Community Oriented Projects That Actually Make A Difference For Nature, Animals & People

We are a registered non-profit in Costa Rica!

We are a registered Association or non-profit organization in Costa Rica. That doesn’t mean we don’t make any profit – of course every non-profit organization makes some type of earnings to pay for employees, renting an office space, and for organizational costs. However, it means that we don’t get rich of you – the volunteer. We just make enough to get by and be sustainable. We work hard on providing you a great volunteer experience – and there is a lot of hours involved in emailing, skyping, phone calling, logistics, administration, and so forth. The small amount to cover those efforts are included in the first week’s higher program fee.

We Have Selected Projects and Host Families

We have great projects which we found through many years of research and work in Costa Rica. The projects we collaborate with are in need of help and have experience working with volunteers – which guarantees you to have a great time and an awesome experience. The projects ARE ALWAYS run by local members of the community, non-profit, and with a benefit for people, nature, or animals.

Our home stay families have been handpicked by local staff and all of them have years of experience hosting foreigners and volunteers. They are always happy to welcome you, and they will be your family away from home.

Why do I have to pay?

The first week’s fee is a little higher than the weekly fee- and that’s because also WE work hard for you. Within the first week’s higher fee we pay our organizational costs that we have. We spend lots of time emailing with volunteers, planning the logistics of your arrival and travel, organizing your stay with a host family and the project, making hostel bookings and airport shuttle arrangements, and arranging everything else important around your projects for you. We also work hard to add new projects and make sure all project information is updated on our website.

The host families benefit too!

The weekly fee goes directly to the host families or the project (depending whether you are staying at a project with a host family or at the project site). Your fee covers primarily your food costs which unfortunately are quite high in Costa Rica.

Usually your host mum will cook meals around the house and be your primary care-taker. Sometimes it is the grandmother of the household, or a single mum with kids. Often you’ll share the household with grandmothers and fathers, mothers and fathers, their kids, the grandmothers sisters or brothers, their kids.. and so forth. Costa Rican family ties are strong and often everyone stays close together to help each other out. It is much cheaper to live with family than alone.

With your stay, host families earn a little extra money and it helps the family enormously.

Benefits to our projects!

The projects benefits from your know-how and man-power, and you can make an actual difference to a Costa Rican project. Your fee contribution if you’re staying at a project site, for example turtle conservation, goes directly into the project and in it’s cause. Your fee covers your food costs at the project too, which is unfortunately quite expensive in Costa Rica. However, a small amount is usually left over that goes into running the project and helps as a donation.

We offer Volunteer Projects that are community oriented and make an actual difference!

We work with projects which are in need of actual help! Most organizations in Costa Rica make up “fake” projects which are entirely run by foreigners, make no actual difference and have no impact on the surrounding communities. You’ll spend large sums of money that go directly into foreigners pockets – no income and no benefit is made to any local community member.

We make sure and GUARANTEE that our projects are: local, grassroot, non-profit organizations, run by members of the local community, registered and licensed, and most importantly – IN ACTUAL NEED OF HELP!

GLV makes sure that every project has a positive impact on the local people, on the community, and the local animals and nature.

At GLV you can be sure that you get a REAL project – and somewhere where your help is actually appreciated and very needed!

Dedicated and Personal Service!

We offer personal and great service – We are a small organization, only run by a few dedicated individuals and volunteers, but we offer the same services as the “big” volunteer organizations. The difference is for us you’re not just a number – Every volunteer is unique and different, and we work hard to make sure you’ll volunteer in a project that is worthwhile and fits your needs!

We are flexible – we don’t offer certain start dates or 2 week minimum periods. You can start volunteering when you like and for how long you like on most projects. You may even volunteer only for a few days on certain projects.

Because we have a mixed team of Costa Ricans and Foreigners, who volunteer and live in Costa Rica themselves, we know exactly what you’re looking for and what questions you may have… and we can thus provide you with a great volunteer adventure abroad!