Generate income so that the people of Ho Chi Minh can continue to be provided with hygienic, healthy food at a low cost
Give you practical experience in the kitchen and an insight into food preparation
Assist the local staff with extra hands at the food shop

Since the Food Shop is self-funded, the aim is to generate income so that the poor people of Ho Chi Minh can continue to be provided with more hygienic, healthier food for a very low cost.

Introduction Day
Your project starts with an introduction day on the first Monday including a tour of the area surrounding the accommodation, available facilities, cultural "do's and don'ts", safety concerns as well as some basic local language lessons.

Monday to Friday
Breakfast
Depart for the Food Shop *
Assisting in the preparation of food, cooking, working in the kitchen, cleaning the area and serving food, etc.
Lunch at the Food Shop
Head back to the accommodation
Free time during the afternoon
Dinner

* It takes between 35-45 minutes to travel to the Food Shop each way and the bus ticket costs around 1 EUR/day.

Please note that the volunteer activities and schedule can change at any time based on the needs of the project, local conditions, the weather and unforeseen circumstances.

Evenings & Weekends
During the evenings the volunteers are generally free, but on Wednesday afternoons you can join the other volunteers and local coordinators for a game of football. Weekends are free.

The project is either closed or has alternative activities on public holidays.

2024
01 January
29 January - 23 February *
18 & 29-30 April
01 May
02 September *

* Lunar New Year
During this time, participants will now prepare food for the at-risk community. We also arrange some activities with the children (singing, dancing, playing, etc…) and teach them English. The local team will buy all the food, ingredients and materials for participants to help with food preparation, cook the food and serve for children at that centre. The center is about a 45 minutes by bus from the accommodation and you can expect to work from 08:00 to 13:00. Alternatively, participants can use the time to travel and join in on the local festivities.

The week of 29th Jan 24: working from MON-FRI.

The week of 5th Feb 24: working from MON-WED (no program on THUR and FRI)

The week of 12th Feb 24: working from TUE- FRI (no program on MON)

The week of 19th Feb 24: working from MON-FRI.

Minimum age of 18
Basic level of competency in English
Police Clearance Certificate on sign-up
Passport copy required on arrival

Participants are no longer required to bring a negative Covid test with them when they arrive. Instead, participants are expected to bring a self-test kit and do a rapid test upon arriving at the accommodation.
The Green Lion do not require the participants to be vaccinated. We can accept unvaccinated participants along with a PCR test negative report that is done within 72 hrs of arrival.
However, please still check please with your airlines and the country's health guidelines on this matter.

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering work and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. At times, alterations in activities are due to changes in local conditions. This can be part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that it is.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.