Kaya Community Development Projects in the Philippines

  Philippines

• Visayas: 
Tacloban City

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: Every Monday

Description: A community project will enable you to fully immerse yourself within the community, and by the end you will feel like one of the locals. There are a diverse number of projects you can be involved in from ecotourism in Peru to women empowerment projects in Ecuador for abused women. Projects like these help you contribute in preserving some unique and special ways of life and helping people achieve a common goal.

Work in a City Nutrition Office in the Philippines:
Make a fundamental life improvement in a population where around 30 million people cannot afford food to meet their basic nutritional needs. Many Filipino children suffer from stunted growth and development, low academic performance, and wasting due to poor nutrition. Malnutrition also increases the susceptibility to disease, and so many Filipinos suffer from blindness due to vitamin A deficiency. Within the City Nutrition Office in Tacloban a team of around 20 staff look after the nutritional needs of the residents of 138 barangays (communities).

Highlights: Made up of more than 7,000 islands, this Southeast Asian nation is one of the most diverse countries in the world, boasting rain forests, volcanoes, mountains, and coral reefs - as well as what some say are the friendliest people and the most interesting food.

Unfortunately poverty remains a significant problem. Around 1 in 3 Filipinos live below the poverty line and just below 30% of the population live on $2 or less a day. With the help of volunteer projects those in greatest need can look forward to a better future.

Climb Mount Mayon:
Mount Mayon last erupted in 2001 and is considered one of the world's most perfectly cone-shaped volcanoes. It stands at 2462m and takes a moderately fit person two days to scale. Between March and April are the best times to climb, as other times of the year are quite hot and rainy.

Canoe the Pangsanjan Rapids:
Riding the rapids of Pangsanjan River during the wet season from August to October, when the water flow is high, is quite exhilarating and not for the faint of heart. Along the 1½-hour route are stunning waterfalls, towering cliffs and superb scenery, some of which was pictured in the film Apocalypse Now.

Swim with Whale Sharks:
Donsol, a village on the Luzon peninsula, is one of the best places in the world to swim with the largest fish in our seas. To swim with these gentle giants, which grow up to 18m in length, is an unbelievable experience and highly recommended if you have time to explore. Peak months to see these great fish are between February and March.

Volunteers are essential for these projects. Some placements gives wonderful first-hand insight into the difficulties facing the health-care system in a developing nation and, as a volunteer you may be involved in teaching social education and environmental awareness.

Qualifications: Experience and passion for working in the community and interacting with the people are needed. Participants must also possess enthusiasm and a willingness to learn about the environment and the place's culture.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A Kaya volunteer shows enthusiasm, spirit and life to stimulate and bring something new to the residents; love, patience and a listening ear for the people; and a good motivator with a positive and optimistic attitude.

Age Range: Must be more than 18 years old

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Philippines Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Kaya Responsible Travel's Mission Statement: Kaya's mission is to promote sustainable social, environmental and economic development, empower communities and cultivate educated, compassionate global citizens through responsible travel.

Year Founded: 2008