Combining travelling with doing good is a growing trend. Here Lauren Seidl a blogger for GoAbroad.com talks about some of the best volunteering projects going.

Volunteering abroad is a great way to give purpose to your travel adventures. While many people may immediately think of orphanages and beach cleanups when volunteering abroad comes to mind, those aren’t the only options. Hundreds of worthwhile volunteer abroad opportunities are out there, and most of them don’t require experience. Here are 10 volunteer opportunities worth shouting about:

I walked lions

How many people have walked a lion? If you volunteer with a lion or big cat conservation, one of your responsibilities will be to walk young cats in their natural habitat. By walking with lions in a savanna setting, you’ll be preparing them for release into the wild. Other things you may get to do include sweeping for snares, bottle feeding cubs and preparing food. Lion and big cat conservations are located in a variety of countries, with the most popular being Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa.

I coached cricket

If you don’t know anything about cricket, you probably shouldn’t coach it. But if you do have a sport you’re passionate about, why not share your knowledge with children abroad? Aside from teaching children the fundamentals of a sport, you will also have the opportunity to work with them in a classroom setting and become a role model. A few countries you could coach in include Ghana, India and Bolivia.

I hung out in a shark tank 

Volunteers with great white shark conservancies get the chance to see one of the world’s largest sharks up close and personal. When not cage diving, you can assist with chumming and tracking sharks. Some programs also have you help them do research on whales, seals, sea birds and other marine wildlife. South Africa is a prime location for working with one of these ancient creatures.

I helped build a home

Mixing cement, building a roof, painting: If you volunteer to build a home, you’ll get the chance to lend a hand with everything involved in housing construction. The satisfaction of working hard to create something will be magnified when that something is a home or a school. A few countries you could travel to for construction include Mongolia, Peru and New Zealand.

I fed an eel

If you volunteer with a marine conservation, you could end up doing anything from identifying conches to feeding invasive species to eels. You’ll be able to throw on some scuba gear and observe, photograph and measure coral wildlife. Some destinations in need of marine conservation include Cambodia, Fiji and Maldives.

I hiked the Galapagos Islands

Hike through the Galapagos Islands and help preserve some of the world’s rarest species. Volunteers working to conserve the Galapagos can help with research projects on exotic plants and animals. Assist with reforestation by collecting, classifying and planting seeds. You may also get the chance to observe some unique wildlife. Since the Galapagos Islands are off the coast of Ecuador, this is the country you’ll be traveling to for Galapagos conservation.

I empowered women

From working at a women’s shelter to helping third world females find a living, volunteers who work to empower women are truly making a difference. Assist women in giving tours or selling their homemade products. Tutor women and children at a battered women’s shelter and give them the chance to break a violent cycle. By empowering women, you’re helping to empower a culturally diverse world. A few countries you can travel to for women empowerment include Tanzania, Uganda and the Philippines.

I mentored a child

Working with children can be a rewarding experience, especially when the children are in need of extra guidance. You can become a mentor by working with children in a day care or by helping them learn English in school. Be a role model to these kids and show them how special and talented they really are. Some countries with mentorship programs include Argentina, Kenya and Indonesia

I helped sick people

Health care volunteers are among the few that may need basic training in order to help those who are sick or injured. However there are programs those of you without experience can help out with. Inexperienced medical volunteers can work on administrative tasks, provide child care services, work with the disabled or perform other tasks to help those in need of medical care. Vietnam, Guatemala and Costa Rica are just a few countries you can travel to in order to help with health care.

I bathed an elephant

Elephants are one of the many species you can find yourself working with if you decide to volunteer abroad. Some tasks volunteers on an elephant conservancy take on include feeding, bathing and exercising elephants. Volunteers can also help educate locals on elephant conservation. Most elephant conservation volunteer programs in are located in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Written by Lauren Seidl. Lauren is a blogger for GoAbroad.com, the leading online resource in helping travelers find programs to work, volunteer and study abroad. When Lauren isn’t blogging or dreaming about going abroad, she can be found exploring the outdoor activities Northern Colorado has to offer.

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