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June 2020 by Mildred Williamson
I recently returned after spending two months in India as part of the ABV program. I was challenged every day by new ways of doing things (in a good way). Sushila, the director of the Care Center, found lots of ways to put my skills to use including an organized event to showcase students exhibiting safe childhood performances of dance and skits. The support provided by ABV staff was truly amazing. So much more than I could imagine. I have seen others in different programs with different support and I can tell you ABV staff does a terrific job. They guided and helped me throughout my stay. I was extremely happy during my stay in Jaipur. The ABV staff and their pre-trip information was spot on.
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January 2020 by Jamice J.
VERY TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCE I volunteered in BeliZe a week before Christmas of 2019, and my project was suppose to last for two weeks. My mission was abruptly cut short after only being in the orphanage for three days, due to being sexually harassed by their male orphanage director and being eaten alive by bed bugs. From the minute I was dropped off at the volunteer house, he was making inappropriate comments and looking at me inappropriately. He was a married man, propositioning me, and I felt extremely disrespected. The second day, some little girls in the orphanage came up to me and made some pretty disturbing comments regarding him, being inappropriate. I felt extremely uncomfortable, and since I was the only volunteer there, I didn't feel safe. To make matters worse, I was being eaten alive by bed bugs. I've traveled all through Africa, volunteering, I know mosquito bites when I see them. I had marks all over my body, despite using the proper sprays..and was only being bitten in my bed. So I reported him to Agatha, and she was very compassionate and apologetic to me. They fired him immediately, but I left Belize because I was in a foreign country, alone, and the integrity of my mission was already compromised. I had spent so much money to be there, and to try to make a difference in the children's lives. A couple of weeks later, I hadn't heard Anything from Sarah, until I reached out to her first. She emailed me practically blaming me for the incident. She offered me a partial refund, which was disappointing. My program was $995, plane ticket $789, took unpaid time off from work then I spent more money leaving early. For her to deny me a full refund, and charge me for the three days that I was there like it was some hotel was distasteful and showed me that she is more concerned with money then anything. During my stay I didn't eat the food because I had become sick after the first meal, and I was bitten by bed bugs in the living counters. Even a hotel would offer their guests a FULL refund. I understand that it's not the organizations fault for how the inappropriate director behaved. However, how Sarah handled the situation was very disappointing, and I will not be supporting her organization in the future.
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December 2019 by Edward Harrington
I really enjoyed and was gratified by the opportunity to do medical volunteer work with a Broader View. The organization was nonpareil with respect to its professionalism, and ability to work with me and the other volunteers. It was clear that enormous good will was extended to us by the local medical facilities and providers. Additionally, I was similarly impressed with the professional qualities, capabilities, and competencies of my missions team-mates. It was as gratifying to make life time friendships based on the commonality of our experiences. This was a dimension of the experience I wasn’t expecting.
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November 2019 by joan prouds
I love to push my personal boundaries and think this experience at almost 65 has helped me do that. I loved both the Orphanage +the school experience and look forward to continuing with volunteering in other countries.
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November 2019 by Matilda Stevenson
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to volunteer in Honduras. Everyone in the ABV program really wants you to have the best experience possible. This program also allowed me to gain so much more hands-on experience than I would have been able to get in the U.S. I was able to take vital signs and assist in wound cleaning. I also observed C-sections and many other surgeries. All of the doctors were welcoming and thankful for our help. They were also willing to explain what they were doing and why. There is no doubt that I would recommend this program to anyone who is thinking about
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November 2019 by Lisa Cruz
This whole ABV project experience in Costa Rica was challenging, but also very rewarding. I didn’t take the Spanish course, but wish I did. Although I have a very basic understanding of Spanish and was able to get by, it was difficult not being able to fully listed to others or express my thoughts. However, I did learn to use physical cues and phrases that I did know to understand what was going on, which really improved my communication skills in general. I enjoyed my time at the hospital, where I got to hold babies and entertain children whose parents were out. It was fun communicating with the kids, and they seemed to love the fact that they could help teach me Spanish while I was there. The other volunteers were very passionate, and I admired the work they put in. After each day at the hospital, I loved exploring San Jose and checking out the area. I had plenty of time on the weekends, each weekend was a three day weekend, and I took advantage of this by traveling to other areas. It was really nice staying with a local host, which allowed a full immersion experience.
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November 2019 by Mateo Golland
The children were so wonderful and the teachers were Amazing in Colombia! My host family was better than I could have hoped for and were always super inviting and supportive. I never felt like I was in an unsafe situation because they always took extra precautions. Cartagena, Colombia is a beautiful place with amazing food and I can’t wait to come back one day!
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November 2019 by Sam Williamson
I had some concerns because I am an older volunteer (66) and wasn´t sure if I would fit it. However, I was always treated as if I was one of them and a valued member of volunteer community. My age was not an issue in the least. I really enjoyed the children and staff at the school where I volunteered. And my second family in Quito. I will cherish all of my memories of the people I met and the experiences I had. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
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November 2019 by Tomaso Kearsley
I absolutely loved the animal rescue program in Costa Rica with A Broader View. My coordinator, Jenny, was phenomenal. Everyone at A Broader View was helpful and compassionate to me during the difficult time with my mother (and allowed me to reschedule this trip more than once due to her illness). Thank you for all you do and the magical experiences that you provide to so many.
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November 2019 by Felicity Black
We traveled to a village about 50 miles away from Cusco and visited a school. The population of this village was primarily indigenous and they did not have access to many “typical amenities”. As it was around Christmas, we made hot chocolate for the children and provided them with gifts. Seeing their faces light up was an absolute joy, and was by far my favorite experience during the program.
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November 2019 by William Cates
We had a wonderful experience with Abroaderview. It's great to be back in the comforts of our own home but it's also heartbreaking to be away from the people we grew to love so much in Kathmandu, Nepal. Two weeks wasn't a lot of time, of course, but we felt like we gained a lot of new family members while we were there, and that made it so hard to leave. Thank you to ABV for all that they do so that we could have such a marvelous experience as a family. It really was everything we were hoping it might be when we first started investigating potential groups to work with.
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November 2019 by kris Kristenssen
The shelter program in Ecuador was good because it was able to connect me with a place to stay and a place to volunteer in another country, so I could just focus on the work I was doing instead of worrying about other things. There were also other ABV volunteers at the house that I could do things with. In the shelter I volunteered at, both the staff and the people I served were welcoming and open. I had the chance to lead groups for older adults who are homeless. I also spent time talking with the men who lived at the shelter. We talked about changing and motivation for change and one of the men regularly shared a memoir that he wrote with me. What a wonderful experience.
