Iko Poran Volunteer Abroad Terms and Conditions
Please read carefully these Terms and Conditions below before sending us your application form.
By checking the box “I have read and agree with IKPVA Terms and Conditions” at the end of the application form you fully accept and agree to the following terms, conditions, and disclaimers:
Definitions:
Project – means the project described on the website www.ikoporan.org that the Volunteer is applying to do;
IKPVA – means Iko Poran Volunteer Abroad, a non-profit international volunteer organization based in Brazil that offers volunteer projects in many countries around the World;
Volunteer – means the Applicant to a volunteer abroad program through IKPVA;
Registration Fee – means the payment of one hundred and forty-nine US Dollars (US$ 149, includes VAT) submitted by the Application to register in an IKPVA program;
Program Fee – means the payment from Volunteers directly to the local organization to cover local costs described in each specific program page at the IKPVA website;
Extra Costs – means all the costs and expenses to prepare for the trip, including but not limited to visas, airfares, travel and medical insurance, immunizations, personnel costs and also for leisure activities, tour/excursions when in the country;
Application form – means the form submitted by the Volunteer when applying to an IKPVA program;
Program Start Date – means the date when the volunteers should be at the destination.
Travel
The Volunteer is wholly responsible for making any travel arrangements to his/her destination. IKPVA makes available to the volunteers advice concerning visas, health requirements and many others on the guides that volunteers receive when registered in an IKPVA program. Volunteers must arrange all the necessary travel documents that are required for their destination. IKPVA is not responsible and cannot be liable if a volunteer fails to have all travel documents up to date and in proper order for his/ her destination. We highly advise volunteers to check all requirements with the appropriate Consulate or Embassy before traveling. Note that some documents might take some time to be issued; the sooner volunteer starts the process the better.
Volunteers should provide IKPVA the details of their flights, travel and medical insurance, passport details and any other information as IKPVA may reasonably require prior to the Departure Date.
IKPVA is not liable if volunteers cannot enter the country or continue their travel plans due to lack of documents or incorrect travel documentation.
Insurance
IKPVA does not provide the volunteer with insurance of any kind. Travel insurance is mandatory and volunteers must purchase insurance prior to departing on the trip. The volunteer is solely responsible for deciding the type, extent, and level of any insurance coverage they require during the planned travel period. However, the insurance must cover the entire length of the program.
Immunizations
IKPVA recommends that Volunteers see their local doctors to find out the immunizations they might need and take to any country they will travel to at least 6 weeks before they travel. Be aware that some of them take time to cause-effect. Each volunteer is solely responsible for checking and having the correct and necessary immunizations required for their specific destination.
Refund Policy
IKPVA’s registration and program fees are designed to be significantly less than the fees charged by other companies. Firstly because IKPVA is a non-profit organization; it is also the only volunteer abroad organization based in a developing country that also runs its own developing projects. Most of the other providers are mainly profit-oriented traveling companies based in First World nations. As a result, IKPVA is unable to offer and does not provide a full refund policy. Registration fees are refundable according to the conditions set out in the section entitled “Registration Fees”
Registration Fee
The registration fee covers our marketing costs, pre-placement support from our staff, a complete package with information guides, detailed information about the program, administration costs, travel costs to run inspection visits in all locations, communication costs, and office staff.
The registration fee is refundable up to sixty days before the program start date. Refunds will be made less the costs to process the refund, such as bank and transaction fees, and an IKPVA processing fee of US$50.
If the volunteer changes the program start date, the date considered for refund purposes will be the earliest of the dates the volunteer has planned to start, unless agreed with IKPVA.
Refund requests must be received by IKPVA no less than sixty days prior to the program start date by email or post. Phone calls are not acceptable. Upon receipt of the volunteer’s refund request by IKPVA, we will notify the volunteer by email. If the volunteer does not receive the notification email, this means that the request has not been received and volunteers should contact IKPVA immediately.
A volunteer’s placement on a program cannot be confirmed until the registration fee has been paid in full. The registration fee does not attract any other transaction fee to cover merchant services, bank fees and/or any currency conversion charges.
If a volunteer requests a confirmation or booking verification letter from IKPVA or any of our partners abroad, then they cannot receive any type of refund if they decide to withdraw from the program.
Registration fees are not transferable to other persons.
Program Fee
Details of the program fees are outlined on each program page on the IKPVA website. Program fees are paid to our partner organizations directly by the volunteers prior to their arrival and are not refundable by IKPVA.
Program fees are subject to change and revisions will be made on the IKPVA website. These changes will not affect volunteers who have already paid their registration fee unless they change their original booking after the revisions have been made.
Program fees are due thirty days prior to the start date of the volunteer’s program. Failure to make this payment can result in the loss of volunteer’s placement with no refund of the registration fee. If the booking is made within 30 days of the program start date payment of the program fee is due as soon as the volunteer’s placement is confirmed.
Volunteering in developing countries can be very challenging and requires a spirit of generosity and sincerity. Volunteers should not expect a structure, but be open-minded to the unexpected things that will happen. Shortages of staff and/or equipment, public holidays, cultural events, local circumstances, and other activities may require volunteers to work in other areas in the same project than the ones described in the exact program selected.
Program fees are not transferable to other persons.
Change of Dates and Duration
Once registered and before they begin their program with IKPVA, the volunteer may change the program start date and duration once, subject to availability, at no additional cost. Every other change to the start date or program will incur an administration fee of US$ 40.
If a volunteer wishes to change their start date within fourteen days of the program start date, they will be required to pay an administration fee of US$ 80.
Personal Risks
Volunteering and traveling in a developing country may involve some personal risks. The volunteer acknowledges and accepts sole responsibility for any risks of whatever nature associated with this volunteering agreement to travel to, live and provide volunteer services during the length of their volunteer program.
Such travels during volunteer work can be often hazardous and involve a certain degree of risks, both foreseen and unforeseen. IKPVA works with a network of partner developing organizations, companies, travel agencies and individuals qualified to perform the activities they are contracted to deliver, therefore, IKPVA, including any and all of its shareholders, partner organizations, directors, managers, employees and host country partners will not be held liable, to the maximum extent permitted by law, for any loss or harm, caused directly or indirectly by accidents, including but not limited to injuries, damage or loss of property, natural disasters, death, illness or disease, hostage situations, or war or terrorism. The volunteer acknowledges and accepts sole responsibility for any such risks that may occur during the volunteer program.
Indemnity
The volunteer agrees to indemnify IKPVA and all its local partners against any and all liability which IKPVA incurs arising directly or indirectly from the breach of these Terms & Conditions by the volunteer and any claims, losses, demands, costs, expenses, damages and causes of action caused as a result of the volunteer failure to perform the services required.
Local Rules and Drug Use
The volunteer agrees to abide and follows the partner organization’s code of conduct and any law and regulations of any country visited. IKPVA shall not be liable for any breach of conduct that may result in instant dismissal from the program with no refund. Illegal drug use is strictly prohibited.
Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct
The volunteer has read the complete IKPVA Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct and fully understands and agrees to follow all procedures contained within. Failure to follow the guidelines set forth by the IKPVA Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct may result in the removal of the volunteer from the program without any refund. IKPVA reserves the right to notify the emergency contact appointed by the volunteer and IKPVA may also take appropriate action.
Miscellaneous
– IKPVA website is presented solely for the purpose of promoting our services and the services of IKPVA’s partner organizations. The site was created and is controlled by IKPVA from its office in Rio de Janeiro. IKPVA cannot guarantee that the materials in the site are permitted or available for use in other locations.
– IKPVA reserves the right to update or change these Terms and Conditions at any time and if you continue to use the Website/Services it is, therefore, your responsibility to check these Terms and Conditions regularly.
– Volunteers agree to allow IKPVA the right to use feedback and images provided by volunteers to IKPVA for website materials such as photos, videos, testimonials, blogs, etc. as well as IKPVA’s social media.
– Notwithstanding anything else contained in any agreement, the liability of IKPVA to the volunteer shall not in aggregate exceed the amount of the registration fee paid by the volunteer.
– IKPVA does not warrant or make any representations regarding the correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise of the materials in this site or the result of their use.
– IKPVA connects volunteers to partner organizations in other countries. The volunteer agrees that IKPVA has no liability for any actions or omissions of any partner organization.
Force Majeure
IKPVA cannot be liable for any lack of performance, unavailability or failure of the services prevented or affected by reasons or circumstances amounting to ‘force majeure’, reasonably beyond the control of IKPVA and its local partners, such as war or terrorism, civil friction, natural disasters, severe weather conditions, fire and similar events, government intervention and other types of dispute that prevent the delivery of the services.
Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Brazil.