Real life volunteer experiences

High School, Katanga Village, West Beng

Written by Arnrid Wood

This project is off the beaten track in a country district of West Bengal, an eight hour journey from Kolkata. To volunteer here is to immerse yourself in Indian culture, as expressed through Ananda Marga., an organisation devoted to educational and social development in the poorest communities. Followers - lay people, ordained monks and nuns - and all the children, practise daily meditation to seek “the path of bliss” (“Ananda Marga” in Sanskrit).

In practice, volunteers are invited to join in the daily life of the school community. That means teaching classes in whatever subject you feel comfortable with – usually English, computer studies or maths; or helping in the garden, painting window frames or other odd jobs, or participating in chores like peeling potatoes. Playing with the children during their time off is a large part of the work, as the younger children especially are away from home and hungry for affection. It works best when volunteers cast off their inhibitions and join in everything – being proactive in offering to help is important.

Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, staff going out of their way to help volunteers settle in. The children are an absolute delight – well behaved, unspoilt and affectionate. They love imaginative teaching through games and drama, as their formal school work is normally very disciplined. The younger children love painting, drawing and being read to - so take lots of picture books if you go. The older children enjoy meeting new people from different cultures.

It is fascinating to live without mod cons – sitting cross legged on the floor, eating traditional food, managing with very few teaching resources, and a fluctuating electricity and water supply. Visiting local villages, where people manage to survive on nothing, is humbling. There are usually only one or two volunteers at a time at the project, and the language barrier can sometimes be frustrating, but with goodwill on both sides, this can usually be overcome. Asking the children to teach me Bengali worked a treat.

I would certainly recommend this project for someone who wants to experience authentic rural India.

About the placement

For more information, visit the placement page for Primary and Girls High School in Uma Nivas (West Bengal).