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Volunteerism is an incredibly enriching activity, and it can even become a lifestyle. But it can also be a lot of hard work, and sometimes you need a little motivation or even inspiration. So to help inspire you to get out and help people, we’ve put together a list of books that any volunteer can enjoy.

Little Princes

“Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal” by Conor Grennan is about the author’s time volunteering at the Little Prince’s Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal. Though the 29-year-old Grennan was initially hesitant about the work, he soon found that the orphanage was trafficking the boys under the guise of protecting them from the war and charging the parents a fee. Grennan courageously commits himself to help reunite the children with their parents. An inspiring true story of extraordinary volunteerism.

Wide Open World

This book by John Marshall is about how the author took a 20-year marriage that was falling apart and his teenage children on a globe-trotting adventure of volunteerism. Leaving their jobs and responsibilities behind, the Marshal family did everything from teaching English in Thailand to helping monkeys in Costa Rica and reconnected with each other along the way. It’s a beautiful book about how volunteering can heal the soul.

Bonobo Handshake

This book is for anybody who loves animals or who wants to volunteer with them. Author Vanessa Woods and her fiance travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to volunteer at the Bonobo sanctuary, working with apes that share most of their DNA with humans. Through learning about the endangered species’ courage to survive, Woods also learns more about herself and the power of volunteering.

The Third Wave

Author Dr. Alison Thompson is a full-time global volunteer. Her book “The Third Wave” is an autobiography of her time helping rebuild in Southern Asia after a tsunami hit and helping out at ground zero after September 11. But it’s also a book about how volunteering can change the way you look at life and has tips on what you should do while volunteering.