International Volunteering and Travel Opportunities for Persons Over 50 Years of age.

Whether you have volunteered internationally in the past or are planning your first volunteer trip, this website provides the basic information you can use to identify and carry-out your quest.

Odessa, Ukraine

About me

In 1991 I joined the Peace Corps. My Peace Corps service in Guatemala in 1991-92 led to work as a United Nations Volunteer in the first elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnian War. I have since worked elections in 12 other countries.

A particular highlight of my international work was managing camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 2002 in Herat, Afghanistan. Development work in Kandahar, Afghanistan also stands out. I have traveled to 58 countries in total.

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Featured Programs

Catholic Medical Mission Board logo
Afghanistan

Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB)

Catholic Medical Mission Board’s Medical Volunteer Program seeks to place U.S. and Canadian licensed health care professionals at facilities in ...
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Unite for Sight logo
Africa

Unite For Sight

Unite For Sight volunteers participate in hands-on clinical service while assisting eye doctors in rural villages, refugee camps, and slums. ...
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Volunteer Nepal National Group is based in Kathmandu
Asia

Volunteer Nepal

Volunteer Nepal National Group (Volnepal, VNNG) is a local, independent, non-profit organization. VNNG was founded in 2000 and registered with ...
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ACDI/VOCA logo
Afghanistan

ACDI/VOCA

For 43 years and in 145 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the ...
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Africa

Projects Abroad

Since 1992, Projects Abroad has led the way in offering volunteer trips abroad. To date, we’ve sent over 130,000 volunteers ...
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volunteers in action for Volunteers for Peace
Africa

Volunteers for Peace

Volunteers For Peace offers placement in international volunteer projects in more than 100 countries, including the United States.
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logo for African Conservation Foundation
Africa

African Conservation Foundation

Occasionally an opportunity arises that can change your life for ever. For over ten years, African Conservation Foundation has arranged ...
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WHI takes volunteers throughout the world on service, medical, church missions or vision trips
Africa

World Hope International

The volunteer arm of World Hope International (WHI), is a program that facilitates short-term (one week to one year) outreach ...
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Sign up now to receive advice on volunteering and updates on new opportunities.

We will use the information you provide to email occasional newsletters and updates, in accordance with our Privacy Policy. By signing up, you agree that you have read our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If at any time you wish to cancel your subscription, simply select the Unsubscribe option at the bottom of the email.

Recent Blog Posts

Nepal

Spring 2023 volunteering update

The Director of the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO),  has announced that the Covid 19 Global Health Emergency has ended. The disease hasn’t left us, ...
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susan-gibson-volunteering

Interview with author Susan E. Gibson

The number of Covid infections are in decline world wide.  We are now able to plan international trips and volunteer assignments with reasonable confidence that ...
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Image of a arrow-shaped sign with the word "Retirement" on it nailed to a tree trunk. Background features a beach with tropical palm trees.

Planning Retirement Abroad

Just when we thought we were seeing some light in the Covid 19 crisis along comes Omicron.  As I write, the Omicron threat is fading, ...
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view of an inner rainfores

International Volunteer Sending Organizations Resuming Operations

International volunteer sending organizations are resuming international operations and sending volunteers..  If you are interested in a volunteer assignment abroad, I strongly suggest you first ...
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image depicts a person walking out of a tunnel on to a narrow road, pulling a suitcase

Effects of COVID-19 on Global Volunteering

Times continue to be difficult for international volunteer organizations.  The Covid-19 variants are wreaking havoc in areas  that previously had the outbreak under control.  It ...
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Image shows the hilly, tropical island of Dominica, with ocean in the foreground

Planning for Renewed Global Travel

Many of us are planning global travel later in the year.  For those of you who are considering an international trip, there is a list available ...
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photo of medical staff performing covid tests

March 2021

At the time of this writing, the number of Covid-19 cases world-wide is diminishing.  Parts of the world are beginning to open up to travelers.  ...
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6 ways to volunteer abroad

Fall 2020

Hello All, Travel and international volunteering continue to be deeply affected by the prevalence of the Covid-19 corona virus in the world. I was personally ...
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david jarmul

Not Exactly Retired

Hello All! In this time of the Covid 19 pandemic, when we are personally distancing and limited in our ability to travel, it is a ...
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Colonial architecture in ancient Antigua Guatemala city, Central America, Guatemala

Volunteer Medical Missions to Rural Guatemala

Hello All! Peace Corps Volunteer Todd Peterson, while serving in a remote area of Guatemala, saw that the villagers in the area had a need ...
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volunteering online

Spring 2020

Hello All, In this time of Spring 2020, when coronavirus Covid-19 is ravaging the world, physical international volunteering has taken a pause. Many countries have ...
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Wildlife tourism

Over50andOverseas Volunteer Abroad Summer 2019 Newsletter

Hello, Summer is at our doorstep and so is the busiest time for international volunteering and voluntourism.  Many of you are either embarking upon or ...
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Get the most out of your volunteering with these recommended books

Popular Blog Posts

susan-gibson-volunteering

Interview with author Susan E. Gibson

The number of Covid infections are in decline world wide.  We are now able to plan international trips and volunteer assignments with reasonable confidence that ...
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Volunteering in Bangladesh

Beginning International Volunteering Over 50

When we first start thinking about devoting some of our time to international volunteering we usually don’t have any idea of where to start.  We ...
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Interview with Elizabeth Andrews – Habitat for Humanity Team Leader

  Elizabeth Andrews is an anthropologist by education and profession.  She worked as an anthropologist for many years for the State of Alaska.  In 2002 ...
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A Better Life for Half the Price

To be able to cut one’s living expenses in half seems like the impossible dream. How would you like to go from paying $1300 per ...
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Why Volunteer Internationally? – Points to Consider

In June of 2011, sitting at dinner with friends in an outdoor restaurant on the banks of the Axios/Vardar River in Skopje, Macedonia, I began ...
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Professional Services Volunteering Over 50

There are many opportunities for non-medical and non-teaching professionals to volunteer internationally. This article outlines some of the organizations offering such opportunities.http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/volunteer/articles/professional-service-volunteers-over50.shtml
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