The Himalayan kingdom of Nepal is renowned for its breathtaking scenery, its rich cultural heritage and its friendly people. A small country wedged between India and China, it contains 8 of the world’s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest. It is the world’s only official Hindu state and is dotted with both Hindu and Buddhist temples and sites of pilgrimage.


Nepal is also an extremely poor and underdeveloped country, with most of its population relying on small-scale agriculture. Volunteers work in a range of village-based projects with local people. Participants experience the traditional way of life, the culture and the beauty of Nepal, while engaging in an exchange of ideas and work practices in the poorest communities.


This programme includes an extensive cultural element and optional recreational activities so participants can enjoy the nature, culture and life of Nepal to the full.
 

Projects

Teaching
The ability to speak English provides a major boost to Nepalese children in terms of their future career opportunities. Volunteers are required to teach Basic English to elementary school children. Most schools follow a fixed English curriculum, and volunteers teach in collaboration with local English teachers. You will be teaching for 2-3 hours a day, 6 days a week. Other tasks include helping out in organising games, painting and other activities. Many past volunteers have also organised informal English classes in local villages.


Work in Orphanage
Poverty and ongoing civil conflicts seriously affect the poorest children of Nepal. Every year, thousands of children arrive in Katmandu searching for jobs and a future. Unfortunately, reality of city is different. Many of these children work 14-hour days in industry, hotels, and restaurants. Recently, an orphanage has been established in Katmandu to rescue these children from a life of poverty and degradation.


Our volunteers help orphans with basic conversational English language instruction and conduct creative programs including games, nutrition, and sanitation. The orphanage workers welcome active participation of volunteers in administration, health education, games, and drawing and painting creativity with the children. By serving the orphans of Katmandu , you will be offering them a different perspective on life that they can carry into adulthood. Orphanage work is a great mission and provides life-changing experiences. Some orphanages are less structured and basically serve as informal education training centers.


Conservation
Deforestation has become a serious problem in Nepal due to the overuse of wood for fuel. Several small, village-based nurseries have been set up to combat this. Work is physically demanding, involving tasks such as seed collection, sowing, mulching, watering and weeding, but can prove extremely rewarding to the energetic volunteer.


Health
Many hospitals and other health projects in Nepal are understaffed and in need of experienced helpers. Medical students, doctors and nurses are required to help local medical staff in the treatment of patients, record keeping, nutrition, and sanitation. Volunteers interested in joining a health programme must have proof of their qualifications or experience in the health sector.


Orientation & Language Course
Participants are collected from the airport in Kathmandu and brought to their accommodation in Kathmandu for the first week of the language and cultural programme.


The basic aim of the language and culture programme is provide volunteers with some basic Nepalese and to familiarise them with the culture and religion of Nepal. It will include:


4-5 hours a day language classes, followed by free time to explore Kathmandu.
A guided tour of Kathmandu valley to visit important cultural and religious sites
Lectures from visiting professors on topics such as religion, culture and history
Village Home-Stay


Participants are transferred to a small ethnic village located in the mid-hill region of Nepal where they will stay with a local family for the second week. These villages are untouched by many aspects of modern civilisation and people still practice traditional ways of farming and cooking. You will continue to practice the language while learning about rural life in Nepal in preparation for your volunteer placement.


Activities during this week include:
Working with villagers on traditional farms (cutting crops by sickle, plowing land with bullocks, transplanting rice by hand)
Learning the ethnic dance of the region
One-day hike to see the beautiful mountain countryside


Accommodation
Accommodation will be with an approved home-stay family, with three meals a day. You should not expect luxurious accommodation; however you will be provided with your own room and most homes have electricity. The host families are mostly educated, well-respected in society, and experienced with international students. Some members of the host family may speak English.


Optional Recreational Activities
For a small extra cost, participants will have the opportunity to join in a range of exciting recreational activities during their stay. These include:


White-water Rafting
A full afternoon of white-water rafting on the Trishuli River will be organised. An experienced guide will take you along a beautiful route between the villages of Charudi and Kurinight.


Jungle Safari
A 3-day visit to the Royal Chitwan National Park will be arranged, including a jungle safari, elephant riding, canoeing and cultural dance.


Trekking Tour
At the end of your placement, you have the opportunity to join a week-long guided trek in Annpuruna. The trek passes from village to village through lush valleys with spectacular mountain views. Accommodation will be provided in tea-houses on route.


What Is Included

Pre-departure information and preparation workshop
Airport pick-up and transfer on arrival
All costs of language programme and cultural visits
All costs of village home-stay week
Transportation to project
Home-stay accommodation and food for duration of the programme
In-country support while on project
What Is Not Included


Cost of flights
Cost of visa extension
Recreational options
Airport drop-off at end of programme
Personal expenses


Our volunteers work and live alongside local people in local communities in some of the most deprived areas in the Nepal. It is in response to their experiences, development education programme was set up.
Visas


Tourist visas can be obtained in advance or on arrival in Nepal, but it is recommended you contact the Nepalese consulate to confirm you will get a visa at the airport. A single-entry visa for 60 days costs approximately US$30. Volunteers who wish to stay for more than 60 days in Nepal can extend their tourist visa by paying US$50 to the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu.


Costs (2007 prices)
Mini-Trip: $1299 (USD) for 2 Weeks
Summer Special: $1600 (USD) for one week of Annapurna trekking
Trekking: $ 350 (USD) for one week of Annapurna trekking
Language and Culture: $350


Why do you have to pay to volunteer abroad?
People who are considering volunteering overseas sometimes express surprise at being asked to pay a participation fee. However, it needs to be remembered that volunteering can be an expensive undertaking, with possible costs including pre-departure and on-arrival workshops or briefings, language training, selection and screening of projects and accommodations, local transportation, food, health and accident insurance, ongoing program monitoring and 24 hours x 7 day emergency support. To provide participants with a consistently high quality programme it is also necessary to employ staff and maintain a proper infrastructure and cover general administrative costs including programme development and evaluation, rent, salaries, computers, liability insurances, and telecommunications both in Ireland and in your host country.


We strive to make a difference by connecting willing volunteers with worthwhile local projects in some of the most deprived communities in the world. We do this in a supported environment. Undoubtedly there are cheaper ways in which to become a volunteer overseas, especially if you locate a host project yourself. But in this case you would be without the assistance with your preparations, the 24 hour support, the local knowledge, the expertise, the options to move to a new project or housing if you are unhappy, all of which Volunteerabroad.ie can offer. This will certainly save you money, but could also expose you to greater risk and may leave you stranded with no little or no local support if anything goes wrong. Our experience is that if things do not work out as expected volunteers rely a lot on the support provided.

Volunteerabroad.ie is fully funded by participant fees – Our host projects receive any grants or external support for arranging your volunteer placement. Host project organizations are never asked to contribute to or absorb the direct costs associated with receiving a volunteer. Similarly we are not a grant giving body for local projects and the fees we charge do not include any significant financial contribution to the project.