Q: Who are AidCamps International’s partners?

We work with charities and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in developing countries who are striving to meet the needs of local communities.

AidCamps ensures that these organisations are both legitimate and well-established and that they are close to the communities they support.

AidCamps will partner with charities or NGOs based in the UK if they have specific projects or activities that match our objectives and if they have a real presence in the host country that involves local people in its management/operation.

Find out more about Our Partners.

Q: How does AidCamps monitor the projects during construction?

Our partner NGOs start construction several months in advance of the start date of a project, as our volunteers are only in the country for two or three weeks. This means they can get straight to work on their arrival and finish the project.

Before a project, we are in regular communication with our partner and deal with any issues should they arise. Our Project Co-ordinator arrives in advance of the volunteers in order to check everything is on schedule for the project start date.

Q: Do you keep in touch with the communities after construction?

We pride ourselves on building long-term relationships with our partners and the communities they support – many of our partners have worked with us since we launched in 2002.

We receive reports or impact assessments from our partners after each project. Our projects often include visits to previous projects to see their legacy, check everything is still in order and identify any new issues which we may be able to help with.

Q: How fit do I have to be?

The majority of the heavy labour is carried out by local workers (who are paid appropriately from the construction budget) before you arrive.

If you are in a reasonably good state of health and can secure adequate travel insurance, then it’s likely you can join us. If you are in any doubt then please contact us.

We do work in warm and sometimes humid climates and conditions can be basic. However, we ask you to work at a pace that you are comfortable with given the nature of the work and the conditions. We often need to remind keen volunteers to slow down or take a rest!

Q: Am I too young to join? Or too old?

Our public projects are for people aged 18 years and over. There is no upper age limit. 

Our volunteers are usually a mixed age group – from 18 to 80.

If you are under 18 you could consider volunteering with your family or seeing if your school or college wanted to organise a bespoke project with us. 

Q: Do I need to have practical construction experience?

No! Sometimes we find that people with construction experience gained in more developed countries struggle to adapt to local conditions, materials, equipment and techniques.

Our volunteers come from all walks of life and all we ask is that they are enthusiastic, team-spirited, culturally sensitive and willing to do what needs to be done to complete the project on time.

Expert local advice and support is always on hand to deal with the difficult bits and to offer instruction, guidance and support.

Q: Is it safe to travel to the areas you work in?

We go to great lengths to ensure we have the latest travel advice when organising a project in a developing country. 

We use the expertise of our local partners who know and understand any political, environmental, social and security risks. We also check the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice website regularly.

If the FCDO advise against travel to a specific area then we won’t go.

Travelling in developing countries presents some risk. We do everything we can to minimise that risk but we can’t rule it out. We ask our volunteers to take out appropriate insurance.

Q: Will I need vaccinations?

Yes – you will need to have some form of vaccination against disease or illness found in the countries we work in. Many of these are typical vaccinations for long-haul travellers. 

We offer guidance on vaccinations and staying healthy before you go, and ask volunteers to follow their GP’s advice as individual requirements may vary.

Q: What do I need to include with my application form?

If you apply to join an AidCamps project online then you will need to complete the form and pay the registration fee via our secure payment provider, PayPal.

Once we’ve confirmed your application and payment, we need a portrait photograph from you, electronically or by post. It will be used for identifying you at the airport when collecting you for the project.

If you have downloaded an application form from the website then you can post the completed form to us along with a cheque for the registration fee and photo. If you want to arrange payment either through PayPal or bank transfer, please contact us before sending us your application form and we can provide the details of how to pay.

Q: Do you only take volunteers from the UK?

No. We can take volunteers from anywhere in the world; however, the ‘project language’ is English and so a good working knowledge of English is needed.

If non-UK volunteers join us they must check any visa requirements with their embassy.    

Q: How much does it cost to go on an AidCamps project?

The fundraising targets for projects vary and will be included in the project information page on the website. The minimum funding target (cost of a project) is divided into a Registration Fee, payable on application, and a Minimum Donation which is due approximately three months before the project start date. We need funds early so our partners can buy any materials and equipment, and hire the local tradespeople to start the project.

Find out how the funding for projects works in our What It Costs page.

We can provide advice on fundraising and we use JustGiving as our fundraising platform, where you will be able to set up your own fundraising page linked to AidCamps. We’ll provide more information on how to do this if you sign up for a project.

Individual and family projects have a different charging structure. Individual volunteers pay a Registration Fee of £100 and must make a Minimum Donation of £500 for projects up to five weeks. For longer projects we recommend an additional £50 per week be raised for every week over five weeks. More information on this is provided on our Individual Projects In More Detail page. The charging structure for bespoke projects will depend on the particular project which is arranged.

Flights, insurance and visas are not included in the price of any AidCamps project and individual volunteers must cover all their own expenses.