About APLT

An East African Volunteer Database providing prospective volunteers with the tools needed to create their own unique service trip.

Why We’re Different: Because of our belief in the importance of fostering relationships, we make it a point to personally visit every organization listed on our database. We have found every meeting to be extremely valuable and beneficial, not only for us but also for the specific NGO.

Mission: As college students ourselves, we have found that it is difficult for students to connect with local NGOs in Eastern Africa that are in need of volunteers. As a result, many students must either rely on personal contacts within certain organizations or on group volunteer programs. We think that there should be an alternate way of approaching volunteering abroad. By creating an East African Volunteer Database, we are providing prospective volunteers with necessary information to connect directly with NGOs that resonate with their specific interests and plan their own unique volunteer experience.

Our Story: While attending Colorado College and working on Bricks + Books projects, we were struck by the amount of interest in volunteer opportunities shown by fellow classmates. We found that there is a strong desire to travel to East Africa but a lack of information on how to plan a unique volunteer trip to this region. We feel that one of the most pivotal parts of our past volunteer experiences was traveling independently and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone in a new area. We think this type of travel allows for the formation of unique relationships, which we believe leads to a deeper understanding. Through our database, any volunteer looking for a new experience can browse different organizations that we have visited and will be able to access information regarding all aspects of the NGO. This approach makes it possible for volunteers to create their own trip and work either alone or in a small group with the organization that resonates with them. We hope that through our database, students will share accounts of their experience and how it affected them and inspire others to do the same.