Educate. COnnect. EMpower. 

Travel With Intent.

Create long-lasting impact on community projects as a volunteer English Teacher.  Participate in cultural activities, build lifelong friendships, and explore the beauty of Bali.

Why Join Us?

EXPLORE WITH BALANCE

We understand that true growth and enrichment often come from both structured learning experiences and the freedom to explore at your own pace. So we have designed our itinerary with a balance between organized activities Monday – Friday and the freedom for independent exploration on the weekends.

POWERFUL CONNECTIONS

In Bali you will be surrounded by like-minded, passionate individuals who share your commitment to creating brighter futures for underserved children. Together, you will work on innovative projects directly benefiting children in underserved communities. Witness the immediate and lasting impact of your efforts while enjoying the beauty of Bali. 

ALTER YOUR PERSPECTIVE

We aim to create a transformative journey that takes you beyond self-interest, allowing you to give back to communities in need and discover new perspectives through acts of service. Our program offers you an opportunity to step outside your own world, embrace empathy, and make a lasting impact while finding deeper purpose in your actions.

What is Service Learning?

Service learning is the heart of our organization’s mission in Bali. It’s an immersive educational approach that merges hands-on community service with academic learning. All of our programs are focussed around service learning in order to provide students with the unique opportunity to actively engage in meaningful projects that address local needs while deepening their understanding of global issues.

Join us in transforming lives and communities through the power of service learning.

Teaching Immersion Program

If you’re passionate about education, love working with children, and thrive on exploring new cultures, this opportunity is tailor-made for you. This program encourages independence, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the experience and choose how you want to spend your time outside of volunteering! We provide 3 activities per week, but give you plenty of free time for scuba diving, snorkeling, adventuring to waterfalls, hiking volcanoes, and most importantly, making friends with the local staff and students! We’ve designed this program to be accessible to as many people as possible, with a lower cost compared to our service learning program. This program also seeks long-term volunteers, and requires you to stay for a minimum of 4 weeks. Our goal is to create an inclusive community for those eager to make a difference in the lives of our local students. Join us on this rewarding adventure where you’ll not only teach but also learn, grow, and connect with communities in Bali. Our best volunteers go beyond the classroom and start new programs and opportunities for students, for example directing a school play, orgnizing a soccer tournament, or choreographing new dances for the after-school dance classes. Get ready to live abroad, and make a meaningful impact while experiencing the beauty of cultural exchange firsthand!

Request a Brochure

Choose a start date in 2024 or 2025

Spring 2025:

January 25th

February 22nd

March 22nd

April 26th

Fall 2025:

September 13th

October 11th

November 8th

$3,050 for 4 weeks Scholarships Available - See Below

Service Learning Program

JOIN US IN WINTER 2025

New Years Trip: : January 4th – 24th

JOIN US IN SUMMER 2025

Summer 1: (3 weeks) July 05 – July 25
Summer 2: (3 weeks) July 26 – August 15 

$4,150 for a 3 week package Scholarships Available - See Below

Spend your summer with like-minded young adults, making a direct impact on Balinese communities as an English teaching assistant at our partnered after-school learning center, Yayasan Loka Mawa Upadhi. Discover the true island of Bali and make a direct impact on local communities. You will be volunteering with local teachers who will be working with you to teach English and other engaging topics to two classes of 20 students each. Each day, you will create engaging lesson plans with your co-teacher and conduct these lessons to your students. We will provide you time and support to create project-based lesson plans and encourage you to teach the skills you know best! When you are not at the learning center, you will be embarking on cultural  immersion activities to enrich your understanding of Bali, while also helping you develop a deeper connection to the communities you serve.

Request a Brochure

Create a Custom Trip

Taking a gap year? Want to join us with a group? Or are you interested in extending your impact with a longer stay in Bali? If this is you, our custom trips are the solution! Our flexibility combined with your enthusiasm will allow us to build a custom trip that works for you and is still meaningful for the local communities we work for! Set up a call today to begin designing your trip today! 

GET STARTED TODAY!

SET UP A CALL
FOR ALL TRIPS
INCLUDED
Cultural Activities and Excursions * Number of Activities Included Depends on Trip Type
3 Meals Per Day
Shared Room Accommodation * Private Available for Extra Cost
Volunteering Visa
24/7 Pre-Trip + On The Ground Support
Airport Pickup and Drop Off
Transport to and From Activities + Learning Center
Intercultural Competency Training and Certificate
FOR ALL TRIPS
NOT INCLUDED
Transportation for Activities Not on Itinerary
International Medical + Travel Insurance *Mandatory for Participants to Purchase
Flights
Visa Extension *Only if Staying More Than 60 Days

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

The Suwandi Foundation Empowerment Scholarship is put in place to open doors on new opportunities for all people. We recognize the power of international travel and cultural immersion and we want to ensure equal access to this unique experience. The Empowerment Scholarship will help subsidize the cost of our service learning trip costs for passionate change makers who want to dedicate their time and skills, but who may lack the resources to do so.

Eligibility

  • Must be a first time trip participant.
  • Must have previous experience volunteering/working with children or in an education-based field.
SET UP A CALL TO LEARN MORE
We’ve Got Your Back 

Health and Safety

Suwandi Foundation is a member of the Cornerstone Safety Group, an organization that partners to ensure all participants and staff are provided expert risk management, mental health, and medical services. As a member of this group, we’ve fortified our initiatives to offer unrivaled safety and support during our meaningful volunteer journeys. 

From meticulous risk assessments to personalized safety protocols, together, we lay the groundwork for secure and successful experiences. We share Cornerstone’s belief that protecting human safety is not intellectual property but a shared responsibility, which leads us to collaborate with their leading experts and member organizations to raise the standard of risk management across the industry. 

Cornerstone serves as an extension of our staff, adding 80 years of collective experience in leading, operating, and designing international experiences with participant safety top of mind. Through this membership, our on-call Medical Director and Mental Health Advisors support our team in managing a variety of situations, empowering participants to focus on making a difference. 

Our collaborative approach provides us to access world-class expertise in managing safety on programs while we work to deliver on our mission. Learn more about this partnership at cornerstonesafetygroup.org.

Ensuring Sustainable Change

Ethical Volunteering

Ethical volunteering prioritizes the communities we serve. It involves genuine engagement, cultural sensitivity and competency, and sustainable practices to ensure a positive impact while respecting local needs and aspirations. By following ethical guidelines, volunteers create meaningful, lasting contributions and foster genuine connections with the communities they serve. As an organization, we are committed to the practice of ethical volunteering by supporting local dreams, visions, and initiatives. We act when we are asked. 

Supportive co-living

Where You Will Stay

Embark on an unforgettable stay in Tulamben, Bali, and stay with us at our private homestay!  Surrounded by breathtaking views of the crystal clear ocean and the largest Volcano in Bali! Here, you will live with up to nine other Suwandi Foundation participants sharing a bedroom and bathroom with one other person.

Each room is equipped with air conditioning, blankets, sheets, pillows, wardrobes, nightstands, bath towels, and shampoo/soap. Enjoy amenities such as a refreshing pool and lounging deck, a rooftop yoga deck, a full kitchen, and helpful house cleaners. You will be provided home cooked meals three times per day Monday-Friday served buffet style. While staying with us you will have access to private chefs, basic medical supplies, affordable private drivers, and paid laundry services.

reviews

Stories From Previous Participants

Gain insight into our trips through the firsthand experiences of our participants.

“This opportunity is one you should not pass up and I have no doubt in my mind that if you go once you will return. Going to Bali and teaching English has changed my life and added such a wonderful passion for this community.”

Allison Coward

Intern, Suwandi Internship 2023

My time spent in Bali this summer was nothing short of incredible and so meaningful. Going to a place so far away from home to learn about a completely new culture and lifestyle really broadened my perspective immensely on how I see the world and live my daily life. Every person I have met in Bali has been beyond kind, generous, caring, and willing to share their wisdom and advice. 

At Yayasan LMU, I taught the Moonshine 1 & 2 classes and was accompanied by the local teacher I Luh and many Indonesian volunteers who attended a research program down the street. I so enjoyed making so many new connections and learning so much of the language from them. My class of kids were always so joyful to come to class to learn, even after already being in school all day before. Everyday they so kindly welcomed me and would continue to also teach me their own language.

While it may sound intimidating to teach English to students who speak a language you don’t know, the language difference does not pose a barrier to their learning. You just have to be willing to put in the effort to brainstorm how to communicate the message, whether that be through acting out, direct translation, games, etc.

Leaving this group of kids after teaching them for a month was so difficult for me, but I can leave knowing I will return to see and teach them again. 

This opportunity is one you should not pass up and I have no doubt in my mind that if you go once you will return. Going to Bali and teaching English has changed my life and added such a wonderful passion for this community.

“Everyday I had a new opportunity to immerse myself into the culture whether it was a cooking class, dance class, a Hindu lesson, or my personal favorite when we had traditional dinners.”

Brooke Harrington

Participant, Summer Service Learning Trip 2023

Having the opportunity to visit Bali and volunteer was truly an unforgettable experience. The first morning I woke up in Tulamben I was amazed by its beauty. I was greeted by the most welcoming people, it didn’t even feel like it was my first time there. Everyday I had a new opportunity to immerse myself into the culture whether it was a cooking class, dance class, a Hindu lesson, or my personal favorite when we had traditional dinners. With my time spent teaching at Yayasan LMU the students always had a smile on their face and were so happy and eager to learn. By the end of my two weeks I couldn’t believe it was over. Bali is such a special place and I hope to go back soon! 

See More Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! The longer you stay in Bali, the more of a life-changing impact you will take away! We highly encourage folks to stay as long as they can. Please refer to the custom trip section above for details on how to build a trip for you!

While the majority of our volunteers range between 18-30, we welcome people of all ages to join us in Bali. If you are a minor, we have policies and procedures in place that involve your guardian.

Our pricing is for fully-inclusive, planned trips. We encourage you to download our brochures to read through the full program cost breakdown. In short, the program cost goes directly to supporting the learning center we partner with, the administrative tasks associated with organizing your trip, the safety team and measures in place including insurance, and the direct costs of your trips such as the volunteering visa, accommodation, food, activities, transport, and on-the-ground staff. 

We would love to add you to our mailing list, so you can stay up to date as we roll out new programs moving forward. Sign up below! 

Please refer to the Health and Safety section above for details on our partnered safety organization, Cornerstone Safety Group. If you would like more information and specifics on what safety procedures are in place, please contact us!

Beyond personal savings, you can start your own fundraiser or apply for scholarships and grants to fund your trip. Additionally, our organization has scholarship opportunities that any participants can apply for! Please read more in the scholarships section above.

Every participant will complete a virtual orientation the week before they arrive in Bali. This includes a synchronous Zoom session to meet your cohort members and two asynchronous modules focused on English teacher training and intercultural competency training. This orientation is in place to provide participants with a basic understanding of concepts that will likely reappear during their time in Bali. Participants will also be required to utilize Duolingo to practice the Indonesian language. Beyond these components to the mandatory orientation, you may refer to your Welcome Packet for tips on how to prepare for your time in Bali including a packing list and recommended vaccination list.

You will join the growing network of previous participants who have been impacted by their time in Bali and be added to our newsletter list. We will also share resources and ideas on how to stay involved at home such as reflecting on your experiences, sharing those reflections, and holding fundraisers to make direct impacts on the communities you worked for. 

Engage with the community, listen to their needs, collaborate with local community members, and follow guidelines in place to promote ethical volunteering. During and after your trip, reflect on your experiences, share your gained knowledge with others, and continue your impact from home!

Of course! We encourage you to schedule a meeting with us, so we can best help you make an impact from afar! There are many ways you can help fundraise to transform the lives of children and community members in rural Bali.