Not too helpful really, but:
Low Cost ProgramsKeep in mind that low-cost programs lack many of the frills of their more
expensive counterparts. There may be less in-country support, fewer
group outings, less access to Internet, phone, and other comforts of home,
and certainly the living arrangements will be spartan. Language schools can
be relatively low in cost, but are generally more casual and offer less than
more established programs. Many volunteer programs ask very little of
participants in terms of funding, but ask you to work hard and live humbly.
You can forgo a structured program and simply find an organization
that needs help. Volunteering on your own without a program asks more
of you. You need more initiative, organization, courage, and confidence.
If you want to find a low-cost overseas volunteer opportunity, check
out the Omprakash Foundation (
www.omprakash.org). This nonprofit
organization has an ever-expanding database of grassroots educational
projects that you can contact on your own. Omprakash also offers grants
to young people who volunteer with these programs, which can further
reduce the cost of your trip.
Foreign governments and charities fund some programs, which
makes them very inexpensive for participants. For example, Global Volunteers
offers the opportunity to teach in Africa for six months for only
$1,500, and World Teach offers a year in China for only $500, plus
airfare. The International People’s College in Denmark is subsidized by
the Danish government, and offers a twenty-four-week session for only
$6,000, including room and board.