UBELONG
UBELONG offers safe and extremely affordable volunteering opportunities in Asia, Latin America and Africa. It is an American international volunteering organization led by volunteers and leading university professors determined to raise the bar in international volunteering.
Every year thousands of individuals from all backgrounds join programs. Many volunteer alone or with small groups, while others volunteer in large corporate or university groups. Projects stretch 1 week to 6 months and run throughout the year. There are opportunities in Ecuador, Peru, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Ghana, Morocco and South Africa in these areas:
- Agriculture
- Business development
- Caregiving
- Construction and infrastructure
- Education
- Environment
- Health
- Law and human rights
- NGO support
- Sports
- Women’s empowerment
"My trip to Ecuador, arranged through this wonderful volunteer organization, was my very first major excursion of this sort, and so I was pretty nervous to begin with. But with the extraordinary service and personal guidance given to me by my UBELONG mentor, I arrived at my placement - I’m convinced - more prepared than I ever would have been had I gone through a more expensive organization. And the perks of volunteering through UBELONG didn’t end there: while I was in school teaching English or helping to clean up Ecuador’s beautiful beaches (thus unable, at times, to get to the phone), my mentor was personally taking calls from my worried mother and reassuring her that yes, I was safe and doing fine. Plus, our conversations that took place both during and subsequent to my placement really helped me make sense of this complex, wonderful experience and place it in context both globally and personally. On the whole, I would say that my experience working with UBELONG was completely, totally, overwhelmingly positive; I sincerely recommend them to the prospective volunteer, and I hope that their success continues to allow them to offer amazing experiences to new generations of volunteers and world-changers.” Christian Petroske, USA: Coastal Forest, Ecuador/10 weeks, fall 2010
“When I started looking for an organization to volunteer abroad with, there were many options I explored. UBELONG though had the most straight forward application, as well as the lowest cost I found. I was actually leading a group trip abroad, and UBELONG's low cost made it possible for us to take two extra people with us and stay within budget. The great experience with UBELONG though really began after we were given our UBELONG mentor, Cedric, who guided us through the pre-trip process from giving me travel tips to a detailed safety meeting. Cedric truly helped all on our group, from fielding questions of those on our trip who had never gone abroad to giving us advice on what to do when in Ecuador. The most amazing support though came during our week in Quito, Ecuador. Everything from housing to transportation, and especially the service, was thoughtfully planned out and executed perfectly. The fact that I never had to worry about any details while there gave me a lot of peace as a group leader. UBELONG made the process simple, so all I had to do was focus on the service and appreciating the environment I was in. Overall, this was by far my best service abroad experience to date. The cost allowed us to go, the preparation made us feel ready, and the care during the service placement allowed us to focus on what mattered - the service. I definitely plan on having our group go on UBELONG projects in the future, and I plan on going on individual projects as well.” Matt Gayer, USA: Quito, Ecuador/spring 2011, 1 week
“I couldn't be happier with my decision of volunteering in Cambodia through UBELONG. When you decide to undertake such a journey, you want to feel you’re dealing with people who know what they are doing. And UBELONG does. They provided me with the necessary support, advice and enthusiasm during both pre- and post-departure process, allowing me to make the most of my volunteer experience. Before departure, I received a comprehensive Preparation Briefing and had a safety meeting with my mentor, which really helped me prepare for the trip. None of the volunteers from other organizations I met had anything remotely similar to that.
I especially like the fact that UBELONG has a philosophy behind its programs. They talk not only about helping others, but also about stepping out of your comfort zone, building emotional strength and achieving personal growth. I think that helped me keep my mind always open and watch out for the changes that this volunteer experience was operating in myself -- when maybe the natural reaction would be staying on the defensive side.” Joao Sigora, Brazil: Phnom Penh, Cambodia/winter 2011, 5 weeks
“I volunteered with UBELONG for 3 weeks and it was a life changing. I have never volunteered or gone to South America, and I chose them because of their low prices and because they’re volunteers themselves who are passionate about service. I also liked how they presented the projects, it was clear they knew what the issues were and focused on putting people into positions where they could make a difference. I liked how UBELONG prides itself on being an “international development” company and not a “tourism” company. My UBELONG Mentor was always there for me, especially in the beginning when I was nervous about what to bring, safety and travelling alone. They were also very accommodating in letting me volunteer for 2 weeks in Lima and then 1 week in Cusco. Lima was eye awakening, the project was devoted to helping poor women have more successful lives as mothers and people in general. The other volunteers were from all over the world, I made friends who I still keep in touch with, and it was a very welcoming atmosphere at the volunteer house. There was always someone to talk to or go out with, I enjoyed it a lot. Cusco was hard work and it was difficult to see so many poor children, but they were so friendly and welcoming. I also met a friend from Spain who was also a UBELONG volunteer while I was there so it was very good to work together and also enjoy ourselves…including with a trip to Machu Picchu, which is amazing. I highly recommend UBELONG, they’re a passionate and doing a lot of good.” Marta Roman Mellado, Spain: Lima and Cusco, Peru/3 weeks, fall 2010
UBELONG
1630 R Street NW, Suite 5
Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel: 202 250 3706
Email: programs@ubelong.org
Web: www.ubelong.org