Independent Volunteer is a collection of about thirty independent organizations – primarily in Asia, but also in Africa and Latin America. You can view a list of projects by country or type of work, and also find contact information such as a website and/or email address. As these are independent organizations, there is generally not a large price tag associated with volunteering, though some organizations do charge a small amount for accommodation or food, or ask volunteers to fundraise before their arrival.

Because there is no placement agency, you as an individual volunteer need to take a lot of initiative; you have to contact and correspond with the organization directly; you need to decide if the situation is right for you; you most certainly need to make your own travel arrangements.

Projects range from organizing your own project at Auroville in Tamil Nadu, India… to helping out a family which cares for five orphans and assists others in the the community… to working with HIV positive people in Uganda.

You can read about the team, and also some volunteer experiences. What I think stands out about these accounts is that while they are not large in number, the content of each is thorough and they seem genuine. It is also striking (in a good way) that the volunteers mention the positive and heart-warming aspects of their experience alongside the challenges.