UK readers, please visit their UK site here). Check out the three great programs below to get started. When you book a trip, know you can get travel insurance through Volunteering Solutions for just $12 per week!
Teach English, mathematics, computer science and other subjects to girls in Tamale in Northern Ghana. The mission of the education center where you’ll volunteer is to uplift disadvantaged young females and help them obtain knowledge and skills to improve future job prospects and live independently. In addition to lessons, you’ll help with school renovation work and extracurricular activities.
The program costs just $399 for one week and $590 for 4 weeks. To apply, click here.
Journey to Jaipur, the capital of India’s Rajasthan state. There, Volunteering Solutions will place you in a local slum center, where you’ll work with adolescent girls and women. Duties include teaching English, providing counseling and mentoring, doing seminars on nutrition and family planning, and giving computer and life training lessons. This is a wonderful opportunity to understand the challenges girls and women in Jaipur face, as well as to build lasting connections and make an impact.
Program fees begin at $650 for 2 weeks ($1000 for 4 weeks). To apply, click here.
Help local women and families in the Intag Valley region of Ecuador, a remote, partly mountainous area known for its high biodiversity. As a volunteer, you’ll help with community development projects focused on sustainability. You’ll learn about organic farming techniques, and help out with coffee growing, fruit and vegetable picking, soap production and more. You’ll work will help empower women by supporting their livelihoods.
Program fees start at $749 for 2 weeks ($1149 for 4 weeks). To apply, click here.
Another well-established volunteer organization to go with is IVI. Involvement Volunteers International (IVI), established in 1989, is a non-profit volunteer abroad organization that beckons individuals to be part of 25,000 volunteers who’ve positively impacted 112 projects in 23 countries. They have a few programs dedicated to women’s empowerment. Let’s take a look at a few!
For this program, there are a few areas where you can support a community in Goa, India, which is a culturally rich and vibrant city with plenty to do on the weekend. One aspect is helping women and girls from broken homes in a women’s shelter. You will get to teach them English, or other subjects of interest in an informal setting. The women will be excited for this experience as they will have the opportunity to interact and learn from someone outside of their culture. The minimum duration for the program is 2 weeks, and accommodation and meals are included in the program fees. Get more details, here!
Maasai women in this remote Tanzanian village are looking for volunteers to help them learn basic skills and financial literacy to support themselves and their children. The Maasai culture and tribe traditions have a long history but mostly have been poor. The tribal traditions have dictated that women have limited education. Maasai women primarily make money by selling handmade jewelry, but without financial education and guidance, they can easily lose their hard-earned earnings. Volunteers will help them keep track of their money and protect and save their earnings through workshops, which will give them skills and confidence to improve their future. In addition, volunteers will encourage these mothers to send their children (both females and males) to school to emphasize the importance of education. The volunteer placement is quite remote and accommodation is very basic without electricity, so be prepared to accept this challenge to experience this unique Maasai lifestyle! For more detailed information, click here.
Another impactful project to help women is this program located in Kathmandu. Like other poor and underdeveloped countries, women are the most disadvantaged especially in education. Volunteers will help teach and practice conversational English, alongside a trained teacher, in fun and engaging ways. Interacting with a foreigner will undoubtedly open their world and increase their confidence to go beyond their comfort zone. If you would like to join this project, here is more information!
African Impact is an award-winning, responsible travel organization that offers volunteer and internship opportunities in 7 countries across Africa. It was founded in 2004 and has since hosted over 35,000 volunteers. African Impact has over 20 different projects, ranging from teaching in Zambia to marine conservation in Zanzibar. The organization is known for its long-term objectives and measurable change. It is also recognized as a trusted specialist on volunteering and interning in Southern Africa. African Impact offers internships, as well as group, family, and high school projects. The minimum age requirement for their projects is 16, making African Impact a great option for teen and high school volunteers.
African Impact is an organization that works towards the United Nations’ Global Goal of Gender Equality through its initiative, The Girl Impact, in Livingstone, Zambia. The project aims to support, educate, and encourage adolescent girls to become empowered young women in their community, and also brings local boys and men to the forefront of the gender equality movement. Volunteers will be part of a program that has direct, measurable results and will work towards the UN’s Global Goal of Gender Equality by encouraging business skills and income generation ventures at a women’s group and supporting open discussion and changing attitudes surrounding traditional gender roles. Accommodation will be provided at Victoria Falls Backpackers Zambia, a private volunteer house in Livingstone with a swimming pool, lounge, bar, fire pit area, and climbing wall. Meals, communication, and climate information were not provided in the text. The project impact areas include girl empowerment, community volunteering, and Zambia. Volunteers will work with girls’ groups to deliver educational workshops based on six pillars of Girl Impact and support the development of a mentorship program. The program also aims to improve the lives of women in the community by providing them with business skills and support to generate income. Click here to learn more!
One opportunity that you can sign up for right now with African Impact brings you to Cape Town, where you’ll be able to make a lasting impact through mentoring and education programs. A few ways that you can help include:
- Leading workshops including health, safety, early pregnancy, self-confidence, and income generation at a girls’ and boys’ club
- Providing support through mentoring, education, and companionship at a youth center
- Teaching English to women who work at a foster care center
You also can combine gender equality volunteering with other programs available in the same area, including part-time preschool teaching and youth development, and part-time orphaned and vulnerable child care. Learn more and apply here.
Another wonderful program where you can help girls and women build bright futures for themselves invites you to Moshi, Tanzania. Through this placement, you can facilitate workshops educating vulnerable girls about health and family planning, explore social issues with adolescent boys and girls and how each is affected differently, connect girls with a women’s group where they can find role models, run social media campaigns to highlight girls’ empowerment worldwide, and much more. Click here to apply!
Founded in 2015 by Daniel Botha, Surfpop is a South African-based organization that aims to build a sustainable future for vulnerable girls and boys from township communities around Muizenberg, Cape Town through a powerful formula of surfing, education, and life coaching. They have hosted 350+ international volunteers for their surf volunteer projects in Cape Town.
Surfpop is unique compared to other international volunteer programs due to their long-term outlook on supporting the needs of the local community. On average, they work with each girl or boy beneficiary for around 8 years, after which they help them find jobs or provide them with employment within the Surfpop organization. Their holistic model of surfing, education, life coaching, and nutrition also sets them apart from most other organizations.
Surfpop is the only Volunteer Forever partner that exclusively focuses on surf volunteering, so if you are a surfer or have a strong interest in surfing, Surfpop is definitely an organization you will want to check out!
Volunteer with Surfpop in Cape Town, South Africa
Surfpop’s surf volunteer program is based in the beautiful seaside town of Muizenberg, South Africa. As a volunteer, you will play a critical role in helping disadvantaged children escape poverty, crime, and drugs. Through their comprehensive after-school program, you will not only teach children to surf and swim, but also tutor them on more formal academic subjects such as math, English, and computer literacy.
Surfpop’s volunteer program is open to volunteers ages 18 and up. No prior experience with surfing is necessary. This program starts at roughly $500 USD per week with a minimum duration of four weeks. The cost of the program includes accommodation, breakfast, airport pick-up, orientation, 24/7 support, and surf lessons. Volunteers will also receive surf gear rentals for their stay.
Founded in 1997 by Richard Walton, Global Vision International (GVI) is an award-winning organization that provides volunteer and internship opportunities in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Since its start nearly 30 years ago, over 25,000 people have participated in GVI’s projects around the around.
GVI is unique from other volunteer programs in three ways: they operate their own volunteer projects to ensure real, sustainable impact on the ground; they provide 360 degree support before, during, after your placement; and lastly their alumni network provides increased access to higher education and career development opportunities.
GVI offers a variety of women’s empowerment programs in many different locations. Their programs provide training and education to women, such as public health education, business training, etc. Programs are based in Ghana, Nepal, Cambodia, Costa Rica, and South Africa.
This project is located in Accra, Ghana, focused on helping women and girls’ development in health and social issues, as well as education. Specifically, you may run workshops and classroom talks on women and mental health, women’s rights, gender inequality, and teaching them self-confidence. In your free time, there are many many sites to explore in town as well as relaxing in Kokrobite beach. For more details, you can visit here.
If you want to visit Africa, GVI’s women’s empowerment opportunity in Cape Town, South Africa may be the perfect fit. Through this program, you’ll join fellow like-minded volunteers to help make sure women in this region are given equal access to education and economic development opportunities. In smaller towns and more traditional, conservative areas of this region, women are at a disadvantage in schools and in the workplace – holding only 16% of senior management roles. GVI and volunteers like you contribute to women’s and girls’ development through health care, education, and income generation initiatives.
Throughout this program, you’ll stay with two to three other volunteers in a shared house in Gordon’s Bay, and work Monday to Friday each week. Your tasks will vary depending on the needs of the program, but can include education in literacy, rights, and life skills; hosting workshops on income generation; and teaching girls at local schools. This program starts from two weeks at $2,090 and includes airport pickup, staff support, housing, orientation, project training, and much more. To learn more about volunteering in South Africa with GVI, click here.
Travel further in Asia to Nepal, where you can take on a short-term internship for women’s empowerment. In this country, women face such major issues as being married at an early age, having access to little or no education, and having no rights to land or few opportunities for independent income generation. With GVI, you will work with initiatives that support girls in school, women who are victims of trafficking, young women who have relocated from rural areas to pursue educational opportunities, and others in need. Some of the projects you will take on as an intern include leading workshops in conversational English, helping women develop entrepreneurial and income-generating projects, teaching computer skills, and much more. This internship lasts six weeks, and you will have the wonderful opportunity to live with a Nepali family during your stay. Learn more and apply here.
And finally, if you would like to immerse yourself in Latin American culture, GVI offers a women’s empowerment program in the coastal town of Quepos, Costa Rica, where you will be able to assist with social enterprise and entrepreneurship efforts by local women. As a volunteer, you can expect to be involved in various aspects of the empowerment program, including one-on-one educational lessons for income generation, to working in local community education centers, and much more. Through your efforts, you will contribute positively to efforts to improve literacy, rights, and life skills, as well as social enterprise. Learn more and register for this program here.
Womens’ Empowerment in Cambodia
Join other volunteers in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to bridge the gender gap by teaching English lessons, health education, and life skills to women and girls. After receiving training from the staff, you will help lead workshops on topics such as language development, teach English, health and wellness, or finance/economics. And for accommodation, you will stay at GVI’s guest house in the city. In your free time, immerse in the culture by exploring floating markets, cooking classes, or just roaming around the bustling streets. There are also national parks to see, and waterfalls to hike, etc. Read more about this program here!
For more information about GVI’s volunteer programs around the world, visit: www.gviusa.com.
What Volunteers Say – Review from Liz
I spent the majority of my time volunteering with GVI in Kenya with a huge grin across my face, and for good reason…. I will always remember my time there as two of my happiest months. I took myself right out of my comfort zone and found that I was capable of things I would never have imagined.
GVI’s projects are a great opportunity to make a difference where it is truly needed. Volunteer life is also so much more than that – you have the chance to truly experience a country and culture and try things you would never have thought of. I can’t recommend it enough.
Since 2011, Plan My Gap Year has placed travelers on affordable volunteer programs in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, with projects including teaching, conservation, childcare, and much more. If you’re interested in volunteering for women’s empowerment or girls’ education, PMGY is an excellent organization to check out: all programs are vetted by their team to make sure that not only are you matched with an initiative that complements your skills and interests, but also lets you make a positive impact in the community that you serve. With recognition including the Shell LiveWire Grand Idea Award, Thailand Green Excellence Award, and Special Recognition from the United Nations in Sri Lanka, Plan My Gap Year is a wonderful organization that invites you to explore the world, experience new cultures, and make a difference.
As a volunteer on Plan My Gap Year’s India women empowerment volunteering program, you’ll help to teach English, computer skills, and vocational skills to young women in Faridabad. There are several different projects that you can be a part of, all of which empower women to break the cycle of poverty, provide for their families, and build bright futures. If you have skills in cosmetology, sewing, or other activities, you’re encouraged to incorporate these into your lessons, which can be a great way for women to find jobs and work independently. Learn more and register here!
Are you interested in helping women and improving educational opportunities for young girls? Partner with NGO professionals in Vietnam as a Plan My Gap Year volunteer to design a project that you can be proud of, and gain experience in marketing and promotion at the same time! The world needs to know more about women’s empowerment, and sharing your writing and social media skills with others can result in positive change. Take time to learn about the economic, environmental, and social issues women face in Vietnam, then use the power of graphic design or web development to make a statement. Your brilliant ideas can make a difference. Program fees and duration begin at $435 for two weeks to six months.
Take your concern for women’s health to the next level, and volunteer with Plan My Gap Year’s medical program in Tanzania. If you have nursing or medical experience, it’s desperately needed for women requiring care for obstetric cases, often the result of illegal abortions. Gain firsthand experience and insight into Tanzania’s healthcare system as you work alongside qualified medical staff at the Tengeru government hospital near Arusha. Depending upon your level of experience, you can work in the areas of HIV awareness and testing, midwifery and labour ward, newborn care and immunizations, and obstetrics and gynecology. Program fees start at $540 for two weeks, and you are invited to stay for up to six months.
If you want to look at another organization providing lots of volunteer and intern abroad opportunities worldwide, Love Volunteers should be at the top of your list. With more than 30 countries represented in their offerings, Love Volunteers places thousands of travelers on meaningful programs focusing on education, child care, community development, and so much more, every year. Some of Love Volunteers’ most popular destinations include:
Right now, Love Volunteers is offering a women’s empowerment program in Jaipur, India with a goal of assisting girls and young women improve their literacy and technology skills, which in turn can help boost their self-confidence and future employment prospects. India is a male-dominated society, and as a result, many girls are left behind in their ability to become literate or even develop other fundamental skills. As a volunteer, you’ll help with teaching English – including listening and conversational skills – as well as teaching computer skills, world history and cultures, healthy habits and personal hygiene, and more. This program starts from four weeks at $620, and you’re encouraged to stay longer to gain the most from your volunteer placement in India.
If you’d rather travel to Africa, you may be interested in this women’s empowerment program in Mombasa, Kenya, where you’ll work alongside volunteers and staff to help 300 women in the community whose families have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Through this program, you’ll focus on helping the women develop self-confidence and skills to support their families, including gardening, farming, jewelry-making, and more. You’ll conduct home visits, assist with fieldwork, and accompanying women on trips to the hospital or clinic. This program starts from one week at $230, and as with Love Volunteers’ other placements overseas, you’re invited to stay longer.
Based in Cusco, this program aims to provide support and a safe place for women who have suffered from domestic abuse. The shelter that you will volunteer with cares for both women and children, offering assistance in emotional healing, teaching, and much more. A few ways that you can help include teaching English, assisting with workshops and skills training, and helping out with day-to-day activities in the shelter, such as cooking and cleaning. This program starts from four weeks at $759.
Another impactful program that you can be a part of brings you to Granada, Nicaragua to help marginalized girls up to age 18. The girls you will work with may have been abused or have suffered other hardships, and are seeking support in education, self-esteem, and a caring environment to help build a bright future for themselves. As a volunteer, you may assist with psychological support, confidence-boosting workshops and interaction, and much more – if you have a background in psychology in particular, this can be a wonderful opportunity to make a difference. This program starts from 12 weeks at $1,889.
To learn more about Love Volunteers’ many opportunities to travel and make a difference abroad, visit: www.lovevolunteers.org.
What Volunteers Say – Review from Tracy
I was very happy when I found Love Volunteers. Not only do they have programs all over the world, they are also economical! I took a bit of a risk when signing up to go to Zambia as there weren’t any reviews of LV volunteers there. That being said, it was the best decision ever!
If you want the real Africa, go to Zambia. If you want to truly contribute to the local community, volunteer with Love Volunteers. All the money you pay (except admin fee) goes to the local NGO, which in turns buys material for volunteers, hosts you, feeds you, and employs locals!
I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience. Thank you to the LV team, the NGO, and the local Zambians!
Founded in 2011, UK registered charity Agape Volunteers (AV) specializes in volunteering and tourism in Africa. With projects ranging from medical volunteering, to HIV counseling, to environmental conservation, to teaching in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Ghana, Agape Volunteers is the most affordable option on this list if you want to volunteer in Africa. Program fees include accommodation, airport transfers, food, orientation, registration, and even travel insurance and tours.
Help the women of Ghana when you volunteer with the medical program there offered by Agape Volunteers. If you’ve completed at least one year of medical school, or if you have experience as a nurse or doctor, sign up for this program that has you shadowing medical professionals as they begin their rounds – you can also assist with important procedures if asked, including maternity care. Help with medical outreach projects in the community, focusing on women’s issues. Accommodations are in dorm-style rooms at Agape’s volunteer house by the beach in Accra. Program costs start at £510 for one week.
Volunteer to improve women’s and families’ lives when you volunteer with HIV/AIDS awareness and care for needy populations in Kenya with Agape Volunteers. You’ll work five days a week, helping to support the burdened healthcare teams on the ground. HIV volunteers are encouraged to take part in the HIV Testing and Counseling Course (HTC), an internationally-recognized qualification provided by local universities. The course helps to ensure safe testing techniques, and provides a useful qualification for your future medical career. This program also includes spending a day volunteering at an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp, working to improve the daily lives of refugees. Costs start at £590 for one week. Learn more and apply here.
No experience is needed to volunteer as a teacher in Tanzania, a meaningful program that allows you to have a huge impact on the lives of young girls and others students eager for lessons in math, science, and other subjects. Help students improve their English-speaking skills, or play games and sports to develop fitness levels. Accommodations are at Maisha Cottage in the city of Arusha, a five minutes’ walk from the city center. Volunteer teachers stay from one week to one year in Tanzania, with costs starting at £695.
Founded in 1995, Cross-Cultural Solutions provides internships, gap year experiences, volunteer trips, and high school and group volunteering programs in nine countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Programs focus on child development, global health, and girl and women empowerment. To date, nearly 35,000 volunteers have signed up with Cross-Cultural Solutions (with a 99% approval rating from past participants), which has some of the volunteer travel industry’s highest standards of safety and well-being. Cross-Cultural Solutions’ girls’ and women’s empowerment initiatives focus on encouraging financial independence, fostering leadership skills, and much more.
With 29 percent of Ghana’s population living below the poverty line, there is much that can be done to combat malnutrition, increase access to education, and help families reach brighter futures. For 20 years, Cross-Cultural Solutions has provided much-needed services in this region, and as a volunteer with this wonderful organization, you will be able to help girls and women achieve financial independence and develop leadership skills. Learn more here.
Based in Dharamsala, India, another of CCS’ volunteer programs invites you to combat extreme inequality and help families break the cycle of poverty through education, public health, and other support initiatives. Through CCS’ child development volunteer program, you can volunteer in a school or community center to help provide care and education for children of single mothers. If you’d like to focus on girls’ and women’s empowerment, you can help with financial literacy and independence programs, or with leadership skills development – a very important undertaking for an area where girls receive three years’ less schooling on average than boys. Learn more and sign up here.
A third impactful volunteer program you can sign up for with Cross-Cultural Solutions brings you to Rabat, Morocco to help with education and development for children and women in need. Nationwide, only 20 percent of girls receive secondary education, compared to 30% of boys. Women undertake more than seven times as much underpaid work as men, and for nearly a decade, CCS has been providing education and healthcare to help break the cycle of poverty in this region. As a volunteer, you can help Moroccan women become leaders and support their families and communities – learn more here.
Each year, the Intern Group shifts through 30,000 applicants to select and place 2,000 individuals on customized professional development internships with renowned NGOs and important global employers in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Founded in 2011, its mission is to develop an innovative and culturally-sensitive generation prepared to address the issues that affect the world today and tomorrow. The Intern Group has been featured in Forbes, TIME, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNN, and is an award-winning social enterprise. It provides assistance with visas, as well as developmental workshops, career training, social and cultural events, quality housing, and in-country support.
Have a positive impact on the lives of young girls and women with a social work internship in Dublin, Ireland. This placement by the Intern Group gives you a well-rounded experience by allowing you to integrate into a community abroad. This hands-on opportunity allows you to work alongside people of all ages, ethnicities, education levels, and socioeconomic statuses, making a difference in a vulnerable community. Choose to work with One Young World, a company that focuses on access to healthcare and education for victims of war and domestic abuse. Build close relationships and network with professionals during the week, and on weekends, visit local sites such as the Guinness Storehouse. Your placement includes a visit to the EPIC Ireland exhibit, an Irish dance party, a trip to the Cliffs of Moher, and a literary night. Placement fees start at $4,869 for six weeks, and your stay may be extended to six months. Learn more and sign up here!
If you’re passionate about human rights – especially those of young girls and women – consider an internship with an international NGO in Colombia. This placement with the Intern Group allows you to make a difference in many sectors, including community development, healthcare, education, social service, activism, and political and economic development. When you volunteer to help others, you’ll gain a great sense of personal satisfaction, and prove your dedication and strength of character. While in Medellin, Colombia, you’ll discover and create new professional goals, improve your Spanish-speaking skills, and learn valuable lessons about people and yourself. Your cultural internship calendar includes a walking tour of the city, giving you a chance to learn about the history of this beautiful country. Take a day trip to el Peñon de Guatape, a landmark rock formation that’s endured for 10 million years! While in Medellin, enjoy its variety of entertainment with cinemas, museums, restaurants and more. Fees for this placement start at $3,620 for six weeks. Click here to read more and apply!
Harness the power of an international entrepreneurship internship in Melbourne to improve the educational opportunities of young girls. In Australia, less than six in 10 Indigenous female students complete secondary school as opposed to eight in 10 non-Indigenous students. Join the ranks of brilliant, out-of-the-box thinkers like Sir Richard Branson when you learn the mindset of creative innovators. Entrepreneurship provides social, economic, and environmental benefits by challenging the status quo. An international entrepreneurship internship will allow you to gain skills by working alongside tomorrow’s business leaders. Included in your internship is a walking tour of the city, and lunch at the Eureka SkyDeck, Melbourne’s tallest building. Take in a major sporting event, such as the Australian Open Tennis, or a Formula One Racing event. You’re invited to stay six weeks or longer and program fees begin at $4,617. Click here to sign up today!
Founded in the United States, A Broader View is a non-profit organization that invites volunteers to serve in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. And there’s a wide variety of projects you can take on, from teaching, to community development, to medical care, and much more.
This program helps to empower women through providing education and helping them get involved in income generating activities. Nepal is a patriarchal society, where men go to work and women stay at home tending the house and children. Slight trend changes are happening in parts of Kathmandu, however it still remains the same in the smaller villages. As few Nepali women enter skilled work and leadership in the private and public sectors, it remains difficult for women to find opportunities to support their families and their communities. By volunteering with this program, you can help effect change through education and skills training.
Alongside its many other programs worldwide, A Broader View offers several different opportunities for you to empower women and girls worldwide – to get started, take a look at this volunteer program in Tanzania to support teenage mothers and their children. Many of the young women you’ll work with have suffered through forced marriage, human trafficking, poverty, abuse, and lack of education. As a volunteer, you’ll work in a women development center, which offers these women a home to help them get back on their feet. It also provides general education, vocational training, and health education, plus a nursery and primary school for the children. Through this program, you’ll help with a variety of tasks, including:
- Income generation, marketing, and fundraising ideas
- Psychological support
- English and basic computer skills teaching
- Helping with basic cooking and tailoring skills development
- Child care and education for the children living in the center
If you have professional credentials or if you’re currently enrolled in a medical or nursing program, you can take part in A Broader View’s maternity/midwifery program in Moshi, Tanzania, where you’ll assist with an antenatal clinic, labor and delivery, family planning education, vaccinations, and much more. The women who visit the clinic you’ll work in are provided with family planning counseling, education on caring for their children, and more – plus the clinic’s pediatric department can help care for children up to five years old. In addition to your main projects, you also will take blood samples, run health checks, and conduct home visits, where you may encounter individuals with malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, hypertension, diabetes, diarrhea and vomiting, and skin diseases.
You’re invited to volunteer one week or longer in Tanzania, and you can expect to work eight hours per day, Monday through Friday – with weekends free to explore the area. You’re encouraged to learn basic phrases in Swahili to help you communicate more easily throughout your trip. This program starts from $850 for your first week, and includes housing, meals, airport meet-and-greet, orientation, 24/7 support, and much more.
For more information on the women’s and girls’ empowerment programs available worldwide through A Broader View, please click here. And to find out about the many other volunteer opportunities A Broader View offers, visit: www.abroaderview.org.
What Volunteers Say – Review from Erin
Five weeks volunteering was not long enough in Bulenga, Uganda. I had a life changing experience -meeting so many wonderful people both at the orphanage and the house – even strangers on the street. I learned most from the kids and they gave me more than I could teach to them. I will always be thankful for this experience and thank A Broader View for this opportunity. I more than highly recommend volunteers considering volunteering in Africa to come to Bulenga Uganda. You will not regret it!
Since 1984, Raleigh International has provided expeditions for young people and adults to volunteer in Nepal, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Tanzania. 400,000 volunteers have traveled with Raleigh International so far, with another 800 embarking on trips this year. With a commitment to program quality and volunteer support, Raleigh International helped design and currently holds the BS8848 Safety Standard for organizing and managing visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities outside of the UK. If you are interested in building stronger communities by helping girls and women pursue better educational opportunities, achieve financial independence, and have access to quality healthcare, Raleigh International is a great place to start.
Another wonderful expedition to check out with Raleigh International brings you to a rural village in Nepal, where you will help to improve access to safe water and sanitation. In this area, 85% of homes were affected by the 2015 earthquake, and as a volunteer, you will make a difference by digging trenches, laying pipes, and participating in awareness-raising events to improve sanitation and hygiene. This is incredibly important for building stronger communities and ensuring a brighter future for families. In addition to volunteering, you will be able to go hiking in the foothills of the Ganesh Himal mountains. Learn more and register here!
If you’re looking for a chance to expand your education and build your career, definitely check out Global Nomadic, which offers volunteer and intern abroad placement in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific. Global Nomadic partners with NGOs in each community where it works to provide quality, impactful placements for travelers.
Right now, Global Nomadic is offering a human rights and legal aid internship in Arusha, Tanzania, where you can work closely with lawyers and support staff, assist with consultations, and raise awareness of human rights in Tanzania. For one month or longer, you’ll have the opportunity to support women’s groups, widows, vulnerable children, and orphans and their foster parents at a clinic providing legal services, advice, reconciliation sessions, and much more. And if you have background experience in law or human rights, customized internships and field research opportunities are available in accounting and finance, advocacy, journalism, IT, organization development, and much more.
Throughout your stay in Tanzania, you’ll live in an apartment with other interns and volunteers, and on your weekends, you’re encouraged to visit national parks, hot springs, and other trips Global Nomadic can arrange for you. This program starts from $1,410 for your first month, and includes housing and food, airport pickup, orientation, support, and project activities. To learn more about this internship, please click here.
And to find other volunteer and intern abroad opportunities with Global Nomadic, visit: https://globalnomadic.com.
For more than 10 years, Connect-123 has offered tailor-made internships, volunteer programs, and study abroad opportunities in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, and Shanghai. With these customized travel placements, you can focus on sustainable development, social work, education, and much more. And no matter where you travel, you’ll work with a local organization – whether it’s a school, hospital, community group, or nonprofit – plus you can apply to travel year-round.
For any program you sign up for, Connect-123 will provide housing support, orientation, weekly events, and emergency support. If you’re interested in a volunteer program or internship where you can support women and girls in need, check out these opportunities below!
One excellent opportunity to consider is Connect-123’s volunteer programs and internships in Ireland. If you’re interested in a volunteer program, there are several you can sign up for to help women and girls achieve their dreams – from teaching English to asylum seekers, to working with abused women in a shelter, to supporting children and at-risk youth.
If you’d like to gain a leg up in your career, take a look at Connect-123’s internships in Ireland – you can help immigrants start businesses, work in a family planning clinic, or even develop a customized internship based on your background and interests. Learn more and sign up here.
Another wonderful way to make a difference is through Connect-123’s volunteer programs in Cape Town, South Africa. With education and teaching placements, you can work as a teacher or mentor to children, or even help with fundraising for educational initiatives. Through human rights volunteer placements, you can get involved with NGOs or research institutes to advocate for the rights of refugees, women, and children. And with Connect-123’s social work placements, you can work with organizations that provide much-needed support for street children, sex workers, and orphans. Learn more about volunteering in South Africa here.
If you’re interested in helping girls and women worldwide through education, access to healthcare, and community support, Rustic Pathways has excellent volunteer opportunities available right now. Rustic Pathways’ trips combine education, travel, and philanthropy for high school and college students worldwide, and more than 8,000 students are expected to embark on trips this year. With recognition as WYSTC’s 2015 Best Youth Tour Operator, decades of experience from on-the-ground staff, a commitment to your safety while you’re abroad, plus financial aid in the form of competitive and merit-based scholarships, Rustic Pathways is a wonderful organization that’s making a difference for girls and women in need.
Mainly geared toward college travelers, Change Makers programs through Rustic Pathways focus on social issues, politics, international relations, activism, NGO work, and other ways to make a lasting difference. On your travels, you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in different cultures while learning about important issues affecting the communities you visit – or those affecting communities around the world – and then engage in discussions, debriefs, and other group activities. Destinations include Costa Rica, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, India, and others. Learn more about Rustic Pathways’ trips for change makers here!
Based in Peru, the 15-day La Niña Andina: The Andes Women’s Initiative for students aged 14 to 18 focuses on challenges faced by girls and women in the Andes, and how they are working to overcome them. On this trip, you will visit a secondary education program for girls, a home and vocational training center for young mothers, and a textile weaving coop – you’ll also immerse yourself in Quechua culture, go hiking and zip lining, and visit Machu Picchu. Learn more and sign up here!
Ready to Travel?
If you’re ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime – and make a positive, long-lasting impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable populations in the world – click here to sign up for an account on Volunteer Forever and begin planning and fundraising for your travels.
And if you’d like to learn more about the many volunteer, intern, and teach abroad opportunities available to you worldwide, check out these articles!
Teach English Overseas, TEFL Certification, and Paid Teach Abroad Programs
Health Volunteer Abroad: Paramedics, Public Health, Midwife, Pharmacist
Long Term Volunteer Work Abroad Programs & Voluntary Charity Jobs
Sarah Vandenberg · Director of Partnerships
Sarah has worked as a researcher and consultant in the volunteer travel world since 2004. With a BA from the George Washington University and background working with both public and private sector volunteer organizations, she enjoys exploring the world and collecting and sharing stories, trends, and advice with travelers who want to volunteer, intern, or teach abroad.