Volunteers in BTCV shirts meeting the students of a partner school

Be The Change Volunteers

Hand Delivered Hope

Bringing education, opportunity, and transformation, one community at a time.

Projects
90
Countries
19
Since
2007
A volunteer in a BTCV shirt hoisting a sack of cement onto his shoulder, local kids behind him

Volunteer

Join a team of Changers on a trip to a partner school.

At Be The Change Volunteers (BTCV), We believe education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Better schools create better jobs — and better jobs transform lives. That’s why we partner directly with underserved communities to build long-term solutions, from infrastructure and resources to training and support.

volunteers workingrawanda kids in new class

We don’t just send funding — we show up. Our self-funded volunteer teams, called Changers, travel to remote areas to build schools, deliver resources, and share life-changing cultural experiences.

Together, we hand-deliver hope and opportunity, creating a future where every child has the chance to dream bigger.

Learn more about our Impact
90

Total
Projects

+10k

Students Currently in Partner Schools

+5k

Girls Currently in Partner Schools

Change.Builder.Hands.Pillar.Bridge.Link.Support.Hope.Light.Inspiration.Voice.Difference.Future.Movement.Impact.

Where Will You Go Next?

Learn about our upcoming 2027 trips. Volunteer spots are now open.

🇵🇪
Esperanza, Peru
🇵🇪

Feb 13 – 20

🇵🇷
Castañer, Puerto Rico
🇵🇷

Apr 3 – 10

🇵🇪
El Chino, Peru
🇵🇪

Jun 12 – 19

🇲🇼
Malawi
🇲🇼

Upcoming

🇵🇪
Peru
🇵🇪

Upcoming

🇸🇸
South Sudan
🇸🇸

Upcoming

Ways to Help

Donate
Every Contribution Fuels Change.

Your donation has the power to transform lives. Every contribution — no matter the size — helps us build schools, provide essential resources, and deliver educational opportunities to children who need them most. Your support funds infrastructure, training, and long-term solutions that empower entire communities to rise out of poverty. Together, we can create classrooms where hope is taught every single day.

Donate Every Contribution Fuels Change.
Volunteer
Your Time Can Transform Lives.

Join us on the ground and become part of something truly life-changing. Our volunteers, whom we call Changers, don’t just build schools — they build futures. By traveling to remote communities, you’ll help with hands-on projects, connect with local families, and witness the direct impact of your work. Whether you’re swinging a hammer, sharing a skill, or lending a hand, your time and passion can spark lasting change.

Volunteer
Volunteer Your Time Can Transform Lives.
Empower
Together, We Create Lasting Impact.

Sponsorship is a powerful way to create lasting impact. You can help fund projects, provide essential resources, or even sponsor a volunteer if you’re unable to join a trip yourself. Covering their travel and project fees enables them to serve on the ground and bring your support to life — building schools, empowering communities, and delivering hope where it’s needed most.

Empower
Empower Together, We Create Lasting Impact.
BTCV-SPED
Inclusion Is a Right for Every Child.

Launched in 2023, BTCV-SPED continues a commitment Be The Change Volunteers has held since our earliest days: supporting individuals with disabilities. We believe access, awareness, and opportunity are fundamental rights for every child, including those with differing abilities. Working with each partner community, we take meaningful, culturally respectful steps toward inclusion — so every child is seen, valued, and supported.

Learn more
BTCV-SPED Inclusion Is a Right for Every Child.
Share
Inspire Others to Build Change.

Spreading the word is one of the easiest yet most impactful ways to help. By sharing our mission with your network — on social media, in conversations, or through events — you amplify our reach and inspire others to get involved. Every post, conversation, and introduction brings us closer to building a world where education is accessible to every child, everywhere.

Share Inspire Others to Build Change.

Testimonials from real volunteer Changers

It Was an Amazing Experience That Has Kept Me Coming Back for More.
"It Was an Amazing Experience That Has Kept Me Coming Back for More."

Nicole Neville - Columbia, Missouri

Be The Change Volunteers started doing trips in partnership with my high school when I was a freshman. Theses teams were typically reserved for upperclassmen so my junior year I applied to help build a playground in Guatemala. It was an amazing experience that has kept me coming back for more. I’ve been to Tanzania and Peru since then and each trip has been unique in the experience and the work done. You get an incredible sense of community with your fellow Changers and the locals. I can’t wait to go on another build!
I Can’t Wait Until the Next Project.
"I Can’t Wait Until the Next Project."

"Uncle" Al Rohlfing - Kansas City, Missouri

I first learned of BTCV years ago when their director gave a presentation to my local Sertoma Club. It sounded interesting and seemed like a great organization that I would enjoy. I could combine travel with the construction skills that my Dad taught me and help change the educational opportunities for children in deserving communities. I made the decision to sign up for the Peru Project in 2014. Little did I realize back then where that first four-hour boat trip down the Amazon River would lead me in the upcoming years. I have had the privilege to serve on awesome projects in Peru, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Puerto Rico, and India. Each project is unique, filled with authentic local foods, sights, sounds, and experiences not available through any travel agent. The amazing groups of BTCV volunteers and local project partner communities I’ve had the privilege of working with have all become part of my extended family. Working side by side, we experience the life changing transformations of these schools, their students, and their communities from the ground up together. I can’t wait until the next project.
You Can't Imagine How Much Your Life Can Change.
"You Can't Imagine How Much Your Life Can Change."

Madeline Licocci - Nashville, Tennessee

The opportunity to attend a trip with Be The Change Volunteers could not have come at a better time in my life. I was about to start my senior year of college and although I knew I wanted to be a special education teacher, but I did not have a good handle on who I was. After spending 2 weeks in Uganda I came back to the United States wishing I could turn the planes around and head back to a place where I needed to finish the job I started, where all my new friends were, and where I left my whole heart. You can never imagine how much learning about a brand new culture in a beautiful country could change your life, but it does. I wake up everyday and think about how I want to be a special education teacher so that I can change the world. Building the school and teaching in the school in Gayaza helped to give me this motivation. I know I will be attending amazing trips with BTCV for the rest of my time. The Gayaza Community has shown me who I truly want to be in the world and they have provided me with a kindness and friendship that is irreplaceable. I am eternally grateful for BTCV!
The Best Part of the Trip is the Community You Work
"The Best Part of the Trip is the Community You Work"

Remy Shulz - Williston, Vermont

I am 16 years old and I learned about BTCV through my dad who had participated in a trip to Papua New Guinea. He wanted me to join him on a trip as soon as I was old enough. A BTCV leader recommended that we go on the Peru trip and we decided that would be a great trip to start on. I loved the group who we went with but the best part of the trip is the community you work with and the connections you make. The community welcomes you, due to the unique nature of BTCV trips and work alongside you to better the community. We now plan to participate in at least one trip a year and hope to do so for many years to come.

Your Support Made It Possible, $473k Raised in 2025

With $531,026 in total funding and $524,910 invested, 2024 was a year of meaningful progress. Nearly every dollar went directly to building schools, supporting volunteers, and creating opportunities for children in need.

Read the Full Annual Report

  • Projects $318,161 60.6%
  • Operations $159,406 30.4%
  • Changer Scholarships $24,700 4.7%
  • BTCV Kids $22,643 4.3%

Phomotso Makeke Cook

dove flying towards the right dove flying towards the leftHonoring Our Son Phomotso Makeke Cook
Honoring Our Son Phomotso

Phomotso Makeke Cook, adopted son of BTCV Co-founders Jimi and Cristi Cook, inspired everyone from the first day they met at Fairview school in South Africa.

With unwavering passion and BTCV Kids support, he became the first student in the program to earn a university diploma in photojournalism and complete his master’s degree. For him, every photograph told a story; every person deserved to have theirs heard.

In 2015, Phomotso returned as a BTCV volunteer to Malawi, bringing the gift of education to other children and completing the circle of a mission that changed his life.

Tragically, in May 2016 at the age of 23, he passed away in his sleep from a heart attack, leaving an impossible void in the hearts of those who loved him.

His generous spirit, love for learning, and talent for capturing the human essence remind us that dreams, when nurtured with education and opportunity, can transform the world.

Read more and see his portfolio