What does ELI do?

ELI looks for, and partners with, small humanitarian and environmental organizations without the means to recruit volunteers. The technology costs alone - computers, Internet access, website maintenance - are often insurmountable for these groups. ELI screens volunteers, helps with placements, provides travel planning assistance and is responsible for customer service western volunteers expect and rely on. This frees the host organization not just from technical expenses, but also from the expense of hiring an English-language staff to answer phones and emails. In other words, we do all the legwork, take care of the details and provide wide-ranging assistance, then send volunteers to projects where they are needed. In the meantime, ELI serves as your advocate - and is here to help you have the richest, most rewarding volunteer travel experience possible.

Why do I have to pay to volunteer?

You don't have to pay to volunteer in another country. If you would rather search for organizations yourself, this can certainly be done. Of course, you might find it difficult to verify how legitimate they are. You may also have trouble finding acceptable accommodations. ELI is a placement organization. We work hard to keep costs down. We urge you to comparison shop - you'll discover that ELI's prices are not just competitive but also downright low compared to most volunteer travel organizations. Here are some of the larger organizations in the field.

www.crossculturalsolutions.org
www.i-to-i.com
www.globalvolunteers.org

Now that you've seen what others charge, consider expenses ELI and our host organizations face -- expenses that dictate the need to charge volunteers:

• Infrastructure: Odds are, you found us over the Internet. Website construction and website maintenance cost. As do computers, software, advertising, Internet connections, international phone service, etc.

• On-site support: From the moment you arrive at your ELI placement you rely on the services provided by the local organization and paid for, in part, by your fees. Consider just your airport/train pick-up: cars, gasoline and automobile insurance are necessary. Salaries of English-speaking local coordinators, by definition educated and skilled, need to be factored in. If your daily work as a volunteer takes you to a remote area, the host organization must provide food you can eat, water you can drink and in some cases even guides/guards to insure your personal safety. What if you get sick? Break your leg? Have a family emergency? The host organization must have the means to meet your needs - and in the third world, that alone is a huge and costly challenge.

• Housing: ELI programs vary but in all cases the host organization is tasked with housing for volunteers. In some projects, local families are paid to host the volunteers: someone needs to find and screen these families and provide alternate accommodations if necessary. In other projects, where placement with a family is not offered, local coordinators must find appropriate hostel/guest house accommodations and then negotiate a reasonable fee for ELI volunteers. All this takes time, involvement and personal investment on the part of the local organization.

Do I need travel insurance?

Yes. First, if you already are insured at home, you should check with your carrier to see what kind of coverage, if any, you will have while abroad. ELI does not supply insurance for the simple reason that we believe that you should be able to decide on the nature of your coverage. Some insurance, particularly for students, is very inexpensive. We recommend  STA Travel International Travel Insurance. You can call STA at 877-777-8717.

Other sources for affordable insurance:

Beta Insurance - Students and Faculty
CMI - Students
CMI - Non-Students
CISI - Students
Patriot Insurance - Available to all
Multi-National Underwriters - Available to all