Community Projects in Nepal

Placement number: 0216
Location:       Nepal
Preferred Languages: English, Nepalese
Date:  All Year 
Minimum Period : Dependant on project

This NGO project requires volunteers in several locations looking after orphans, teaching in schools and the local hospital.

Volunteer social service work is very important and necessary in Nepal.  We have very wide field of volunteers in the leader is  professional medical person. He has  many connections in the medical field as well as in the school health programme.  Another important role is the 16 poor and orphans children in their trust.

Role of Volunteer

1.  Teaching English in schools
In this program volunteers are placed in local schools to teach conversational English and reading classes to Nepali children. It is the goal of our partner organization to ensure that the children of Nepal are able to advance their practical written and verbal English language skills. In Nepal, English is becoming more and more of a required skill for job placement, educational advancement and future success. Schools in Nepal often lack funding and resources. Class size can range from 10 to 80 students. School runs from Sunday to Friday with Saturday off, students are between 4 and 16 years of age. To teach English at a Nepali school you don't need to have formal teaching qualifications. You will need a good command of written and spoken English, plenty of enthusiasm and a lot of patience. Festivals, exams, holidays and strikes disrupt the teaching schedule at various times throughout the year. We ask that volunteers in the teaching program have a second choice of program for these times. You may also like to consider teaching in an informal setting within the orphanage program where many children need additional assistance with school work.

 2.   Orphanage Program 
In this program volunteers will be placed in an orphanage located within a one and a half hour bus ride from the heart of Katmandu. Some placements allow the volunteer to live within the orphanage; however, volunteers can also choose to be placed with a host family. As well as being very rewarding, these placements can be physically and emotionally demanding. Your role as an Orphanage Volunteer is to be a big brother or sister to the children. What you will be doing will vary in each orphanage. You may be required to help in other ways besides simply working with the children - for example helping with medical visits, cleaning, paper recycling, gardening, teaching the house mothers how to properly clean, doing repairs, mending clothing, planning activities for after they return from school and perhaps preparing meals. Once the children return from school, your role will be to assist and encourage them with their homework as well as play with them. Teaching English may be a big focus as you will not be able to teach common subjects such as english or Science with the language barrier. You could help the children in other areas - basic hygiene for example, like regular teeth brushing and hand washing. Games, songs and other activities will be extremely popular with the children. Some of the older children may be encouraged to develop skills that may help them in later life such as paper making, sewing or maintenance work. These may be future skills that could help them to become self-sufficient as adults.

3.     Health Education 
 Depending on their medical qualifications volunteers with a background in healthcare will work closely with orphanages in the Kathmandu Valley. The need is extensive for childrens' health care. Projects could include; health checks, the creation of medical records, health and sanitation education; administering innoculations against childhood diseases and treating basic ailments in the orphanage. 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 Programs. Please note that for the health program we prefer medical students or advanced degree holders, however, volunteers with basic experience in this area can also be placed. 

4.      Home Stay/Cultural Exchange 
 This program is a fantastic way to get more out of a trip to Nepal if your time is short. In this program you will be placed with a Nepali family in a small rural village or within a city for the duration of your stay. You'll learn about all aspects of Nepali culture, lifestyle, language, food and people - an unforgettable experience. You should remember that this is a cultural exchange so you should try and offer some knowledge of your own home culture and customs to your host family. During your home-stay you will attend 2 hours of language lessons in the morning and in the afternoon. You can spend the day visiting the local village and school and exploring the local area. You will also have the opportunity to help out at the local school. Home-stay programs can only be arranged for two weeks or one month and are best from August to December, which is the time when most large local festivals take place resulting in an overall more exciting experience. Please note that if you choose a home-stay/cultural exchange you will be placed with your host family as soon as you arrive in Nepal.

Cost

Cost of Food and Accommodation is £250 - £280 per month but working in the hospital will be £350 per month. This includes pick-up from local airport.

Travel

Volunteers will be met outside the airport terminal by holding a placcard with volunteer name.so that volunteers have to  provide us their  flight information as soon as possible so that a punctual pick-up can be assured.