Health and Safety

The health and safety of our participants (volunteers and travelers) is the utmost concern to us. We have placed many things together to ensure the health and safety of our volunteers. In this page, we explain many services that are available or managed by Rustic to ensure the health and safety of our volunteers/travelers. Again, safety is our FIRST priority

How we ensure the health/safety of our volunteers/travelers:

Projects are located in safe destinations: Rustic operates its volunteer and travel program in safe destinations only. Because of the popularity of many destinations, we have selected countries like Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Nepal. Volunteers/travelers are placed in areas far away from conflict zones. If violence escalates, we immediately cancel or transfer a program.

Our projects, host families, and coordinators are carefully selected: Rustic understands that volunteers/travelers spend most of their time in the host countries especially in our volunteer projects, with host families and in our offices. Therefore, we thoroughly hand-pick our coordinators, host families, and project support staff. Our coordinators and host families will treat you as family and will be willing to offer any kind of assistance you need

Volunteers work and stay with other international volunteers: Rustic’s Volunteer and Travel program begins the first and third Monday of each month (exception in South Africa 1st & 3rd Wednesday). On each starting date, you can see at least 3-5 other volunteers. In most cases, you will stay and work/travel with other volunteers/travelers. If you desire to reside with your friend or other international volunteers (of same gender), we GUARANTEE it

We offer comprehensive insurance with many safety features
such as Help - 24/7/365 Assistance Services (provided by Travel Guard®) :

Rustic does offer comprehensive insurance with many safety features. Recently, Rustic teamed up with one of the best travel insurance providers in the market – offering comprehensive insurance coverage packages for all participants. Now, with Rustic's new insurance, you can travel and volunteer with a peace of mind in 20 wonderful countries – knowing that you are covered… AROUND the WORLD. Whether volunteering abroad and/or traveling in the amazing plateau of Tibet, wandering around the base of Mount Everest or Kilimanjaro, venturing through the rural villages of Ghana or India, or maneuvering through the dense forests of Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru – you are protected.
Your Travel Card is valid for one year and multiple trips abroad
Your Travel Card includes 5 amazing services

• Protect - Travel Insurance (provided by Travel Guard®)
• Help - 24/7/365 Assistance Services (provided by Travel Guard®)
• Link - Phone Card (provided by ekit®)
• Pay - ATM/Debit Card (provided by Ecount®)
• Safe - Document & Information Storage (provided by ekit®)

Please click here for the detail of coverage

We offer pre-departure booklets with lot of safety information

On the Rustic website, you can find lot of information about your health and safety. We have provided a wealth of information and web links for visas, travel warnings, vaccinations etc. Before you depart for your destination, we supply you with a complete pre-departure booklet that encompasses a ton of safety information to ensure your health and safety. The booklet is also full of rules and regulations that you need to follow in our program, host families, project etc

We monitor world news and safety updates

Rustic as well as our international coordinators monitor world news including State Department Travel Advisories, on a regular basis and will inform our volunteers/travelers, their families, and our field staff partners accordingly. We will immediately cancel the program when we learn through world news and U.S. Department of State travel warnings that their health and safety is in jeopardy.

We give orientation on safety and health issues

Before the start of the program, Rustic field staff gives you a brief orientation about the health, safety, local culture, religions, and way of life for your particular country and region. Volunteers/travelers are also encouraged to ask any questions that might affect their health and safety.

Off office hour contact of Dallas office, local coordinators and project staffs

Volunteers/travelers can contact its Dallas office staff (we would be glad to pass our off office mobile phone if you need). Similarly you can contact our local field staff at any point for any kind of problem. If your safety is in danger you can come to our office immediately (with out delays)

Local police and Embassy

Pre-departure booklets for Rustic Volunteer and Travel contain the contact address of local police offices and local US or UK or Canada or Australia embassies (you can contact your embassy at any point). For safety, please register yourself with you local embassy first

We encourage volunteers/travelers and parents to read the above given information on Health & Safety very carefully, if you need help please feel free to contact our office during business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.