AIDS and HIV relief
The AIDS and HIV epidemic remains a serious problem, especially in some areas of the African continent. A humanitarian project volunteer may work with children orphaned by the virus, go into schools or community centres to provide related education or mentoring, or helping to develop communities that have been held back by the epidemic. This can be a life-changing experience for both you and the people you will help.
Famine and poverty relief
Many areas of the world are still affected by famine and poverty, often due to a natural disaster, failed crops and poor harvests, or other ongoing issues. Volunteer on a humanitarian project abroad and you can work to fight the short term problems of famine, by helping to prepare and deliver food and water, providing sanitary conditions and preventing the spread of disease, and helping to provide medical care for those suffering related medical problems. You may also work to tackle longer-term issues and safeguard against future problems, by helping to build vital infrastructure and providing crucial education to the community. Whatever work you end up doing, you will leave a project knowing you’ve made a huge difference to vulnerable lives
Natural disaster relief
Natural disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and more, occur all over the world. They can be absolutely devastating to developing countries, and even countries that are able to safeguard against them can often do little against the power of nature. The result is often people left homeless without food or shelter, and conditions where disease can spread easily. Donating money to charity is a valuable way to respond, but if you are able, volunteering with a humanitarian project abroad allows you to become a crucial part of the clean-up efforts and ongoing humanitarian support.
The work you do might be manual labour, such as clearing debris and building new infrastructure, or you might work within communities to deliver food and supplies or care for vulnerable people. If you have ever watched the news during a natural disaster overseas and felt helpless, becoming a humanitarian volunteer might be right for you.