About us.Why pay to volunteer

Why pay to volunteer

We do not receive any financial support from the government or outside funding, so volunteers must finance themselves. The money you pay allows us to provide you with unrivalled, first-class support and service. We have built our reputation on this and we believe it is this that makes our projects work for volunteers and recipients alike. You will be working in places where you are genuinely needed and, in addition, we ensure that our partner organizations, schools, and institutions across the world don’t have to pay for the help of our volunteers.

Where does the money go?

Maasai Land Explorer is an entirely independent organization which does not receive any funding from governments, religious bodies, political parties, development organizations, or other sources. And of course, we don’t request money from our partner organizations in the developing world. All our work is 100% funded through your contributions as a volunteer.

It is this financial independence that gives us the freedom to set up projects wherever we think it may be useful and in all domains where we think that our volunteers can make a valuable contribution.

Your project price, therefore, not only covers the costs that are directly linked to your presence on the ground, but also a share of all the other costs that setting up our high quality volunteering projects requires.

The precise use of your particular payment you personally made to Maasai Land Explorer cannot be accounted for specifically, but we really want to be as open as possible. Therefore we have set out here the average percentages of our expenditure and some clear explanations!

 

Caption of pie chart: The percentages represent the average of all our projects. Depending on the country of origin, the destination, the time of year, the type of project and other factors, these figures will vary from project to project.

Implementation and monitoring of projects: 19% average

Our first objective is to make a difference through work worth doing. Our local teams and our managers around the world are always on the lookout for new worthwhile projects and for new partners to facilitate them. The set-up of new countries of operation requires significant investment before the first volunteer arrives. We monitor all our projects constantly. We are always looking for ways to improve what we are doing, to achieve more, and to make a difference.

Support for volunteers from before start to finish: 23% average

Maasai Land Explorer has permanent and directly employed staff in countries of origin and in every country of operation. From the first contact to the end of your time with us, or even afterward if you join our alumni network, you have assistance available from qualified and knowledgeable people. For us, you are not a name on a list but an individual, and our most important job is to match your objectives, skills, and personality to projects, opportunities and needs in our destinations.

Five hundred colleagues in our teams around the world ensure that all the tiresome problems encountered when working in developing countries, such as visas and permits, food and health matters, and transfers and travel, are all taken care of, so you can just get on with your project.

We also provide a 24/7 emergency service for you and your family back home.

Operating and administrative costs: 17% average

Our individualized programs with choices of dates, project-type, and destination country, require a sophisticated system of administration both in countries of origin and in countries of operation. For each volunteer, there are numerous exchanges between you, our office in your home-country, and our office in your destination-country. Each project, host-family, and flight involves administration and organization. Our teams worldwide are always available to answer your questions and to give advice on visa, transport, and any other matter.

Direct costs on the ground: 22% average

Costs which are directly related to your presence in the field include accommodation and meals for the whole time you are with Maasai Land Explorer, as well as transfers from the international airport to your final destination and other expenses that may vary from country to country. We also arrange meetings for volunteers and workshops for volunteers, partners and staff, which really help to improve the work we undertake.

While you are with us, from the day when you pay for your project until the day you return home, you are covered by first-class travel insurance.

Awareness, communications and advice: 19% average

The offices in the volunteers’ countries of origin have the job of making individuals and organizations aware of Maasai Land Explorer and its work to help the developing world. Then, when people apply to join us, our job is to explain to them in as much detail as possible what they can expect when they’re working as a volunteer with Maasai Land Explorer.

Whatever your interests, motivation, experience, or special requests, we will take the time to advise you on the best and most appropriate project, personally for you.

variety of backgrounds; have a broad range of ages and different reasons and motivations for wanting to volunteer.  It is this mix of skills, experience, energy and enthusiasm that creates a successful project and an enjoyable experience for you.

Volunteering is not just for surgeons or students on their Gap year.  Most people volunteer for between one and three months; although it is possible to volunteer for longer.  This and a realization that volunteering is not exclusive to certain groups has resulted in more and more people putting their life skills and experience to good use and taking career breaks, or joining projects after retirement.

We’ll let you into another secret; it’s not just for women, men are allowed too!  Maybe the idea of playing with children, or providing care and support for people living in poverty doesn’t appeal to as many men, but then surely sport, practical work, or providing a role model to kids who may not have one does?

In most cases we have a project that is suitable for you, your experience and interests.  So, if you are over 18 and are fit and healthy enough to be involved in the type of activities described in our project pages then we look forward to hearing from you.

Whilst we have volunteer projects in Africa that are suitable for most people we may be selective about who we place on which projects.  Basic personal information and background is invaluable to us and the project staff where you will be placed.  We also believe it would not be fair on you, or the project to send you somewhere that you could not genuinely help.

You may well be able to find other organizations, with which it will take a little less time to complete an application.  However, we believe that if you are the type of person who is prepared to give up 4 weeks of your time to help in the community, or on a conservation project, then you won’t be concerned about taking a couple of hours out of your day before you leave.  And think about it, if the sending organization knows little, or nothing about you, how can they assess whether you are going to be happy on a project, or that the project will benefit from your being there?

We will ask you to complete a short application form, providing some basic personal details and outlining your motivation and any relevant experience.  For specific projects we may request a brief CV, or copies of qualifications, for example to register you with a hospital.  If you will be volunteering with children, or vulnerable adults, you will also be required to provide an enhanced CRB disclosure, which we can assist you with.

None of the above is difficult and we will help to answer any questions that you have and ensure that you are fully prepared for your volunteer programme.