{"id":1356,"date":"2022-09-18T07:59:34","date_gmt":"2022-09-18T06:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freepackers.com\/embarking-on-a-humanitarian-trip\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T16:10:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T15:10:19","slug":"cost-breakdown","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/freepackers.com\/en\/cost-breakdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Cost breakdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Cost breakdown<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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International Projects<\/a><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Where does your money goes<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPartners\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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  • Frais de logement, repas, transport des volontaires<\/li>\r\n
  • Staff (coordinators, guides, cooks, etc.)<\/li>\r\n
  • Equipment, premises, and materials<\/li>\r\n
  • Donations for the creation of new projects<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFreepackers' administrative fees\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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    • Freepackers membership fees<\/li>\r\n
    • Personalized support and follow-up<\/li>\r\n
    • Project visits by the team<\/li>\r\n
    • Bank fees, insurance<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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      Where does your money go? <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Understanding the management of a nonprofit's funds is essential to trust it, which is why Freepackers transparently explains how cost management is organized.<\/p>\r\n

      \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

      Overall Budget and Indirect Costs<\/h3>\r\n

      The budget is determined by:<\/p>\r\n

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      • The cost of living locally<\/li>\r\n
      • The cost of infrastructure and staff<\/li>\r\n
      • Donations to sustain the project.<\/li>\r\n
      • These expenses can only be quantified across all projects<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

        It is difficult to include indirect costs for each project individually. To optimize project management, these costs are averaged over the year and then distributed across all projects. Here are some examples of hidden costs in all projects: <\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Bank fees: managing bank accounts and international transactions.<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Project audit fees: on-site audits carried out by our team to validate partner organizations and ensure project transparency and efficiency<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Project management fees: our team is actively involved in all projects, providing continuous support and oversight.<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Flexibility guarantees: Freepackers provides guarantees to adapt to changes in dates or programs, offering assistance in case of unforeseen events, allowing for program adjustments rather than cancellations.<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Exchange rate guarantees: currency fluctuations can significantly impact project budgets, and we take measures to ensure cost stability despite fluctuations in certain countries (Argentina, South Africa).<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Local authority compliance: we ensure compliance with all local regulations, which adds costs and administrative procedures<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Liability insurance: to protect our organization and members, we maintain liability insurance<\/p>\r\n

        \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

        Example of Cost Distribution<\/h3>\r\n

        Let\u2019s take the example of an animal shelter project in Argentina to understand the importance of indirect costs.<\/p>\r\n

        \"\"<\/p>\r\n

        \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

        Example: fees retained by the receiving banks and exchange rate costs (approximately 13% of the total budget):<\/p>\r\n

        \u2022 Total budget \u20ac2,100
        \u2022 Donation \u20ac500
        \u2022 Balance to transfer to Argentina \u20ac1,600
        \u2022 Bank fees (receiving) \u20ac150
        \u2022 Remaining balance \u20ac1,450
        \u2022 Project donation approximately \u20ac1100
        \u2022 Volunteer logistics AR$484,000 (approximately \u20ac350<\/p>\r\n

        \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

        Volunteer logistics are organized by a local partner organization and include:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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        • Implementation of safety protocols and first aid across all projects<\/li>\r\n
        • Training and provision of local supervisors and coordinators<\/li>\r\n
        • Equipment<\/li>\r\n
        • Accommodation and in some case meals<\/li>\r\n
        • Local transport<\/li>\r\n
        • Insurance<\/li>\r\n
        • Taxes<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

          \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

          The more specialized the project is, the more resources <\/strong>it requires (vehicles, telemetry, in-vitro analyses, veterinarians, caretakers, etc.). The cost of living <\/strong>on site also determines the logistical expenses. This is why a mission in Australia will be more expensive than a mission in Thailand <\/p>\r\n


          These costs are inherent to any international internship or volunteer experience, and they would need to be organized and financed in any case. By including them in a transparent package<\/strong>, we ensure that participants are hosted directly within the NGO, fostering an authentic immersion<\/strong> while providing meaningful financial support <\/strong>to local organizations. <\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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          Freepackers : an ally in financing your project <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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          Taking part in a project requires significant resources (logistics, supervision, equipment, a reliable structure). Paying to take part in a humanitarian trip <\/strong>can be seen as an obstacle, which is why Freepackers is committed to supporting you.<\/p>\r\n

          We continuously monitor all available funding support options <\/strong>for international mobility. Our goal is to make international experiences accessible to as many people as possible and to provide information on all available resources.<\/p>\r\n

          \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

          Going through Freepackers also means gaining access to information on grants and mobility funding, all aimed at making humanitarian engagement more widely accessible.<\/p>\r\n

          Do you have a funding goal? It\u2019s possible<\/strong>- you just need to:<\/p>\r\n

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          1. Anticipate<\/li>\r\n
          2. Plan<\/li>\r\n
          3. Research<\/li>\r\n
          4. Persevere<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

            \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

            We send hundreds of students and young people on projects every year. Everyone manages to put the necessary means in place to achieve their dream.<\/p>\r\n

            So why not you?<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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            Freepackers: an independent and committed organization <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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            \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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            Here is a summary of the Freepackers guarantees:<\/p>\r\n

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            • Head out into well-charted territory.<\/strong> No greenwashing, only real, verified projects.<\/li>\r\n
            • Support <\/strong>is provided by professionals<\/strong>, not volunteers or interns.<\/li>\r\n
            • Advice from a small, accessible team<\/strong> that listens to your needs, no call centers here!<\/li>\r\n
            • Receive all the tools and information<\/strong> you need to go abroad, whatever your budget.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

              \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

              We are an independent organization<\/strong> we receive no support from the State or from our partner organizations. The sustainability of Freepackers therefore relies solely on participants\u2019 financial contributions.<\/p>\r\n

              Sur les dix derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es, nous avons revers\u00e9 plus de 1 300 000\u20ac de donations \u00e0 nos ONG partenaires<\/strong>. Votre contribution ne s\u2019arr\u00eate donc pas seulement \u00e0 financer votre projet, mais \u00e0 soutenir tous les projets mis en place par Freepackers.<\/p>\r\n

              A wonderful way to give even more meaning to your humanitarian trip!<\/p>\r\n

              \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

              High safety standards and ethical conditions<\/h3>\r\n

              To ensure that financial contributions have a lasting impact<\/strong>, the projects must:<\/p>\r\n

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              1. Employ more than 50% local staff <\/strong>and have a co-management system with local communities<\/li>\r\n
              2. Apply fair pricing and engage professionals <\/strong>(biologists, nurses, masons, architects, etc.)<\/li>\r\n
              3. Ensure your safety <\/strong>with 24\/7 supervision, guide you in your tasks, and make sure the set objectives are achieved<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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                Selected projects for you <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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                We are a small team of 10 people, and we ensure meaningful, high-quality international mobility.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

                Freepackers takes care of the complicated tasks for you:<\/p>\r\n

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                • Finding the local organization<\/li>\r\n
                • Defining the nature of the mission<\/li>\r\n
                • Registration<\/li>\r\n
                • Project preparation<\/li>\r\n
                • Communication with local teams<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                  \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

                  We free you from the stress of logistics so you can focus solely on fully enjoying your trip.<\/p>\r\n

                  This budget is justified by:<\/p>\r\n

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                  • Personalized <\/strong>support<\/li>\r\n
                  • Comprehensive and secure logistics<\/strong><\/li>\r\n
                  • Constant on-site supervision<\/strong> and more!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

                    \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

                    Our long-term partners regularly host international participants.<\/p>\r\n

                    You will always find a position available for you, depending on your profile and travel dates.<\/p>\r\n

                    Projects have been visited to ensure missions with real impact and reliable, experienced local teams. We work only with trusted individuals known to the entire Freepackers team, who travel the world to find the best projects.<\/p>\r\n

                    \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

                    We focus on learning and exchange projects<\/strong>; this is not humanitarian aid. Rescue, assistance to people in danger, or emergency relief is not part of our scope. We also do not claim to eradicate poverty, injustice, or inequality.<\/p>\r\n

                    We simply aim to contribute to making the world a better place<\/strong> through targeted and local actions<\/strong> at our level<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t