Learning Enterprises is an entirely student-run 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit organization that began as a way of connecting people who had the expertise to share and time to spare. Volunteers, most of whom were college students, had their summers free and wanted to spend it in a meaningful way. The students in underserved communities -- many of them rural villages in developing countries -- also had their summers free, and these communities had a felt need for extra English language classes. To create a mutually beneficial program, someone just needed to connect the two parties, and that is what Learning Enterprises does every summer.

The volunteers travel to the underserved community, and the local communities take them into their families, providing meals, room and board for an average of six weeks. In exchange, the volunteers teach English in local schools for an average of 20 hours/week. The program operates on the goodwill and trust between the volunteers and the people they teach. Learning Enterprises facilitates this meeting by screening host communities and families as well as preparing the volunteers to teach and become acclimated to a different culture. Learning Enterprises is centered on the idea of connecting people.

Unlike many other service organizations, who charge volunteers hundreds - even thousands - of dollars to participate in their program, LE relies on a modest application fee and the generosity of donors and alumni who share our vision that students should not have to pay to volunteer. Teaching English with LE is based on our volunteers' commitment and hard work, not their ability to pay a program fee.