Thousands of people volunteer abroad every year. For some it forms part of a gap year and they volunteer in one location for up to 6 months. Others seek shorter term experiences, volunteering for as little as 1 or 2 weeks to create an alternative and worthwhile vacation.

Terry Ward is one such person and volunteered in Léogâne, Haiti, the city closest to the epicentre of last year’s earthquake, where some 80% of buildings were destroyed and thousands of lives were lost.

Terry’s decision “came from a vague longing to ‘do something’ other than sit in front of my laptop” and she eventually signed up to work with an organisation that had formed in the aftermath of the 2004 South East Asian tsunami.

Before departing Terry heard media reports and warnings that left her unsure of how she would be received in Haiti and whether or not she could actually make a difference, but looking back on it she considers the experience to be “one of the best things I’ve ever been part of…but a hard one to describe.”

Volunteering in a crisis zone can be dangerous and requires thorough research and a degree of caution, but the rewards can be immense.

Read the full account of Terry’s experiences of volunteering in Haiti.

Find year-round volunteer abroad experiences with Inspire.