Combi-programme I: Rajasthan & Goa

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Combi-Programme I: Rajasthan & Goa

Want to work on meaningful volunteer projects in India? Keen to experience two of India's most vibrant regional cultures first-hand? If working with children in a day care centre or educational camp sounds like fun and you’d like to make a real impact in two different Indian regions, take part in our 8-week Combi-Programme in Rajasthan and Goa!

An orientation event in Jaipur will be the starting point of your 3-week stay in the largely rural state of Rajasthan, in northwestern India. After this, you’ll spend three weeks volunteering on India’s western coast in Goa, with its sun-drenched beaches. As a volunteer, you will be welcomed here with open arms!

Days 1-7: Orientation and Sightseeing

Once you’ve arrived in India, you will be picked up at the airport in New Delhi. After one overnight stay in India’s capital city, you will have the chance to experience India during the following days. You will go on a tiger safari, visit the Taj Mahal in Agra (for an additional fee), and take part in an orientation in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan.

In Jaipur, you will be introduced to the basics of Indian history, culture, and social life during a 4-day orientation event. You’ll learn a bit of Hindi, visit the Amber Fort, and receive useful information about your volunteer project work. Use your free time during the orientation days to stroll through the lively streets of Jaipur, known as the "Pink City", and experience India!

You’ll also experience everyday life in India, staying with an English-speaking host family in Jaipur for the duration of the orientation event. After the orientation, you will take a train to Shiv, where you will start working on your volunteer projects in India.

Days 8-31: Volunteer in Rajasthan

You will spend the next 3 weeks as a volunteer in western Rajasthan. Alongside your volunteer work, you will have the opportunity to take part in a 5-day yoga workshop. Your weekends will be free, giving you time to experience India through excursions in the surrounding areas.

During your time in Rajasthan, you will live together with other volunteers in a camp in Shiv. The camp, constructed with traditional materials, includes bedrooms, dining rooms, and a common room with games and a small library. Aside from the education projects, you could also gain volunteer experience in the field of child care. You can find more information about the project possibilities in Rajasthan under India 18+.

Day 32: Switching regions

After three weeks, you will take the night train back to Jaipur, where you will spend a day, before taking a night train to Goa.

Days 33-55: Volunteer in Goa

After your arrival in Goa, you will continue to engage in volunteer work and experience Indian culture in a completely different region. Even though Goa has experienced much progress in terms of tourism, many challenges remain. Many schools lack infrastructure, and diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, are still very present. Therefore, your volunteer project placement will be in a children's day care centre, educational camp, school, or home for people who are HIV-positive. You can find more information about the project possibilities under Goa.

You will stay in a volunteer house in a small town in southern Goa. Of course, aside from your work, you will also enjoy your gorgeous surroundings and experience India from a different side. On the final day of your stay, you will bid farewell to Goa, before you are taken to the airport in Mumbai.

Volunteer experience in India - Goa & Rajasthan

• Activities: Depending on the project and duration of your stay - see India 18+ and Goa.
• Free Time: Usually at the weekend.
• Specifics: Our local partners will identify your exact project placements after your arrival in India. If you state a project preference, we will do our best to take this into account. Please note, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in a specific project. The programme begins in New Delhi and ends in Mumbai. Please take this into account as you book your flights.
  
• Duration: 8 or 12 weeks.
• Application: It is best to apply as early as possible, at least 2 to 3 months before departure. Upon individual request, it may be possible to apply later.
  
• Starting Dates: Every four weeks from August through March, on the following dates: 9 Aug., 6 Sept., 4 Oct., 1 Nov., 29 Nov., 27 Dec. 2010.
• Visa: Tourist visa and valid passport required.
• Practical Experience: Not necessary, but it would certainly make your stay easier.
• Other: Note that in India you will experience an entirely different culture – patience, adaptability, independence, and travel experience are very important. Women must dress in traditional Indian clothing. During the first few days you will be advised on how to dress appropriately.