Volunteering is one of the best ways to spend your holidays, especially when the journey is a solo effort. I used to do this when I was still single because there was no one to make me think twice about my choice destination. The advantage of volunteering is that you get to enjoy yourself while making an impact in other people's lives. If you are the volunteering species, here is a compilation of the five best volunteering opportunities that you should try out as a solo traveler in 2016.
Elephant Camp Volunteering - Chiang Mai, Thailand
There are many meaningful and enjoyable volunteering opportunities spread out across the globe. In my list, however, I chose Chiang Mai, Thailand as my top priority. You can participate in the most popular volunteering activity in Thailand of caring for elephants. This work entails saving abused elephants in the Asian country. You can clean their enclosures, construct their homes, prepare their food, care for sick or injured ones as well as feed their young. In fact, this becomes voluntourism; volunteering plus tourism!
Summer Volunteering Program - Kathmandu, Nepal
Second, you can go to Nepal in summer as a volunteer. In the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, there is an orphanage for children where poor and mentally-disabled children are taken care of. The volunteering activities include cleaning their houses, teaching them English, mending their laundry, cooking for them and providing the much-needed affection and attention.
Childcare Project - New Delhi, India
Third on my list is volunteering under the Childcare Project in New Delhi, India. There are many abandoned and destitute children that lurk on the streets. Luckily for them, the Childcare Project gets them off the street and distributes them in orphanage homes run by well-wishers; you, too, can be one. Just travel there on your next expedition and touch some children's lives. You can take part in educating them, cooking, cleaning after them and so many other related activities.
Teaching Project - Tamale, Ghana
Next, we cross over to Africa. Let us go to Tamale in Ghana. In this city, many challenges affect the dwellers, such as poor sanitation, inadequate infrastructure, high unemployment rates and limited education opportunities. I will talk about the latter (education). If you can assume the roles of a teacher, then the children of Tamale need you very much. Apart from teaching in the many under-staffed local schools, you can help in stopping child labor, fighting preventable diseases or constructing classrooms. During your leisure time, move around and enjoy authentic African culture and meet African wildlife.
2 Weeks Special Volunteering and Travel Program - New Delhi, India
Last on our list of the top volunteering destinations for 2016 is a 2-week special volunteering and travel program to India. In this package, the volunteers that have less than two weeks' time to spare are brought together in one package. They give their contributions and are taken around several volunteer centers in India, such as the street children rehabilitation projects. Their mission is combined with leisure traveling for the two weeks that they are in India.
There you have them, lone woman traveler; perfect volunteering opportunities for the coming year. I guarantee you that these are excellent opportunities. Hopefully, by the time you have visited them all, I will have more incredible destinations for you, right here!
Enjoy yourself.
Abbi Gabasa is the Managing Editor of MsCareerGirl.com and owner of UpraisedLiving.com. Having the background of a Marketing and Public Relations Manager with years of professional experience in various industries has given her an insightful perspective on careers, lifestyles, relationships, and attitudes which she humorously applies in helping people through her writing. Abbi is a training life coach, and an advocate of children's charities, women empowerment, optimistic thinking, and slow Sundays. A self-confessed Jane of all trades, she hopes to help girls all over the world find their calling and pursue their passions.