Volunteering in the Middle East

Love Volunteers offers short and long term programs in the Palestinian Territories’ West Bank, where volunteers have the opportunity to work with children and families in a refugee camp, assist with construction, gardening and teaching within community centres, and help on a permaculture project.

Travelers are encouraged to visit the area in the hope of integrating Palestinians with the rest of the world and to highlight the conditions in the region. Naturally, it is wise to do thorough research and learn some of the areas troubled history. For some, this region is “the cradle of civilisation”, and has an almost mystical pull. There is a wealth of history here, which is interwoven directly into today’s modern society.

Volunteers in Palestine find there is a buzz from knowing that their efforts are of immediate value and that their presence here is actually making a difference. Working with Palestinians whose contact with the outside world is limited can be life changing for both you and the local Palestinians.

Also, by volunteering in Palestine, you meet a diverse range of people under challenging and intense circumstances. To quote the old cliché, the experience “broadens your horizons”, but in a very palpable way as you start to examine your own values and pre-conceived ideas. Powerful emotions may be experienced, yet you’ll find the days fly by and are filled with distinct impressions and memorable moments.

Love Volunteers have the enviable opportunity of working in and around the magical city of Istanbul. Situated on the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the European and Asian continents, this ancient city is a rich melting pot of people, religion and culture. Famed for its amazing cuisine, volunteers will experience an array of food choices, from coffee houses to market stalls and fine dining to street vendors. From World Heritage sites to the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and so many sightseeing opportunities, there is never a dull moment in this bustling metropolis - the largest city in Turkey.

Among this hive of activity however is a city with a large percentage of its people in need. Many families are struggling to survive, experiencing severe hardship and marginalization. Education can be haphazard at best, with children falling behind and into generational poverty unless they receive the dedicated support they need. Added onto an already complex social and financial landscape came millions of refugees, fleeing their home country to neighboring Turkey to escape war and terror. With the majority flocking to Istanbul, the city is in dire need of programs to assist these refugees into a brighter future. 

For an experience like no other helping the inhabitants of Istanbul and its surrounds, Love Volunteers offers volunteering opportunities not to be missed.