Make an Impact with Volunteers for Peace

Voluntourism, the idea of using your vacation to volunteer for a cause, is a great idea. In 2014 more than 1.6 million travelers were volunteer tourists. It can be an incredible experience for all of the parties involved. But how can a budget tourist afford the price tag of one of these projects, which often soars well into the tens of thousands of dollars?

The answer is Volunteers for Peace. Volunteers for Peace (VFP) is a Vermont-based organization that began in 1982, forging relationships with charities and volunteer organizations around the world. Normal camps are two to three weeks long and only cost $500. That price is up from the $200 it used to be. Longer 1one to three month positions are also available and, less commonly, permanent positions.

As of January, VFP offers 739 different projects in 97 countries. Expect this to be updated in March, when VFP will release their list of projects for 2015, including 3,000 projects in 90 countries. So you won’t have any trouble finding whatever you are interested in doing, and wherever you are interested in doing it. You can find projects in the fields of archeology, festivals, healthcare or yoga, among many others. Some of the more popular destinations include Germany, Ecuador, Iceland and Japan.

The projects are high-quality. Volunteers will join others from across the globe to promote peace, kindness and sharing. Expect to make lifelong friends whom you will visit in their home countries.

For anyone interested in voluntourism, Volunteers for Peace is the way to go. High-quality projects, fantastic people and a manageable price rocket the organization well ahead of any other.