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Lasting development isn't done for communities. It's done with them.

Sustainable development

That conviction is why Recycle for Change funds the training of volunteers committed to sustainable development in the world's most vulnerable communities.

Our volunteers don't just learn about global poverty. They take action. They work side by side with communities to reduce the spread of preventable diseases, train teachers who uplift entire villages, and empower small-scale farmers to grow more food and build better lives. They help create safe, nurturing spaces where children can thrive.

A volunteer in a programme t-shirt crouches beside a young girl outside a village home, both smiling at the camera. A volunteer leans over a school desk, working through an exercise book with a group of uniformed pupils.

And the change runs both ways. As volunteers help others grow, they grow too — gaining skills, confidence, and a deeper sense of purpose. The ripple effects spread far beyond one project or one place.

Our partner program

Through Richmond Vale Academy, people from all walks of life are joining the fight against poverty.

A man kneels in a garden bed planting seedlings alongside two children.

Richmond Vale Academy

Founded in 2002, Richmond Vale Academy is a research and training center in the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. RVA welcomes adult volunteers from around the world who are serious about making a real difference — fighting poverty, protecting the environment, and confronting climate change head-on.

Its immersive, hands-on programs in sustainability and social impact give volunteers the skills, knowledge, and inspiration to become agents of change in their own communities and beyond.

Two ways to take part
6 months

Climate Activist Program

Based entirely in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Volunteers plant mangroves along the coastline, build ecological home gardens, teach in schools, and run community environmental projects.

10 months

Volunteer Abroad

Three months of preparation in St. Vincent, six months working alongside project partners in Malawi, Zambia or Mozambique, and a final month back on campus to reflect and share what was learned.

Ready to put your old clothes to work?

Whether it's hosting a Box, organizing a collection drive, or just dropping off a bag — every pound counts.