Village Book

Village Book Builders

About

We bring HOPE THROUGH BOOKS by creating Village Libraries throughout the world where kids can dream, plan, and succeed. We are making a generational difference.

Reviews

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Emily
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

The best 3 months of my life

I was completely immersed in the Spanish language and culture. I made lifelong friends in Mexico and was honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of a great cause. The best decision I ever made was to spend 3 months in Mexico through Village Book Builders. If you’re thinking about going DO IT. Working in a tiny school in the beautiful mountains of Mexico is not an everyday opportunity. The people I met there have taught me how to love and work hard and cook! Bring some suero and anything you can from the US to give to the kids❤️🇲🇽.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Not being super comfortable with Spanish and then getting up in front of a bunch of little kids that don’t speak any English was pretty intimidating at first but they were so loving and happy to have a new friend. They made me feel right at home.
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Brett
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Fun adventure doing good

The purpose of the trip was to go and establish a library in a community where the children did not have any access to books. We brought books and laptop computers with us and set up a library in the bottom floor of a families home in the area. The kids were very excited to read and learn on their own. At the end of the week we did a cultural celebration with the community and they all came out. It was a blast.
We went up to some mountains and watched the sunrise one morning. Mount Everest was in the distant background. It was one of if not the most beautiful view I have ever seen. We connected with locals, ate with them in their homes, and read books to children.

What was your funniest moment?
Dressing up in the local traditional dress. It was fun!
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Ryan
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Nepal expedition 2019

This was a great experience with a terrific balance of fun time and service work time. A vacation overseas takes a lot of planning and is hard if you don't have a connection to someone in the area already. Village book does all of the planning and arrangements of tours, transportation, high adventure activities, sight seeing and lodging. I lived in the actual house with the people of Nepal, woke up with them, enjoyed their food, bonded with them after dinner. Well organized, 100% of time well spent.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
Be sure to have plenty of spare cash as time for withdrawing with a debit card can be limited. Make sure you have cell coverage ahead of time if that's important to you and for safety.
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Rachel
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

El Olvido Mexico library trip 2021

I went to Coscomatepec Mexico to visit the El Olvido and Cuchapa libraries. I’m an avid traveler and this trip is one of the best I’ve been on! The host family was incredibly welcoming, the food was amazing, the sites were beautiful, and the kids and parents were so grateful for the opportunity to have books! It honestly couldn’t have been any better! Village book builders is doing amazing things for children, parents and entire communities around the world! I highly recommend volunteering with VBB. They are an organization that is changing the world and I want to be part of it 🌎

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Do the program. Get on the plane. Enjoy yourself! You will be volunteering with some of the most incredible people and the cutest kids ever! It doesn’t matter if you don’t know the language, an experience like this will change your life.
Response from Village Book Builders

So glad you could come stay with us Rachel!

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Kevin
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Village Book Builders - Belize

This was such a great experience! You get to see the people in the country you go to in a way that you never do through other travels. You can not only connect with locals but also see their appreciation for the help you are providing and the opportunities they are being given. The people love the chance they are given to empower themselves as a result of the service that you do and you get amazing travel experiences along the way. Everyone is kind and respectful and wants to help the volunteers and locals have the best experiences possible.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
If you are considering going on a trip, stop considering and just go.

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I was looking for a way to serve. A friend of mine was going, so I decided to join in. I have always loved books, so it was a natural fit. Also, when they found out I was an art student, they let me lead the mural designs in the library. It was so much fun as they connected me with local experts, so we could make each mural highlight their local culture. I learned so much in the process.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

As I mentioned they connected me with local experts as I planned the murals. Also, when we got there, I told them what colors and materials I would need and they made sure all the materials were there when we arrived. They planned the entire trip, taking care of everything, which was great, so I could just focus on service and enjoying the experience being a part of the village!

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Make sure you prepare before you go; you make such a huge impact, I wish I would have prepared more with my lessons and art projects. Also, bring tums; even though you will try amazing food, not everything is easy on the stomach.

Lastly, make sure to bring good walking shoes. We did a lot of walking as we went to every home.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

When we arrive, we take the day pretty easy, as it is a long trip. Then the first Sunday we do more service, then we head to the village.

On the first day of service, we go to school and have breakfast made by local cooks. Then the kids start to arrive at which point we separate them into groups and start a series of classes.

After lunch, we head out and do home visits until it is time to go back home. I spent most of the day painting but was able to go out and teach an art class to the kids and do some home visits.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I have traveled abroad before, so I didn't have a lot of fears. I guess you hear a lot about the crime that happens abroad, but you find that people abroad have the same fears when they travel to the US which honestly they are more justified in their fears with all the mass shootings we have.

I felt safe the entire time.

What impressed you the most in this trip?

So an important thing to me was that I would be able to use my skill. Now it was kind of obvious that they could use my art skills with the libraries, but I noticed that nursing students were able to share with kids about the medical field, and photographers taught the kids about photography. Village Book tries really hard to maximize the impact, but using all the skills present.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Josh Atkinson

Job Title
World Coordinator
Has been working for Village Book Builders for 2 years after being a volunteer on the Nepal program. He loves traveling and exploring new cultures.

What is your favorite travel memory?

This is a really hard question for me. I would have to say when we had finished the library in Nepal. Local leaders, municipal leaders, and national leaders came to celebrate. The village performed dances and showed great appreciation for the library. Then when we opened it the excitement of the kids was so great! I know they will cherish and take great care of the library.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

It has been an amazing experience. As a coordinator, I set up and organize all events and work done on the library for the trips that I lead. I have learned how to break cultural barriers. I have learned how to work with different people from different cultures and help them work together. It has been eye-opening to see new cultures and learn from them.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of the volunteers shared that she loved staying with a host family. She shared that as she spent time with them and ate with them, she was able to understand their culture better. She was so grateful for the opportunity to become a family with the Nepali people. To her, it was one of the most eye-opening experience.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would want to go on one of the literacy expeditions. These are some of the coolest immersion programs. You come to know the village and feel like family. There is a great sense of accomplishment as you work with the villages to build a library and teach the community how to be lifetime learners. You also get to see some of the local sites and come to love the place you serve in.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

One of the things that made our experience different is the cultural immersion experience. We don’t sugar coat experiences. Sometimes this can be hard, but you come out with a stronger love of the people and a feeling of accomplishment. We stay with host families and eat what they eat; we work alongside the village so that they feel like the village accomplishes something as well.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Accomplishment. At the end of the trip, the volunteers should feel accomplished. The villages we work with should feel accomplished. If that comes to fruition, it has been a success.

Our goal is to create reading cultures. If the village feels accomplished, they take ownership and work to gain education through books.