TravelAid mobilises university students to help tackle the causes and symptoms of global poverty by forging a partnership between them and small community led NGOs.
Every year a team of university students is recruited to each partner project, fundraises on its behalf and then spends 4-6 weeks volunteering at the charity over the summer vacation. Most of the NGOs with which we work focus on education. We have had long relationships with many of them and our donation provides them with a reliable annual income. Moreover, by encouraging some of the brightest university students to volunteer we hope to cultivate a passion for learning in pupils across the developing world.
TravelAid views its partnership with the NGOs as one of mutual benefit. So in return, volunteers are welcomed with open arms, made to feel part of the community and profit from experiences they would get nowhere else.
We think this fosters a positive and healthy relationship and this is borne out by the feedback we receive from volunteers and partner organsations alike.