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Program Location: Rajasthan - a
museum of Indian culture.
Rajasthan is one among a very few
regions of the world that remained untouched by the influence of time
for over centuries. It is amazing to know that 80 percent of this land
is considered as tourist destination. Even today the medieval charm of
the forts, the gentle winds from the distant sand dunes whisper us the
tales from times unmemorable. With diversified climatic conditions,
castles, wild life sanctuaries, world famous temples, trekking routes,
camel rides, dancing peacocks, simple and happy people and their rich
culture that throws its enduring magical aura - Rajasthan has
something special to offer to every type of traveler.
One would obviously be anxious to
experience every hue of this tourism paradise named Rajasthan. Just
traveling through this land brushing the cities and visiting tourist
spots cannot cater to the appetite of a true traveler. To get to the
core of this vast and vivid culture, you should live with these
people, participate in their festivals, stay in their homes, eat their
food, play with their kids and should lead your life according to
Rajasthani standards and customs in every possible way. Working as a
volunteer of Volunteering India offers you exactly the same thing.
About The Program:
This program is going to make you
experience those exciting and beautiful things you would never expect
to face in your life. Volunteers from all over the world would join
you offering you a broad spectrum of friendly relations. The starting
point of your itinerary would be New Delhi where our representative
would pick you up. A night's stay at Delhi would be provided to relax
yourself. The next morning we would move to Jaipur, the capital city
of the state and the showcase of Rajasthan's extraordinary
architecture. Jaipur is rightly called as pink city, the color
associated with hospitality in Rajasthani culture. Here you would stay
with local host families. The warm welcome of the people you have
never seen before and their childlike affection creates an
instantaneous intimacy with this land and people. In Jaipur you would
participate in a four-day orientation, learn about rural lifestyle,
their interesting culture. This program is organized by local NGOs to
give you an idea of different social issues in the rather neglected
areas of this region. It would be very exciting that a little by
little you become a part of this most ancient culture of the world.
Besides this you would have ample time to visit all important and
beautiful places that a normal tourist could visit.
After these four days program you would
move to rural areas, the very core of this enigmatic land, to work
there as a volunteer. The working areas are in Jaipur and Alwar
Districts. Your daily work mainly involves teaching English or math.
You would also make students participate in creative and funny
activities to ignite their imagination and creativity. The moments you
share with these sweet little buds create an unforgettable impression
in your heart forever. The goal of your work is to make learning a
joyful experience to the children. Volunteers also have a chat with
children's families, make them realize the importance of education and
motivate them to send their children to school. Serving these poor
innocent people without expecting anything in return brings you a
satisfaction beyond description which money cannot buy.
Depending on the needs of the local NGO
partners, you would work on other community development activities
like tree plantation in schools and villages, conducting health
checkup camps for children and their families, skill enhancement and
practical training programs for teenage girls etc. Spending days
entirely away from your daily routine leaves you with a lifetime
memory of perfect tranquility and splendor.
Volunteer Opportunities:
The volunteer opportunities are
currently available in the following areas:
· Teaching English;
· Caring for Orphans;
· Environmental Awareness;
· First Aid & Health Education;
· Community Development;
· Home Stay / Cultural Exchange.
Teaching English:
Though the system of teaching is
different in India, the volunteers can proceed in their own way of
teaching English. Sometimes you may need to follow the school
curriculum. For e.g. encouraging the student to prepare for
examinations. During the time you work as a volunteer in a school, you
would stay with an Indian family near the school. Volunteers are
required to teach for 2 to 6 hours daily in a six-day week. The time
schedule may vary from one school to another. The weekly holiday is
Sunday. You can also undertake teaching in youth clubs or women's
group for informal education for 1 to 2 hours a day. The students' age
range would be between 10-14 years and they would have basic English
knowledge. In youth clubs, volunteers are encouraged to work hand in
hand with local teachers to help them develop conversational skills
and adapt new teaching techniques.
Caring for Orphans:
The NGOs or state run orphanages in India are full to the brim with
children. They are dogged with problems like limited staff, resources
and facilities; they are struggling to provide care, love and support
to orphaned children. As they are immensely understaffed, they
understandably can barely manage the day to day issues. This has lead
to very few learning through enrichment or extra-curricular
activities.
Volunteering India has been trying to bridge the gaps in the
development of these children. We have not done this all on our own
but with the tremendous help of our domestic and international
volunteers. The help has been in form of improving the existing
facilities in the infrastructure, assisting the staff, teaching the
children, helping with the general running and administration of the
orphanage. Volunteers have also helped in the areas of refurbishing
existing buildings, improving facilities, teaching Basic English,
drawing, drama, conducting games etc.
At these orphanages the children adore you and greet you with the
broadest of smiles. They love to touch you as they think 'Are you for
real?' The children are here due to their circumstances. The reasons
could be abject poverty, disability or homelessness.
Through Volunteering India Caring for orphans program you can make a
lasting difference in these young lives. You can care for children in
many ways. Often no special skills are required, as volunteers are
needed to spend time playing, reading, exercising and share time with
the children. Your 'time' is what the children want. Like all the
children they want attention. They want role models for them to look
up to and aspire to be. Many of our host organizations are
short-staffed and the volunteers' attention gives the children the
extra love they need.
The need is expansive and long-term, so your opportunity to make a
significant difference through service is likewise immeasurable. You
can help expand, maintain residential training and daycare facilities
and help host staff conduct recreational activities, teach classes and
also serve meals.
If you have first-hand experience working with children with
disabilities, professionally or personally your expertise can be
useful in this effort of Volunteering India. You can also provide
direct services to deaf or mentally challenged children.
No matter what your age (above 18), background, gender or ability, you
can be a valuable resource to demonstrate the universal language of
love, compassion and make a difference to the childrens' lives!
Come join us for Caring of orphans programme! Together we can and
together we will!
Environmental Awareness:
This is the best choice for those who
is enthusiastic and have a passion to change things for better. This
program offers a good opportunity to put to use various skills of
volunteers for the common good of the rural people. At the same time
you would expose to and have a chance to learn several interesting new
things. A basic understanding of recycling, environmental issues,
health care and first aid would help you to contribute well.
Volunteers stay and work in a rural village. They generally join an
existing project. Interested may possibly conduct a survey into health
and environmental scenario of the village and create a project to suit
the needs of the area. Recently completed projects include planting
and sampling, bee-keeping, organic farming, compost bins, communal
toilet, health seminars and distribution of jute shopping bags to cut
down plastic waste. Future projects include energy efficiency, waste
management, nutrition and agricultural improvements. Volunteers, when
required, would have access to Indian interpreters and assist them.
The main aims of the program are to encourage the rural population to
pursue an eco-friendly life style and to make them learn good things
from western civilization. You will need to be able to work in a team.
The program is currently in operation in a few villages of Jaipur,
Dause and Alwar districts of Rajasthan and we are actively recruiting
volunteers to expand this program.
First Aid & Health Education:
Volunteers would teach Health Education
to rural school children for about 1 or 2 hours daily in a six-day
week. You would also work with youth clubs or a women's group in the
community to educate them about Health and Sanitation. You would also
provide first aid training to uneducated rural people. Medical
students could be the best suitable participants for this program.
However, others with a little experience in health grounds can also
join this.
Community Development:
The point of volunteering without borders is foremost to serve,
and thereby, to learn, experience and cherish first-hand about the
host community and its culture. One might see it as an alternative to
regular vacation but it comes along with an opportunity to apply
skills and interests in a setting that is unconventional which
eventually will benefit the community that you have chosen to put your
efforts into.
Volunteering India has been actively
involved in various community development programs mainly in
Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya
Pradesh and expanding to other parts of India. These programs aim at
meaningful volunteering projects for the general public, university
and college groups, medical schools and businesses in association with
local grass roots organizations, Children's home, schools, and local
communities.
In each effort that you make, the
benefits are flowing down to the under privileged, poor and to
communities almost immediately. These efforts help makes a big
difference where it matters most at the level of the people.
The utmost concern for you and the host organizations is that of
cultural sensitivity. Some volunteers find it the most difficult
aspect of their volunteering experience. There will be aspects of the
local culture that amaze and puzzle your sense of logic or test or
sometime even challenge your sense of justice. However, remember you
are the visitor and here for a short time. No lone volunteer can
change age old and heartfelt traditional practices or culture. You
must ponder again and determine if you are flexible enough to respect
the local culture.
Volunteering in the community demands requires a unique combination of
flexibility and patience, those who are self-starters, and people who
genuinely respect the host community and their culture. A volunteer is
a humble learner and proficient enough to share the good values of his
side of the world. You are not here to save the people. The basic
premise of the being a volunteer is to come and share your energy and
time with the people, contribute positively, to experience the host's
culture first hand and to grow themselves.
Home Stay / Cultural Exchange:
This program provides a wonderful opportunity for volunteers to
learn several interesting things about Indian culture, lifestyle and
language and also forms a good interaction with the people here. Home
Stay/Cultural Exchange programs are arranged in most parts of
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Himachal Pradesh. The
duration of Home stay / cultural exchange would be for two weeks or
one month. During this period the volunteers stay with a rural Indian
family participate in their festivals and cultural activities.
In a typical placement volunteers stay in a family where they get
Indian/local cuisine twice a day (around 9 O' clock in the morning and
7 O' clock in the evening). Tea is served in the morning and in the
afternoon. Volunteers will have the opportunity to get together with
other volunteers and share their experience. You will be able to
travel to nearby towns for shopping and could travel to other areas on
longer vacation. Besides your project work, volunteers can utilize
their spare time in organizing the youth and women's groups of the
community to do some worthwhile activities like building a smokeless
stove, building a toilet by using local materials, making a soak pit,
kitchen gardening, making a solar dryer, garbage management or paper
recycling.
This program offers an excellent choice to lead life according to
local traditions and culture in every possible way. This is a suitable
pick for those who got bored with monotonous lifestyle. Each day you
would wake up with no idea of what would be going to happen next. This
is also a suitable option for those who want to form friends from
different cultures.
Program Location:
The locations of the program vary depending on a number of issues.
Placements are determined upon arrival with considerations of
availability and safety of volunteers. Most of the placements are
located in rural as well as urban areas of Rajasthan.
Eligibility to participate in programs:
To participate in volunteer programs conducted by volunteering India
one should -
· Be 18 years or above;
· Have no major health problems.
Training:
Training takes place during the first 10 days of the volunteers'
arrival in India. It will be divided into two phases, four days for
the first phase and six days for the second phase. For very short-term
volunteers, training will take place over a few days.
Phase One - The first four days will be spent with other volunteers in
a hostel/home stay in Jaipur. During this week volunteers will be
provided with six hours of training per day. The training will
include:
· Basic Hindi language classes - 2 hrs, morning.
· Rajasthani cultural orientation / general cultural exchange - 1
hr, afternoon.
· Language and Skills Activities - 1hr, afternoon.
· Sightseeing - 1 1/2 hrs, afternoon.
Phase Two - The second week is an orientation into Indian village
life to prepare volunteers for the period of their village placement.
The volunteer group will move to a local village where they will be
divided into pairs. While continuing their Hindi language classes,
volunteers will live with a local family, eating traditional Indian /
local cuisine, observing the village culture and getting a closer
perspective of the rural lifestyle. During this time volunteers will
practice teaching in the school and prepare for their community
placement.
Volunteers can opt for a break upon completion of this training.
During this break volunteers are encouraged to enjoy Jaipur's natural
beauty by visiting forts, palaces, lakes, parks etc. There are no
strict rules in volunteer program as far as the breaks are concerned.
All volunteers have freedom to take time away from their placement at
any stage and necessary arrangements will be made in this regard.
When volunteers return from their break they will be sent in pairs
to their placement.
Program Schedule:
The volunteer program starts on the 1st of every month. You can
choose to be a volunteer in any area with varied durations ranging
from 2 weeks to 6 months. The English teaching program is limited
during the months of May and June as local schools would have summer
vacation during that period.
Major Indian festivals take place during the period from September to
November. The exact dates of festivals are decided by lunar calendar.
To see calendar of events click here. This
would interrupt your program. We wouldn't recommend to initialize your
placement during this time of the year if you opt to volunteer for a
month or less. On the other hand, this period provides a
once-a-lifetime opportunity to closely interact with the local culture
for those who choose to volunteer for longer period of time.
Program Charges:
To see the charges in your currency, we recommend you to
click here.
The costs of the Program are as follows:
Volunteering India - Application Fee: US $150.00. The application fee
covers administration, marketing, program information, communication
and direct support to our partners in India.
Click here to apply for the program.
Program Fee: (All costs are in US Dollars)
|
Duration
(in weeks) |
2 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
18 |
20 |
24 |
|
Project Costs |
400 |
500 |
600 |
675 |
750 |
825 |
900 |
975 |
1050 |
1125 |
1200 |
1300 |
The program fee includes :
> Administrative charges;
> Training fees;
> Charges for accommodation;
> Meals during Training and Placement;
> Transportation of volunteers and
> Expenditure for supervision.
The other expenditure you would be required to meet are:
> Your flight charges,
> Visa (a 65 day tourist visa is US $ 30 only. The extensions
are charged at US $ 30 per 30 days. The maximum number of renewals is
three).
> For still/video photography at museums, travel insurance,
police check and corresponding airport departure taxes.
> You may need a weekly budget of up to US $ 20 to support your
general expenditure like bottled water, personal items, beverages and
entertainment.
Village life in India is relatively inexpensive in comparison to
cost of living in western countries and you can hardly spend US $ 10
per week during your placement.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are given answers for several questions that volunteers
generally have. Click here to get answers for a list of
Frequently Asked Questions.
Application procedure:
The application and the further procedure would go through the
following stages.
1. Application: Fill up the Application
Form below. Upon receipt of the form we will assess your
suitability for the program.
2. Acceptance: Applicants whose applications are accepted would
receive a letter of acceptance via e-mail.
3. Decision: Once you receive the letter of acceptance, this is
the time to apply along with your
Biodata/CV and application fee to secure your place in the program.
Before you pay the fee, you can put forward any questions, doubts or
clarifications that you may have. We would give proper explanation for
all your queries. It should be noted that your application fee will be
refunded after deducting administrator charges, if you decide not to
attend the program.
4. Confirmation: Once the application fee is paid, we will contact
you to ensure everything is organized. We will also send you the URL
of our program guide which covers topics such as: country information,
travel links, visa application process, fund raising ideas and much
more!
5. Communication & Support: Throughout the application process, we
are committed to clarify any of your qualms. We will be in continuous
contact with you via e-mail even during your placement/program in
India. We will take every possible care to see everything going on
smoothly and properly.
Click here to apply for this
program.
For more details Contact:
VINOD MEENA
Project Coordinator,
Volunteering India,
A-26 (C-1), Bhartiya Path,
Kanti Chandra Road,
Bani Park, Jaipur-302001
I N D I A
Tel: +91 1412355187
Mobile: +91 9829013534
E-mail:
info@volunteeringinindia.org
URL :
www.volunteerginginindia.org
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When I first arrived in India, it felt
like every little thing was so different from back home- the
sights, the sounds, the smells, the people, the animals; every
moment was a new adventure, and I was always excited to see what
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