The Mighty Roar (TMR)
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Mighty Roar provide structured, safe and affordable volunteer programmes abroad to make a positive impact around the world. Our award-winning 100% ethical wildlife and marine projects allow volunteers to assist in the conservation, research and protection of some of the worlds most amazing and endangered animals.
Not only this, but our community projects provide sustainable care and assistance to help aid the people who are in most need. Explore some of the most beautiful and immersive destinations with the peace of mind and reassurance of our UK and in-country support teams.
Reviews 780
Andy R
Feb 28,2024We spent three weeks at the Mighty Roar in Sri Lanka in February, working on the sea turtle, kindergarten and English teaching projects. As a family of four we felt so included and welcomed by Ayomi and her team and made so many unforgettable memories. From baby turtles to tuk tuk rides, and sunset swims to sunrise beach patrols it was such a memorable trip. Upon getting home to the UK we were craving some sort of dahl or curry as the food served everyday was so good. As a family in one room we had a bit more space than in some of the dorm rooms and were very pleased to have good working air-conditioning (essential!) and excellent mosquito nets on all the beds. The Sri Lankan laid back attitude to pretty much everything took a few days to get used to but once in the groove of it even hot and busy days were no real effort. Our main regret was not having more time to travel around other parts of the country after our time at TMR, though the weekend safari trip (great fun!) did help us see more beyond the coast. During our second weekend away (in Mirissa) we actually felt like we were missing the Mighty Roar as it really felt like a home whilst we were there. A wonderful place with wonderful people.
Trudi Venn
Feb 28,2024Wonderful experience - more than I expected. Jesse our guide was extremely knowledgeable & his enthusiasm was contagious. All the staff were exceptional and made our time at Shamwari so special. I would recommend to others and hope to return one day.
Ivy
Feb 28,2024Most incredible experience! The whole team at Shamwari is passionate about conservation and share their knowledge. I am incredibly grateful for the experience I had and am already planning to return. Cannot recommend it enough - if you get a chance go. The best organised volunteering program I have ever been on, with the best team running it.
Alison Hagart
Feb 27,2024Volunteering at Shamwari was one of the best projects I have been to. The whole team of staff were incredible! Friendly and could never do enough. Our guide Jesse went above & beyond every day to make sure we had the best experience possible. I will never forget my time there, so fulfilling and filled my heart right up ❤️
Eric Young
Feb 27,2024Our family of 4 worked on the turtle project in Sri Lanka for one week. It was a wonderful week. Staff was very friendly and went out of their way to ensure we had a great time. Food and accomodations were basic as expected. We got to bury turtle eggs and were lucky to be around when a hatch occured so we were able to release the baby turtles! Quite an experience for us and our kids.
Abbie
Feb 25,2024I spent 4 weeks in January/February teaching in Ghana. It’s safe to say it was the most incredible experience of my life and I will be going back as soon as I can! Everyone was so welcoming and friendly from the volunteers to the local team to the locals in Busua. I couldn’t imagine a better place to volunteer than right by the sea. The local team are very helpful and arrange plenty of activities to do so you won’t get bored. Thank you TMR!
Millie Charlton
Feb 24,2024Whilst I have enjoyed my time here and ticked working with turtles off my bucket list I can’t give more stars as I wouldn’t return to this project or book with TMR again. I think the general mismanagement/ lack of communication and co ordination led to daily moaning between volunteers who didn’t know how to voice their concerns especially when some things were rather minor and not worth bothering the team over. The most upsetting incident for me was when some of the hatchlings were released at an earlier time than organised that morning, if it wasn’t for the other volunteers putting there foot down to prevent them from being released I would of missed this opportunity. However the experience was already dampened by the plan not being stuck to when it would have taken a simple message in the chat to inform us of the change. Other incidents included people coming out to volunteer on the teaching program when the schools were on holiday. This was a regular occurrence and often was the only negative thing that was part of conversation. As these built up over the course of the four weeks it led to a feeling of frustration and a lack of motivation to be part of the project. There wasn’t really a welcome induction and you are left to find things out for yourself or from other volunteers (it took me over a week to figure out how to get boiling water). The rooms are basic and clean with towels provided. The same goes for the bathrooms but some showers didn’t have hot water and no hand soap is provided. There is only one room key for each room meaning that you often can’t lock the room/ can be locked out of the room. The food was traditional Sri Lankan and cooked fresh but there wasn’t always a lot of variety. I think those with dietary requirements would struggle, I am lactose intolerant and whilst I was told that they didn’t cook with dairy there was cheese in one of the pasta dishes that I wasn’t warned about. Ice cream after every meal was enjoyed by those who could but there was no option for vegans. I would recommend staying for at least two weeks, turtles are wild animals so it’s not possible to know when you’ll see them so don’t go one expecting turtles every day. I believe that this part of the program is ethical which was a major factor in me choosing this program. What you should expect, and isn’t mentioned until you get here, is daily sorting though rubbish to make eco bricks which it’s dirty, smelly work. Whilst I was more than happy doing beach cleans and I can understand the logic of making the eco bricks it really was the worst part of the day everyday and definitely not what I’d signed up for. This, along with some of the other tasks, felt very much like let’s see what we can find for these westerns to do instead of actually being part of a valuable change. Other programs also saw issues. The street dog program appears to of been set up without any veterinary support, the ethics behind it are questionable with some vet nurses not wanting to continue the program due to the treatment of the animals. One night the dog enclosure was not properly locked resulting in the dogs escaping causing a lot of distress to the animals, the Sri Lankan team did not seem interested in helping fix the problem and it was the volunteers who were left to pull the fighting dogs apart. There were also some safety concerns with a volunteers bag being stolen during a party evening. The TMR team told the individual effected that they presumed it was a Sri Lankan local who had been let into the complex for the evening, they then went back on this when questioned by Chris and said they didn’t know who it was. This happened to an 18 year old volunteer so I have felt the need to write about it as I dont think he understood the seriousness of the event. Nobody was warned about a potential tuktuk mafia which meant some people struggled to home from visiting other towns. 24/7 context with the UK team isn’t really a thing, my message regarding airport pick up still hasn’t been replied to. The weekend trips were a highlight and felt like good value for money. Mammu was more than happy to take us out on other trips like fishing and bat safaris, these are definitely worth it and I was grateful to experience them with him. Overall I had a good time but that is due to the friends I have made and the incredible experiences i had with them. I feel like I was over promised and under delivered. You are better off spending your money elsewhere where on a project that does actually require support. I think I’ve wasted both time and money. I’ve had what I thought would be a once in a life time opportunity overshadowed by a series of problems that didn’t need to happen. Friends who have done other TMR programs that this just seems to be an issue with Sri Lanka as it’s the most popular program meaning they put less into it
Daniela Young
Feb 24,2024Our family of four (kids ages 9 and 11) stayed at The Mighty Roar in Sri Lanka and participated in the sea turtle project. We made incredible friends and had a fabulous week! We were lucky enough to encounter a large green turtle laying eggs on the beach and witness baby sea turtles hatching in the hatchery. We also buried eggs and even got to release the fresh hatchlings to the sea. It was remarkable! There are a few things to be aware of before you commit to this experience - the turtle project activities take place very late in the night, and may not be perfectly suitable for young children who have early bedtimes. During the day you spend an hour picking up trash on the beach before you stuff the trash into plastic bottles to make eco-bricks. Plan on at least one hour to complete your brick. It’s hard work, but offers great responsibility for children. Although the food is delicious, it is monotonous. If you don’t want to eat rice, and curry/lentils each lunch/dinner, plan to eat out at many of the local restaurant options. Also, the accommodations are hostel-style, group-rooms. Do anticipate cockroaches, geckos and mosquitoes in your room. You are provided a mosquito net. The activities offered during the stay are well worth it and enrich the experience. The staff is A+! Ayomi is organized, kind, positive and a wealth of information. We would volunteer for the mighty roar again!
Menzies Norwich
Feb 21,2024I had such a good time in ghana doing the childcare/teaching course. Dinah was so kind and supportive and had the most wonderful time living in Busua and I hope to go back very soon!!
Sophie
Feb 20,2024I really really enjoyed my experience doing childcare with the amassai village in Tanzania. It was a great to learn a new culture and learning some Swahili at the same time! There was loads to do and if your a climber would 100% recommend leaving another week free to climb Kilimanjaro as it’s cheaper through that company and your already there!!! (Wish I’d done that). Met the most amazing people and the whole atmosphere was great. Would also recommend the safari, our guide was amazing and the whole experience was on top. Loved it so much!
Tilly Dumbleton
Feb 20,2024i’ve just come back from volunteering in Ghana for 6 weeks on the childcare program, it was the best 6 weeks of my life! The local team were amazing. Dinah, Abigail, Emanuel and francis were all great and made me feel so welcome. The local village is also super welcoming and i felt so safe during my stay. I couldn’t reccomend doing this enough, i will definitely be returning. The children in the local school are the sweetest and are so happy when you arrive, it really is a great experience
A Daniell
Feb 20,2024Great customer service, lots of information provided and they checked in on us too to make sure everything was going well.
Jenna Marie Donnelly
Feb 20,2024Where do I start! The staff at the comfy house (accommodation) are amazing! They will go above and beyond and out of their way to make sure you are happy and have everything you need. I injured myself and tripped over and couldn't of asked for a better bunch of people to be surrounded around who helped me and looked after me in every way possible. The staff also drive you everywhere you ask to go, and pick you up. Honestly they are just amazing people! Timo, Emmanuel, Elvic, Sam,Daniel, Alice and the reception guys! Thank you! The accommodation is very cosy and cute, good prices for drinks and food is lovely! Lits of close by activities at extra cost, waterfalls, hot springs, hotel pools, food etc The experience itself of childcare was great, I enjoyed every moment I was at the centre with the children and only wished I stayed longer. To anyone unsure of going because you will be alone, trust me and go! You are in safe hands and the staff will always be with you as well as the other volunteers x Many Thanks to the team! I hope to see you again! Jenna x
Anupriya Tailor
Feb 18,2024This was probably one of the best decisions I've made in my life. I highly recommend the India- Jaipur programme. Initially, before I had signed up, I wasn't quite convinced because I felt I didn't have enough information and didn’t feel as guided, but I'm so glad I went with an open mind and without any expectations. This is really important to have especially if you're travelling to India as every day is never the same and you will always encounter some kind of hurdle to pass. But remember - life is always about learning. If you have the can-do attitude, a willingness to gain knowledge and understand the way of life in another country, I would say you've got the perfect mindset for the programme! I did 3 programmes in 3 weeks. Teaching, Childcare & Special needs. All of them have a completely different experience that are each fantastic. I am so glad I was exposed to all 3 areas as it gave me such versatile knowledge on each of the placements and how things were conducted in different schools/day care centres/orphanages. The children are an absolute delight and I formed such amazing relationships with them. The special needs kids really touched my heart – I highly recommend that programme. One thing I loved about Jaipur is that this city is full of a lot of love and people are not selfish. They are always willing to help, especially the team – Kapil, Peeyush and Rahul. They are very kind hearted people and you will have a pleasant stay with them. I was actually the first person to stay in the newly built accommodation and I was really pleased with it. It’s just the kind of place I wanted to stay at in Jaipur- it felt very homely and I know they’ve got even more extra additions to the accommodation since I went in January so you’ll feel very comfortable! 5 stars and a lot of love from me <3
Jillian Longpre-Smith
Feb 13,2024I expect better planning and coordination if I'm paying a booking agent for a trip that I could book directly. From the beginning, you input your information into their portal, but there are limitations with the settings in this portal, so it does not accommodate all itineraries, therefore my details were wrong from the start, and in multiple instances. It's not user-friendly to use, and when I ask the staff about it, they would tell me to send an email. Well, after so many details were incorrect/needed clarification, I just scheduled a zoom call with them to discuss all of the details in real-time. This was helpful at the time, but then I noticed that they just asked me to still send an email. If they are the ones planning the trip, I would expect them to send me an email of what we discussed and any follow-up action items. This was not the case. I took detailed notes myself, and still had to send an email to the staff after our zoom meeting and it took multiple emails to get the details confirmed accurately. I scheduled another zoom meeting right before my trip to confirm final details for packing, etc., because I was still receiving incorrect emails to prepare for my trip. Once again, I was given incorrect information about the project and had to awkwardly find out while on-site. My main schedule for the projects was also incorrect, and I contacted TMR to correct it while I was there, and they never responded to me. I only received templated messages while I was on-site, but they were not timely at all, and my replies would go unanswered. TMR doesn't really seem to care about you once you're on-site, but they send you multiple canned messages, which are useless because they are incorrect and they go unresponded to. I highly recommend doing online research to find the local organizations directly, and booking through them instead of paying TMR to mishandle your booking and charge you more money to do so.
emily reid
Feb 13,2024I had a wonderful time in Ghana, the team and locals were very welcoming. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working in the clinic for my nursing degree; I learnt a lot about their healthcare system and had a lot of opportunities to observe and demonstrate how they carry out their practices.
Eleanor Miller
Feb 12,2024I had an amazing time at the TMR volunteer experience in Sri Lanka! The food provided Monday to Friday in the accommodation was delicious and accommodating for all dietary requirements and there was always enough to go round. I did the childcare programme which was challenging but rewarding too. The only thing I would say is that we were left a bit confused on the organisation of the school day as we were not told what we needed to do. However, it wasn't anything we couldn't work out after a while and it was a lovely experience. I met so many people who helped to make the experience even more enjoyable and I always felt very welcomed by the TMR crew:)
Gill Tait
Feb 11,2024The experience of being in India and travelling around was amazing and going with the Mighty Roar gave me that opportunity. I chose the teaching placement and enjoyed it though it wasn't easy at times due to the problem of communicating with the children and the staff. The staff at the school were always very welcoming and gave us some lunch every day. Also things could change quickly so I was never sure which classes I would be taking each day. I also did a second placement at an orphanage which although I did some teaching was more social as the girls had just returned from school and wanted to relax. The accommodation was fine and the staff quickly responded to any issues with food needed, hot water off etc. The staff were all really good and helpful and included us in some of their family events, they could be contacted at any time. It was much colder than I expected when I arrived especially early mornings and evenings. I am an older volunteer but I always felt included in everything and never felt my age was an issue. The two weekend trips that I went on were good but I was on them by myself as there were no other volunteers booked at the same dates. I feel it would have been much better if I could have travelled and spent time with other people. Overall my experience was great but you need to go with a very open attitude and not have fixed expectations.
Amelia Fuller
Feb 10,2024Had the best time ever with mighty roar in Sri Lanka! I went out by myself as the first part of my travels of my gap year and wasn’t really sure what to expect, I absolutely loved every minute of it. Met tons and tons of people, it was a super social experience as well as the volunteering. Most evenings spent going to local bars near or playing cards with everyone in the hammocks at the base. I did the teaching which was really fun, the children are so sweet and even though I didn’t really have teaching experience before Ayomi and the team there were always there to help! The food was delicious, and lots of it! The rooms were super clean and comfy. Also got to do a bit of the turtle project which was amazing! Literally lived right next to the most beautiful beach which was incredible ! I stayed for four weeks which was perfect. Such a perfect dreamy place :) thank you so much to everyone there, I’m going to miss it!
Suite Number 2064 Kent Space , TN23 6LN, Ashford, GB
http://www.themightyroar.com
Charlie
Feb 28,2024Incredible week in Sri Lanka with the Mighty Roar, working with sea turtles. Saw so much in 1 week, from swimming with turtles to releasing hatchlings back into the sea. Very supportive, friendly team and fantastic, well organised trips, totally recommend.