I avidly recommend volunteering with Agape for many reasons! First up, the UK staff provided ceaseless advice and support during the preparation for my trip, ensuring I knew the specific details of my stay before I even set foot abroad. During my time in Kenya, the Agape team became like family. I completed an HIV counselling/testing program that equipped me with necessary skills that I then took into the community. Agape provided me with great independence, which I found SO rewarding. I felt I could really delve into the Kenyan lifestyle, not being shielded from any realities. Agape offered me a genuine experience through which I made valuable connections and friendships with passionate Kenyans and volunteers from around the globe. Agape value transparency, a hands-on-approach, and voluntary work that promotes public needs not simply ‘voluntourism’.

This program was amazing. upon arrival at Richards Bay I was greeted by  our guide for the program. I met my other volunteers and we were of for our adventure. it is important to note that the program is facilitated by the org. live4now. I got the opportunity to see a wide range of animals and to interact with some of them eg elephants, cheetahs, snakes and crocodiles. The accommodation and meals were very acceptable. He was most accommodating, knowledgeable and patient with our group. this was my first volunteering experience and it was beyond all my expectations. Our typical work day didn't feel like work because you would be driving between destinations and stumbling across a zebra or giraffe just standing there in the middle of the road and staring at you. Further the warthogs were amazing and they were your regular guests close to camp. In fact camp was hosts to many guests including the elephants. on the plus side you were woken up on mornings by the most interesting call of the Hadeda Ibis. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Must pass on my thanks to Agape for the whole process and organisation arranging trips for these kids to go to Africa. My daughter had the time of her life. As a parent and letting your young daughter on an adventure of a lifetime naturally caused some amount of anxiety but from start to finish I have been impressed with the support and information provided. Needless to say, she's started saving her pennies again. Thank you.

After agreeing to work in a clinic/medical center in Kenya for 2 weeks, I paid the fees and booked my flights. After this was paid, I have been told I would now work for St-John ambulance. I expressed my disappointment and asked if I could therefore do 1 week with St-John and 1 week with the HIV center to which I was told there was no problems. My UK contact confirmed I was being picked up at the airport prior my departure. WHen I got to Nairobi, nobody picked me up. I had to pay for a hotel room which I have been promised to be refunded but it never happened. I got picked up the next day. On my second day, I got told I couldn't work with the HIV clinic as you need to do a 3 weeks course in order to do so..??? WHy have I been told it was fine to do it for 1 week then??? I spent my time wasting my time the first week. On the second week when I got to St-JOhn, they told me there was no work there for me and that they never had any volunteers working for them.. I wasted my holidays for this. I wasted my savings with wasted plane tickets and wasted time there. The whole organisation is completely disorganised. While I was there, a guy arrived and was supposed to do a 2 weeks sports program. On his second day he was told it was school holidays and that he couldn't do it. The kenyan people there made me visit places here and there which were basically a "pitch" to get money. I contacted the UK responsibles and they only tried to minimise my issues saying :" we're sorry that your placement didn't go as you expected" ... What placement? I wasted 6K total for volunteering with them and it never happened. A complete disgrace. And they don't take any responsibility for it. OTher volunteers staying for a long period witnessed many cases like mine. Please pass this along.

My time in SA was absolutely wonderful, however it just can't be put into words! Every time someone asks 'how's it been?' or 'did you enjoy it?' I just reply with 'YES, it was amazing!' but with the amount of activities some planned and some unplanned (like caring for an abandoned baby elephant!) that we took part in, you learn so much, its just too difficult to explain the excitement and feeling you had throughout the trip. I have to say one of the best parts about my time here was all down to the coordinators who took care of us, they were so kind and welcoming, it was definitely sad moment when leaving for the airport. The only negative thing about Agape (minor problem) was that before the actual trip, we didn't really know anything, we had to send several questions through and each time we had to wait a few days for a response and sometimes we would have to contact someone else on the team to find out why we wasn't getting a reply. All in all, i'd say 9.8/10, I'm sure ill be back.

I've just returned from the most incredible trip to South Africa. I'd heard so many great things about the wildlife conservation placement, but the programme still surpassed all of my expectations. The programme coordinators were so friendly and welcoming from the very first day and automatically made you feel at home. The range of activities and projects throughout the stay was great and I couldn't believe the amount we'd managed to pack in over just a 2 week stay. Some of the most memorable moments were the cheetah and elephant interaction, walking in the game reserve with our guide tracking rhino and the amazing Braais (BBQ)in the evening at our camp. Overall, a fantastic experience which I will remember for many years to come.

Must pass recommendation of Agape for the whole process and organisation arranging trips for these kids to go to Africa. My daughter is home now and had the time of her life. As a parent and letting your 17year old on a adventure of a lifetime naturally caused some amount of anxiety but from start to finish i have been impressed with the support and information provided. Needless to say, she's started saving her pennies again.

I volunteered in Kenya earlier this year on the orphanage programme and I had an amazing time. I have seen one review here which seems to say that it is unsafe to work in Kenya, but that is totally not true. The team there take everything really seriously and it's all really well set up and safe. I loved volunteering in the orphanage and I can't wait to go back! Also, you should definetely try and do some of the extra trips that they offer as they are a really good way to see the rest of thr country.

Just got back from a really amazing time in Kenya. I volunteered on the orphanage proejct and it was a really life changing expereince. All the staff are really nice and seem really committed to the work that they are doing there. The house is really fun and safe and the xtra trips you can do are really worth while (especially the safari!) I intend to head back there next year becuase I had such a good time.

I so badly wanted to stay and complete my original 5-month volunteer program assignment agreement with Agape Volunteers, however, there were extenuating circumstances, dangerous safety situations and worrisome living conditions I experienced that forced me to terminate my assignment early and leave Kenya immediately.

There were several issues that resulted in my early departure, but the main reason is I feared for my safety. I did not feel safe in the Agape volunteer house or at my assigned placement. Here are the issues:

1. No identification of the man who picked me up from the airport and no Agape logo or apparel on the vehicle.

2. Agape staff blaming me for the error made by Agape UK staff regarding my arrival date and blaming me for the fact they had to make 2 trips to the airport.

3. No screens on the windows OR mosquito nets provided. This is a basic health action. "Nets are widely considered a magic bullet against malaria — one of the cheapest and most effective ways to stop a disease that kills at least half a million Africans each year."

4. No fresh water provided in the house (or transportation assistance to purchase heavy, large containers of water).

5. Dead mice in living room floor and couches (never cleaned up).

6. General safety of the volunteer house
-I was very disappointed with the safety situation in the house and the cook/maid/house mama, was combative, unwelcoming and always yelling. The main guy had gone away from the weekend with some other volunteers, and while he was away this woman broke a number of house rules including doing her and others laundry in the volunteer only bathroom/shower. Breakfast was never prepared or cleared on times stated in the "Volunteer Policy" copies posted throughout the house.
e. On one of the last evenings at the volunteer house the house mama got into an angry confrontation upstairs right outside my room with who I assume were the boys that live on the compound. They were yelling loudly and heatedly in the kitchen/upstairs to the extent that I was afraid it was going to become physical. It was an alarming situation.

7. Placement- a. Walking 15-20 minutes unaccompanied to the orphanage and working alone in placement, which led to an intense sense of vulnerability.

Overall, I feel that the conditions I encountered were not as Agape stated in their program handouts, volunteer resources and materials I was given pre-trip. I felt misled by Agape Volunteers and organization staff. Conditions were not as they advertised in the pre-trip/materials provided. This was a very costly and disappointing situation. I requested that Agape refund me the amount I paid for my program fee, but they refused, claimed I was "stealing" from their charity. I sent them an email with the above information and the CEO replied with a very rude and unprofessional email. I continued to send emails to get the issue resolved but never heard back and they just ignored me.

Don't make the same mistake I did. DO NOT GO WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.

I was forced to edit my original review due to Agape Volunteers disputing some content.  This is an abbreviated version of my real experience. If interested in the whole story, please feel free to contact me.

Although I don't think it is possible to capture in words my time in South Africa, here is a little something! My 3 weeks in South Africa were full of life changing and one-off life experiences and opportunities. Here’s a few of my favourites – elephant monitoring, walking through the bush, teaching children at a local school, enjoying the beauty of Sodwana Bay, hiking around False Bay, standing six metres from a rhino, helping to capture Mountain Reedbuck, touching an elephant's tongue, watching a leopard lie down in front of me, stoking a cheetah, tracking leopard movement around the lodge, doing static counts, watching the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I had an amazing 3 weeks in South Africa through a programme that offered me the chance to truly experience life in South Africa. My time in this wonderful country allowed me to develop the knowledge, skills, memories and a 'feeling' that could not have been gained in any other way. For that, I am genuinely thankful them for helping me live this experience for the 3 weeks! Thank you so much. And I think it's safe to say, I've caught the 'feeling' and I will be back one day!

Agape did not well explain their role in our volunteer placement. Their materials made it seem that they would plan and oversee our entire volunteer experience. We began our trip with the understanding they had a program (or programs) in place and they themselves would put us in one. In reality, all they did was put us in touch with Ujamaa Hostel, who helped place us, though we wound up finding our eventual placement through other guests in the hostel. Agape played no role whatsoever after booking us at Ujamaa Hostel. If you are considering volunteering in Tanzania, I recommend contacting Ujamaa directly. You will meet some fascinating fellow volunteers who can help direct you to a worthy placement. Furthermore, I recommend volunteering at Neema Baby House. From all we saw and experienced, it had more structure and provided more benefit to babies in need than any other potential volunteer site we saw.

Wonderful experience! The children at Neemaland Kings & Queens Centre orphanage are absolutely beautiful. It was my second time visiting Kenya, so I was already familiar with the culture. The volunteer housing was comfortable, within walking distance to the orphanage and I met some lovely people from all over the world there. Highly recommend anyone to volunteer in Kenya through Agape Volunteers. Look forward to planning my next trip soon!

Before entering Ghana to do the music programme, the trip advisers I communicated with were excellent, replying within a short time of sending my emails, and always doing their best to find the correct information in response. However, I have realized some of the information given did not match up with what I experienced there, and although nothing was majorly different, there were a few things that were different to what I was told, and I therefore felt a bit mislead. The music programme took place in a large church at which a small number of orphans and the music volunteers were meant to travel to each day. However it was not clear what time we should leave for the church, and we were simply left to do what we liked with the children, in one big hall. The surroundings and environment (lots of noise all at once) were not ideal but could be used, and the children simply came to learn if they liked and left when they wanted, so I could not teach consistently and make a great deal of improvement with them. I expected to be doing a lot more lessons, and for the whole thing to be a lot more organised and teaching based. HOWEVER, this was not a major concern, and although I felt I had been mislead in the teaching aspect of the volunteering, my time in the orphanage was amazing. I loved spending time with the kids, giving them videos to watch and build relationships with them, especially the older ones. Being part of the family there felt great, and to be able to help out with washing and sweeping and other things made my stay there feel more productive. The staff there were amazing, such lovely people to be with, and I hope Agape Volunteers can help them more in the future. The orphanage set up by the main guy was an amazing and inspirational thing to have done,and I know the children will grow up to be so grateful of him and his wife. Overall, I had an amazing time, and Agape Volunteers successfully gave me an insightful and eye-opening experience of Ghana, and Africa.

My time in Kenya was great, my experience was perfect! I went to Neemaland queens and kings children's home, that is quite close to the volunteer house. The children are wonderful and you come really close to them. At the orphanage we spent most of the time with the children (teaching and playing) and sometimes we helped with cooking and washing. Grace, the woman who runs the orphanage, is amazing; she is so sweet and left us free to do every activity we wanted with the children. I loved staying at the volunteer house, we really had a lot of fun after placement and it's very easy to make new friends. I enjoyed my life in Kenya and I have a lot of new friends now! It was an amazing experience and I have to thank Agape and especially the kenyan staff that made this possible. I will surely come back!

I chose Agape due to a quick response, and a smooth journey from deciding to go, to coming back home. I worked in an orphanage called Msamaria Mwema for 4 weeks. I am definitely going to return. Agape helped make my first Africa trip the best, and they have so many options in Kenya to choose. The Volunteer House in Kenya is very nice, with showers, and some amazing cooks! I chose to live at the orphanage, and I couldn't have been happier. 11 boys and 13 girls that love every bit of your presence in there home. DO IT! If I could have one recommendation to anyone deciding to come to Kenya to work in an orphanage, choose to live there. If that option exists. You will get the best cultural experience and learn so much more language and customs if you live at an orphanage. For me, it was the kids coming home from school with a huge smile on their face because they had a volunteer to hang out with, play with, and do school work and chores with. Agape has wonderful staff, and great placements. Kiki

My friend and I wanted to volunteer this summer and we have checked out different charities. Agape were very helpful and give us an excellent description of volunteering in Kenya, from what to expect and what to bring with us! Amyus with excellent communicating with my friend and I when we have questions to ask! We arrived in Kenya in July for 2 weeks and there was Tabbie waiting for us and she had to wait 4 hours due to problems with our flight! We had a wonderful welcome by Tabbie. We got to experience staying at the volunteer house for a few days and making new friends and meeting different staff. We really felt welcome in the volunteer house and the staff were so helpful we really enjoyed spending time with the host mum. The rest of our stay we stayed with host mum and we really enjoyed staying with her family. We worked at Neemalands kings and queens orphanage the children were so happy and friendly and the girl who run the orphanage grace was so welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. We got to teach the children and we really enjoyed learning them new things and finding out about the children's lives. We also got to cook different foods and it was so much fun. We went and visit the IDP camps and it was a brilliant day out and to find out were some of the money you have spent gone into I would really enjoy going back and seeing IDP completed. We went to nairobi national park too and our tour guide for the day I really enjoyed visiting the animals and spending the day with other volunteers. We got to meet izzo who runs agape and he is so nice he gave my friend and I our talk and I found what information that he gave us helped us throughout or stay. I would highly recommend volunteering through agape the staff are so helpful and enjoy working with everyone, the volunteer house and host house are wonderful places to stay and volunteering opened my eyes so much I am hoping to return to Kenya again with agape for longer.