The experience has bene amazing. The medical programm could be improved with more outcharity days rather than only shadowing the doctors at the hospital. The accomodation is ok but it would be fine to have some more comfort.

I recently completed the pre medical internship in Nepal. Volunteering solutions were quick to answer my questions prior to going which was great. Uma and her family were amazing hosts and the house and food were fantastic and as described in the pre departure information. They were always on hand to help with queries and were accommodating of any issues. The program itself was slightly different to what I was expecting as they did not need volunteers. I think if I had known it wasn’t ‘volunteering’ to help but more of an internship to learn, my expectations would have been met a bit better (I am a final year nursing student and expected to be more hands on). My first hospital was Sahid Memorial Hospital, the staff were helpful and I really appreciated the experience however it was a very quiet hospital/emergency department due to its private nature. Uma was very helpful in changing my hospital placement for my second week to a busier hospital so that I could see and experience more (Kanti Children’s), which I really appreciated. This was great but it was observation only, however I learnt a lot through observation despite the nursing team being very busy and having a language barrier. You are in control over how much you learn as the staff are very busy and don’t have time to explain or include you in what they are doing, so it is important to put yourself out there and ask questions as long as it is not holding up care. Overall I really enjoyed my experience in Nepal, thank you so much Uma and family for all your help and hospitality!

Going to Tanzania was a very immersing in life experience. It was very eye opening, the culture, traditions, food, music, religion and people. As a medical student, I was given so many opportunities in the hospital and the exposure was great there. I left Tanzania not only with new views in life or medical knowledge and experience, but with a better understanding of life and adorable people who are going to be friends for life.

Great experience, you get to know lots of new people, help a little a visit a whole new country.

Volunteering Solutions is a great organization to apart of especially when creating opportunities for students to pay in forward in the form of service. Miscommunication is what lacked in the experience. Especially at the very beginning. Other than that, working with Karibu Foundation through Volunteering Solutions was great! Their staff were very kind, resourceful and helpful during our time there. Our students felt very comfortable and created bonds/memories that they would never forget!

It was the best trip of my life! The house was very comfortable, I made friends from all over the wold and got to work with the best kids ever! Definitely planning on coming back! Thank you so much for the experience.

It was a special experience, the dream of a lifetime. When I chose to go to Tanzania, I had this mindset: we can't help everyone, but each of us can help someone. It was the turning point, it is impossible to tell the joy of children, I miss them already. Thank you Volunteering Solutions for this experience and asante sana Tanzania, see you soon

It was an amazing experience that I will remember forever.

Loved the chance to learn about local culture through working with local people and the organized trips! Loved the food and the other volunteers I met. I would have liked to visit a few more markets but with a local guide so I would be less likely to be approached by every merchant.

This was an amazing trip and an eye opening experience for any aspiring medical professional. I did the medical volunteering program and was working in the Mount Meru Hospital in Arusha. I learnt so much from the surgeons, staff and other volunteers at the hospital and was able to get hands on experience assisting the surgeons in different procedures after observing. The Karibu foundation were very welcoming and helped us arrange everything smoothly. They showed us so much care, took us around to tour different parts of the country, gave us good food and they were overall a great group of people who are doing amazing things for their community. I will definitely return as it was an amazing experience my friends and I will never forget!

Amazing experience

Good communication.

We are two doctors (graduated for more than a year) who took part to your volunteering medical program in Arusha, Tanzania.
We asked previously to one of your collaborator if the program would suit a doctor and she said that it would be a great opportunity, even better than for students, since we could be more useful.
In our opinion this experience doesn’t suit a doctor, we didn’t have the chance to do anything practical and we were considered as students, despite we changed hospitals and departments.
For these reasons we suggest to encourage only medical students to do this volunteering experience.
Moreover, there were too many volunteers (more than 30) attending the medical program in our hostel so the organisation of the activities was difficult too. In particular, also the hospital wasn’t probably prepared to host all these students/doctors and the local coordinator (Mark Matolo) wasn’t informed that we were doctors.
As a whole, the experience has been positive, but we would like to let you know this, in order to approach better to new volunteers in the future.

We are two doctors (graduated for more than a year) who took part to your volunteering medical program in Arusha.
We asked previously to one of your collaborator if the program would suit a doctor and she said that it would be a great opportunity, even better than for students, since we could be more useful.
In our opinion this experience doesn’t suit a doctor, we didn’t have the chance to do anything practical and we were considered as students, despite we changed hospitals and departments.
For these reasons we suggest to encourage only medical students to do this volunteering experience.
Moreover, there were too many volunteers (more than 30) attending the medical program in our hostel so the organisation of the activities was difficult too. In particular, also the hospital wasn’t probably prepared to host all these students/doctors and the local coordinator (Mark Matolo) wasn’t informed that we were doctors.
As a whole, the experience has been positive, but we would like to let you know this, in order to approach better to new volunteers in the future.

It was so much fun and we learned a lot. Would definitely do it again!

I had a great time, thank you so much!

It was a great experience. The trips included in the programme were amazing and we enjoyed a lot, but in my opinion there is one thing to improve, according with the previous info it will be important to put some orphanage for taking care of the children.

An amazing experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

So good experiencie

Great experience, totally recommended, my host was really nice, and in the hospital I learnt a lot of thing, experienced new points of view and medicical stuff. Have done a lot of new friends, Thank you