It’s a new year soon! That means a fresh start and a chance to plan your goals and resolutions. It’s the perfect time to start thinking of ways to improve yourself, but it’s also the time to help others and work towards a better world.
Why not take a step out of your comfort zone and do one of our top-rated volunteer abroad programs? Make it the year you expand your horizons, become an ethical consumer and do something truly meaningful.
In 2023, it’s more important than ever to:
- Reduce plastic pollution
- Empower women
- Improve literacy
- Fight wildlife poaching
- Expand reforestation
- Provide free healthcare
- Build up communities
- Be an ethical consumer
That’s why our best volunteer abroad programs in 2023 focus on these issues.
#1 Reduce plastic pollution
Our planet is drowning in plastic pollution. It’s up to us to stop it. Every year, we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic. Of that, 8 million tonnes end up in our oceans. Let that sink in.
Plastic waste spells out death and destruction for the thousands of species that encounter it. Plastic chokes marine animals and coral reefs. It even ends up in sea creatures’ stomachs. This causes a ripple effect, disrupting fishing, food supply, tourism, and the entire marine ecosystem.
On our Marine Conservation Projects, we’re working together to tackle this urgent problem. As a volunteer, you’ll help with beach clean-ups and salvage dives. You’ll also run awareness campaigns to reduce single-use plastic consumption and encourage recycling.
So, if you’re eager to get involved in a practical way to save our oceans, then take a look this Conservation volunteer abroad program:
#2 Empower women
2018 was a year of women across the globe speaking out about their rights. From #MeToo to the massive women’s marches across the US in early 2018, women around the world are determined to have their voices heard. Don’t let this important conversation end.
There’s still a lot of work to be done. If you’re passionate about women’s rights, you can help us promote them in countries and communities that need it most.
The best volunteering programs overseas to support women’s empowerment in 2023 are:
- Women's Empowerment in Tanzania, where you'll raise awareness of women's right and gender equality.
- Microfinance in Tanzania, where you’ll advise female entrepreneurs, helping their businesses grow
- Human Rights in Tanzania or Argentina, where you’ll raise awareness of issues like domestic violence and gender inequality
We believe that women are strong. They have always endured, and they are powerful. We want them to thrive, whether it’s in standing up for their rights or taking a step towards owning their own businesses.
With your help on a volunteer program around the world, we can create communities supported by strong, independent women.
#3 Improve literacy
Literacy is a fundamental skill that forms the foundation of a good education. Despite rising global literacy rates, there are many children in developing countries who struggle and get left behind.
You can make a difference by providing vital classroom support. By working with local teachers, you’ll help identify students who are falling behind. You’ll be able to give them extra attention to ensure they succeed.
If you want to contribute to a bright future for disadvantaged children, explore our Teaching projects.
#4 Fight wildlife poaching
Over the last few years, we saw some devastating hits to wildlife populations because of poaching. The death of the last male northern white rhino left us reeling and the lifted ban on elephant hunting in Botswana was a real blow.
But these shocking stories push us to do even more to take a stand against poaching this coming year. The good news is, you can get involved in a practical way.
These are our best international volunteer programs focusing on anti-poaching initiatives:
- Protect African wildlife in Kenya
- Help with anti-poaching work in Botswana
- Conserve endangered sea turtles in Mexico
In Kenya and Botswana, you’ll work in a protected reserve, helping qualified, passionate staff with poaching patrols. You’ll remove wire snares, the silent killers in the poacher’s arsenal.
In Mexico, you’ll go on night patrols to spot newly laid sea turtle nests and collect the eggs before poachers get to them. Back at the camp, you’ll bury the eggs in protected nests and help with releasing the turtles once they hatch. Join one of these volunteer programs around the world and take a stand against poaching in 2023.
#5 Expand reforestation
Trees are the lungs of our planet. They help reduce climate change by absorbing carbon emissions. With findings from a groundbreaking UN climate change report released in 2018, it’s clear we need to take a more active role in mitigating its effects moving forward. Planting trees is the perfect way to do this.
If you want to get involved, we recommend one of our best overseas volunteer programs: a Conservation Project in the Amazon Rainforest.
On this project, you’ll live and work in the heart of the lush rainforest. You’ll also help to conserve this precious ecosystem. As part of your work, you’ll plant and study mahogany trees. These trees absorb plenty of carbon dioxide and they act as a vital habitat for indigenous species.
#6 Provide free healthcare
Access to quality healthcare is one of our basic human rights, but people in many developing countries still struggle to get the medical care they need. A lack of funds and transport pose a problem, particularly if people live in remote areas far from healthcare facilities.
This is where you can help. Join one of our best volunteer trips: a medical program in the Philippines. You’ll help local professionals provide free healthcare to people in need.
In the Philippines, we offer projects focusing on:
As part of these projects, we started the first physical therapy and rehabilitation center in the north of Cebu. As a volunteer, you’ll play an important role in keeping the center running. On our medical projects in the Philippines, you might also go on house-to-house visits, working particularly with people with disabilities.
#7 Build up communities
Do you want to use your own hands to make a difference? Building schools, community centers, toilet blocks, and houses is a tangible way to help support communities.
If you find changing a light bulb daunting and you can’t name half the tools in a toolbox, don’t worry! Local builders and artisans will teach you everything you need to know to contribute. They’ll oversee all your work, and our local staff will always be there to support you.
We recommend the following volunteer building programs around the world:
#8 Be an ethical consumer
Supporting sustainable projects extends beyond volunteer work. You can do so in your day-to-day life by understanding how your plastics, fashion and other products are made. This will help you make more informed decisions, and become a responsible consumer.
We recommend the following ethical consumerism projects around the world:
Join at any age
In case you were wondering, age doesn’t matter when it comes to joining one of our top-rated volunteer abroad programs. We believe that everyone can make a difference. Our Flexi Trips accommodate volunteers of all ages, but we also have specialized projects if you’d like to volunteer with people your own age. You can take a look at our:
Read more about our best high school volunteer abroad programs.
We also offer Grown-up Specials for volunteers over 50. Find out more about our best volunteer programs for older adults.
We have projects for everyone that cover a range of interests, no matter your skills or experience level. Join us on a reliable volunteer abroad program in 2023. Let it be the year that you help make our world a better place.
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