Your Typical Itinerary
The programme runs from 2 to 12 weeks. The following information is an outline of what you will be doing on the programme you have chosen.
Day 1 - Arrive
Days 2 to 5 – Orientation
The length of your orientation will depend on the duration of your programme, and will last between 2 to 4 days.The orientation will cover details about your project, the language and the local area.
Weeks 2 to 12 - depending on your chosen
duration
Volunteer Placement
You will be working 3-5 hours
per day on your chosen volunteer project in their locations from the options below:
Volunteer Options:
1.Teaching in Local School: -
Chitwan, Kathmandu, Pokhara
2.Teaching at Orphanage – Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara.
3.Teaching in
Monastery and learning Buddhism - Kathmandu, Lumbini and Pokhara
4.Working at the health post or Hospital - Chitwan and Kathmandu
5.Resource Centre/Library (Teaching) - Langtang
(See below for further information on each placement)
Depending on the location of your volunteer placement you may walk or
take public transport each day. If your placement is far away you will take tourist buses or
local buses. Our co-ordinators in Nepal will explain the easiest way for you to get to your
volunteer placement each day and they will recommend the safest and easiest method of
transport.
Your placement will be dependant on your skills and the needs of the
projects at the time you are there.
1. Teaching in a local school
You will
have the opportunity to help the local community by teaching children English and Maths in a
local school.
You are not required to have any previous experience but you need to be
creative to make learning English fun for the children. Past volunteers have used some of
the following methods:
- Playing word association games
- Drawing pictures of animals/people
- Singing head, shoulders, knees and toes
- Learning colours, days of the week, months of the year etc
There are so many ways to teach the list is endless! We recommend that
you purchase a teaching guide to help you come up with fun, creative teaching
techniques.
This programme provides a syllabus to take students from speaking no English
at all, to being able to fulfil basic communication needs including giving personal
information, describing their daily routines and describing the world around them.
You
will receive information, tips and suggestions from us and when you arrive you will receive
tips on what and how to teach. As well as teaching English you can help with other classes
and activities such as Maths, sports and games.
You can use games to make learning fun,
past volunteers have played things like twister, which helps students learn their left and
right & also colours.
Being creative about learning makes school activities fun and
interesting, and gives the children a more animated lesson.
Location
We have five placement schools in
Kathmandu, seven in Chitwan and four in Pokhara. You will receive full details of your
school placement upon arrival.
This volunteer programme provides an excellent opportunity to work with
children and contribute to the local communities in a positive way. The children are really
keen to learn English as this enhances their future employment opportunities.
2. Orphanages Project
By volunteering at a
Nepali orphanage you will be involved in teaching activities and provide much needed
motivation and enrichment to the lives of the children.
This project offers you the opportunity to not only help teach children
but to motivate and enrich the lives of young people.
You will find this a worthwhile project if you are patient, caring and
compassionate.
The rewards from this volunteer project are endless; you can spread
happiness and also receive it from the laughter of young people you are helping.
As a volunteer you will be:
- Teaching English on a non formal basis
- Creating activities for the students including workshops for cultural exchange
- Sports after classes
The orphanage provides housing, food and teaching materials for all
poor students. Some of the programme fee goes towards providing materials like pens, pencils
& books.
Location
Orphanage 1 is situated in the
countryside, 30 minutes bus ride from the main city of Kathmandu. There are approximately 34
children ranging from six to twelve years old. E-mail and Internet facilities are within ten
minutes walk. You can live at the orphanage home together with the orphans or with a home
stay family near by.
Orphanage 2 is also a 30-minute bus/taxi ride outside of Kathmandu. It
houses about 29 children aged from six to 14 years old. You will have a single room with the
bathroom and toilet located outside. E-mail, Internet and telephone access is five minutes
walk from the orphanage. There is also a Restaurant nearby which sells a variety of food for
when you feel you have eaten enough Dal Bat!
Orphanage 3 is a 15-minute drive out of Kathmandu situated in the
countryside of the Kathmandu Valley. This orphanage has 13 children. E-mail and Internet
facilities are within 10 minutes walk and you can live at the orphanage or close by with a
home stay family.
3. Teaching in a Monastery and Learning
Buddhism
Nepal is the birthplace of Buddha and Buddhism. Though
predominantly a Hindu country, Nepal has a significant Buddhist influence and the beautiful
monasteries all over Nepal show how popular Buddhism is in Nepal. In Kathmandu, Tibetan
people who are in exile in Nepal also practice Buddhism. Volunteers interested in working in
a Buddhist monastery will mostly teach English to monks and immerse themselves in the
Buddhist culture. This is a perfect choice if you are interested in Buddhism and the life of
Buddhist monks.
- As a volunteer you will be…
- Working as an English instructor in schools of the Tibetan Children’s Village
- Teaching for 3-4 hours a day
- Assist in extra-curricular activities and administration
- Organise games, drawing, singing, dancing and other creative education
- You can join in with meditation, rituals, prayers and songs if you wish.
Though no teaching experience or skills are necessary, volunteers
joining the Buddhist monk teaching programmes in Nepal should have good written and verbal
English. Volunteers are expected to be flexible and patient.
Location
During volunteering in the Buddhist
monastery, volunteers will stay in a hostel (mostly located inside the compound of the
temple school). This hostel also acts as a home for monks and children. A separate room and
shared bath will be arranged for volunteers. If you are interested in staying with a host
family this can also be arranged. The projects’ Kathmandu office is within three miles
distance of this project so our local staff will visit you every two weeks. In your free
time, you are always welcome to visit our office.
4. Working at a Health Post or
Hospital
Nepal's health care system is very poorly funded and there is an
obvious lack of manpower and resources at all levels. The local hospitals that are located
in the suburban city areas and villages urgently need volunteers and help. As a medical
volunteer in Nepal, you will work in these rural health posts and community clinics, mostly
assisting the main doctor. Work responsibilities vary depending on your education, skill and
experience. Depending on your medical qualifications volunteers with a background in
healthcare will work closely with orphanages in the Kathmandu Valley as children’s
healthcare is particularly in need of extra help.
- Projects may include:
- Health checks
- The creation of medical records
- Health and sanitation education
- Administering inoculations against childhood diseases
- Treating basic ailments in the Orphanages
- Volunteers with health education and first aid training can also provide real benefits
to local communities. You can teach youth clubs and/or women's groups in the community about
Health and Sanitation. You can also deliver first aid knowledge to the local villages and
assist in developing and delivering First Aid and General Health education.
Please note that for the health programme we prefer medical students or
advanced degree holders, however, volunteers with basic experience in this area can also be
placed.
Location
There are rural and suburban options
around Kathmandu and Chitwan.
5. Resource Centre and Library (Teaching)
There are two Libraries and two Resource Centres in this area, training and educating over 450 children in the last 4 years. Due to the remote location of the project, many children live in poverty and do not have access to up to date learning materials. As a volunteer at these centres, you will be helping to ensure they get the best possible start in life. There may also be the opportunity to get involved in teaching at the local schools during the day.
Location
The Langtang region is best known for the Himal Mountain Views, and is a popular trekking destination. This is approximately 150 km, and a 10 hour bus journey from Kathmandu. The Langtang region includes the Chinese / Tibet border, and is one of the most remote areas in Nepal. Volunteers here will have very limited access to telephone, mail and internet access. Volunteers choosing this option should be independent, pro active and self motivated.
People in this region are primarily Tamang. They are known for their industrious nature, and most work as porters for tourists visiting the area. However, because of the political instability and the remoteness of this region, few porters are employed because of the lack of tourism. As a result, this area has many of the poorest people in Nepal.
Volunteers working in this region should bring appropriate clothing for this environment. It is warm during the days, but gets extremely cold outside of daylight hours. Volunteers are also advised to bring sunscreen lotion, lots of insect repellent, a warm sleeping bag, iodine or water purification tablets and appropriate clothing to be working in this environment.
Included Excursion - Trip to Chitwan (Included in all project options)
You will be taken on a three-day, two-night trip to Chitwan. Your food and drinks are not included on this trip; however, all of your accommodation, activities and transport are included in your programme. You will be taken on an Elephant ride to go Rhinoceros and Bengal Tiger spotting. You will also have the opportunity to go canoeing, visit an elephant sanctuary, visit the Thauru village tour and a show of Thauru cultural dance, a jungle walk etc.
