Volunteer in India

Volunteer in India: Orientation

After you arrive in New Delhi, you will be awaited at the airport by a staff member of our partner organisation. After spending the night in the capital city, you will be taken to Jaipur. Here you will meet the other volunteers during a 4-day orientation, during which you will learn about India’s history, culture, and society. You will also learn you first words in Hindi, see the sights of Jaipur, and receive helpful tips about your project placement.

Throughout the orientation, you will stay with an Indian host family, learning a great deal about everyday life in India. Upon request and additional payment, you can visit the world-famous Taj Mahal in Agra during the orientation.

Volunteer in India: Rajasthan

At the end of the orientation, you will travel onward to Lalsot, about 100 km southeast of Jaipur in a rural area of Rajasthan. This is where you will begin your volunteer work.

Volunteer in India in Rajasthan

The agricultural possibilities here are very limited, and large parts of the population live in poverty, far away or prohibited from educational opportunities of any kind. Aside from various educational projects, there are also placement opportunities in the field of child care. If you would like to engage in more work, you can also take part in renovation and social projects for women. Your placement will depend on the current conditions on location, and you may work in various projects.

Your Accommodation in Lalsot, Rajasthan

Your new home as you volunteer in India will be a rural camp, where you will stay in huts with straw rooftops, with other volunteers from around the world. The camp is built of traditional materials and offers bedrooms, a common room, games, internet, television, a DVD player, and a dining room. The camp is in a small village not far from Lalsot. Use the first few days to get accustomed to your new surroundings, to meet your fellow volunteers and flatmates, and to learn about the projects.

West Rajasthan: Workshops & Excursions

When you volunteer in India, you will have the opportunity to visit various workshops such as yoga or Indian cooking. On free days, you can head for the nearest cities. Or take advantage of the excursions offered in Rajasthan, going for a tiger safari or camel tour in the desert!

Volunteer in India: Overview

• Activities: Depends on the project.
• Free Time: Usually 2 days a week, usually at the weekend.
• Specifics: Your exact project placement will be decided on location in Rajasthan. We will take your preferences into account as much as possible, but please note that we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in a specific volunteer project.
• Duration: 4, 8, or 12 weeks
• Application: It is best to apply as early as possible to volunteer in India, at least 2-3 months before departure. Upon request, you may be able to apply at shorter notice.
• Starting Dates: Usually once a month (not including April through July) at the following dates: 27 Dec. 2010 and 24 Jan., 21 Feb., 21 Mar. (only 4 weeks), 8 Aug., 5 Sept., 3 Oct., 24 Oct., 21 Nov. and 19 Dec. 2011, and 16 Jan., 13 Feb. 2012.
• Practical Experience: Not necessary, but an advantage.
• Other: Since you will be surrounded by a completely foreign culture when you volunteer in India, patience, adaptability, independence, and travel experience are very important. Women need to dress in traditional Indian clothing - during the orientation you will equip yourself appropriately.