Terms and Conditions

Introduction

Welcome to HAVSERVE (“we” or us). We also encourage you to visit the Privacy Policy section of this website.

These are Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) governing your participation in a HAVSERVE program. Your joining a program constitutes your agreement with these Terms – if you do not agree to all of these Terms, please do not join a program and navigate away from this site immediately.

We may change these Terms from time to time – you agree to check these Terms periodically, and every time you join a program.

HAVSERVE is a registered non-profit organization registered in Maryland, United States of America.

Personal Risk

You accept and acknowledge that travel to a developing foreign country and/or remote area involves inherent risks and dangers, including, but not limited to:

Accommodations;
Roads;
Trails;
The maintenance or operation of any vehicle utilized to transport passengers;
Transportation failures whether by airplane, train, auto, boat or other watercraft, horseback or other animal, by foot or by any other conveyance;
Risks associated with food or impure water;
Consumption of alcoholic beverages;
Dangers associated with wild or other animals;
Physical exortion;
Stolen, lost or misplaced property;
High altitude;
Forces of nature;
Civil unrest;
Acts of terrorism;
Accident or illness in remote regions without means of rapid evacuation or availability of medical supplies and facilities;
Adequacy of medical attention once provided.

You accept and acknowledge that personal injury or illness, emotional trauma, property damage and death can occur by natural causes or activities of persons or animals, either as a result of negligence or because of other reasons.

If you are accepted into one of our programs, prior to us confirming your spot we will ask you to read, agree and sign our Liability Waiver that, amongst other things:

Releases us, our management team, our staff, fellow volunteers, partners, and any persons or groups associated to us of all liability;
Signifies that you are waiving any claims against us, our management team, our staff, fellow volunteers, partners, and any persons or groups associated to us, and expressly assuming all risks associated with participating in any of our programs or activities.

Insurance

For all of our programs we require that you have travel medical insurance, including emergency evacuation, throughout your experience. Unless otherwise noted, we do not include it because there are many different plans available and you know best what is right for you. Before your departure we will ask you for general information about your policy, but it is your sole responsibility to determine its adequacy and any associated details like coverage levels and deductibles. If you fail to provide us with the requested insurance information within 10 days of your start date, you will lose your spot and your fees will not be refunded.

Further, you understand that we do not and shall not maintain health, medical or disability insurance coverage for any participant in one of our programs. You understand that we will have no liability regarding the adequacy of any evacuation plan, medical care, equipment or supplies that may be provided. You acknowledge that injuries received may be compounded or increased by negligent rescue operations or procedures of us or other third parties.

You release, waive and agree not to hold liable and/or sue us for any acts of negligence or injury caused by any first aid, treatment or service administered to you. You agree to be responsible for your own welfare, and accept any and all risks of property loss or damage, unanticipated events, personal injury or illness, emotional trauma and death.

4a. Cancelation and Refund Policy

Program Fee

The program fee is refundable only up to 60 days before the start date of your placement. If you change your start date, the earliest date is used for refund purposes. To request a refund, you must email your HAVSERVE Mentor and indicate that you are requesting a refund. The date of your refund request is the date that your email is received.

Upon receiving your email we will send you an acknowledgement email. If you do not receive an email, assume that we have not received your request. All refunds will be made less a 50% fee for costs already incurred by us. Program fees are not transferable to another person. If you sign up within 60 days of your placement, the program fee is not refundable.

If the start date of your placement is more than 60 days away, then the program fee is due at least 30 days before your start date.

Once your placement starts, under absolutely no circumstance will we refund any of your fees if you take time off during your placement or leave early. Circumstances include, but are not limited to, family and/or medical emergencies; dissatisfaction with your placement; visa issues; and general change of plans.

4b. Cancelation and Refund Policy

General

We reserve the right to revise the fees at any time and without notice. If you have already submitted your application and not yet begun your volunteer program, your fees will be held to the original pricing.

Program Fee

The program fee is refundable only up to 30 days before the start date of your volunteer program. If you change your start date, the earliest date is used for refund purposes. To request a refund, you must email your HAVSERVE Team Leader and indicate that you are requesting a refund. The date of your refund request is the date that your email is received.

The program fee is due within 72 hours of receiving your confirmation letter. If we do not receive the program fee, you may lose your tour spot.

Once your volunteer program starts, under absolutely no circumstance will we refund any of your fees if you take time off during your tour or leave early. Circumstances include, but are not limited to, family and/or medical emergencies; dissatisfaction with your tour; visa issues; and general change of plans.

Immunization and Travel Health

While we may offer you a list of suggested immunizations and travel health tips based on such publicly available sources as the United States Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization, we are not medical professionals and have no medical expertise whatsoever. We strongly recommend that you visit a medical professional before your trip; however, it is your sole responsibility to arrange and determine any required immunizations and medical procedures that you may need before, during and after your time in the field with us.

Furthermore, you accept and acknowledge that we have no responsibility regarding the adequacy of any evacuation plan and medical care, equipment or supplies that may be provided to you before, during or after your program. You are solely responsible for your own welfare, and you accept and acknowledge any and all risks of personal injury or illness, emotional trauma, property damage and death that may occur as a result of you joining one of our programs.

Travel to Your Program Country

You are responsible for arranging and paying all your airfare and other transport to and from the country where you will be joining one of our programs. While we may offer you travel advice, it is your sole responsibility to arrive in your host country in a comfortable, safe and timely manner.

Additionally, start and end dates are fixed. If you arrive late to your program or miss days during your program, regardless of the reason, we will not reimburse you. If you stay extra days on the program site, facilities or volunteer home, either before or after the program period that you signed up for, you will be charged for the additional days.

Travel Within Your Program Country

Unless explicitly noted by us in the description of your program (for example, we offer airport pickup and drop-off to all our volunteers), you are responsible for arranging and paying for any local transportation that you may need or wish to use. While we may offer you travel advice, it is your sole responsibility to use sound judgment and travel in a comfortable, safe and timely manner. Generally, for any individual exploration, travel or excursions away from your program location while on duty with HavServe, you should be accompanied by screened and trusted HavServe staff or volunteer. You must seek and receive written approval from HavServe prior to any unscheduled travel that is not part of your volunteering program with us.

Immigration

While we may offer you advice on such immigration issues as passports and visas, immigration laws and policies are constantly changing and vary greatly across countries. You are solely responsible for planning your entry and departure from foreign countries and carrying the necessary documents. We are not liable for any cost, whether financial or otherwise, that you may incur in attempting to enter or leave a country.

Volunteer Program Coordination

You understand that HAVSERVE is a support system for volunteerism and acts on behalf of suppliers, hereinafter “Local Partners.” You accept and acknowledge that we organize, promote and offer programs that offer accommodation, transportation and other services provided by our Local Partners. Examples of Local Partners include, but are not limited to, hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers, and tour guides.

If you are accepted into the program that you are now applying for, before confirming your program we will ask you to read, agree and sign our Liability Waiver that, amongst other things, releases us, our management team, our staff, fellow volunteers, partners, and any persons or groups associated to us of all liability related to:

Any of our Local Partners’ negligent or willful acts, or failures to act including, without limitation, their partial or complete failure to deliver services to you; any personal injury or illness, emotional trauma, property damage or death which arises out of any service provided to you by our Local Partners;
Any error, misrepresentation or mistake, whether intentional or unintentional, made by any of our Local Partners.

Participant Acceptance

To join any of our programs there is an application form that you must complete and submit. We reserve the right not to accept you into a program for any reason.

Additionally, we rely upon any statements or representations that you make in the application form or during the application process as being true.

Unless otherwise indicated, for all our programs we require that you submit to us a police background check. If you do not supply it to us in a timely manner as per our directions, we will not let you join our program and will not refund your fees.

Code of Conduct

If you are accepted into the program that you are now applying for, prior to confirming your spot we will ask you to read, agree and sign our Code of Conduct and Volunteer Handbook. The document details our expectations of you as they relate to you joining our programs.

It is our sole right to determine violations of the Code. If at any time during your program we feel that you are not abiding by the Code, we reserve the sole right to ask you to leave. You will not be reimbursed for the fees you paid.

Guarantees and Warranties

The information on our site is provided “as is” without any representation or warranty, express or implied, of any kind, including, but not limited to warranties of merchantability or fitness of any kind.

Furthermore, all of our materials, including but not limited to, our website, may contain inaccuracies and typographical errors. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any advice, material, opinion, statement or other information displayed or distributed through our materials. You accept and acknowledge that any reliance on advice, material, opinion, statement or other information that we provide to you shall be at your sole risk.

Finally, we reserve the sole right to make any changes to any of our materials, including but not limited to, prices, privacy policy, programs and terms of services, at any time and without notice.

Attorney Fees

You agree that in any litigation, arbitration or other proceeding arising from or related to these Terms, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the non-prevailing party all reasonable attorney fees and associated costs and expenses incurred. In the event of a non-adjudicative settlement of litigation between the parties or a resolution of dispute by arbitration, the term “prevailing party” shall be determined by that process.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Maryland in the United States of America. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts sitting in the State of Maryland and waive any jurisdictional, venue or inconvenient forum objections to such courts. You expressly agree that these Terms are intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Legally Binding

These Terms shall be legally binding upon you, your family, heirs, administrators, executors and legal representatives. In accepting this document, you are not relying upon any oral or written representations or statements made by us other than what is set forth in these Terms. You understand and agree that in the event that any clause or provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such clause or provision shall not otherwise affect the remaining clauses and provisions of these Terms and will be construed as though the unenforceable clause or provision had never been contained in these Terms.