The Project

Volunteers are needed to help on the following projects:

1. Teaching English in a Local School

Volunteers are needed to teach English in government run schools in both Kathmandu, the Capital city, and in the rural village of Gerkhu, in the foothills of the Himalayas, North of Kathmandu. These government schools provide basic education for children typically from the poorer families of Nepal, who cannot afford private options. In many schools in Nepal, there is a lack of experienced English teachers, and your assistance as a volunteer English teacher will be invaluable in helping improve the childrens' English reading and writing abilities, which is a vital skill in the Nepalese job market or in pursuing further education.

You do not need any previous teaching experience, simply talking with the children, reading stories, encouraging them to develop their English skills, and even singing, will make a huge difference. As a volunteer English teacher, you will find all students are very happy to engage you in conversation to practice their skills, so you will be busy most of the time. It is also encouraged for volunteers to bring your own ideas to the placement, and all new ideas are always welcome. Please note that to minimise disruption to the children, volunteers need to commit to at least 4 weeks for the teaching project.

2. Traditional Farming Project

This is a placement for people who want to experience the hard life of rural Nepal, where the majority of people still farm using traditional methods.

You will live alongside a family and help them work in the rice fields of Chitwan in Southern Nepal. By becoming a part of the family you will truly experience the real life of Nepal and its people. Depending on the season you will do many different jobs, from milking the buffalo, to planting rice, or cutting grown rice and carrying to the house where it’s beaten by hand. There is always something to do on the farm, but you will have plenty of time to relax and chat to the locals, and have the chance to experience the local community. 

This project is located in a village set deep in the region of Chitwan, near the Indian border. Set near the Chitwan National Park, it also gives ample opportunity to explore the wilds of the Jungle where nature and Man live hand in hand.

This project is hard work and not for the faint hearted, but it shows the reality of life in rural Nepal.

3. Working in a Children's Home

This project involves working in the Naurange Children's Home in the Chitwan region. Over 30 children from the ages of 4 up to 17 live in the home which provides a stable base for them and their future school life, to hopefully provide a route out of poverty. As a volunteer, you will work in the home, helping with the running of the home by cleaning, taking the children to school, helping to prepare food and so on. You will also have the opportunity to help the children by teaching them English and other skills, helping with their homework, teaching sports and any other activities you would like to teach. The aim of the project is to give the children of the home a chance to interact with international volunteers, learn new skills and an understanding of the world outside Nepal.

But the project is not all work! As the project is near  to the Chitwan National park, you will have the chance to experience this jungle region; safari on the back of elephants, watch the famous one horn rhinos and photograph crocodiles along the banks of the Rapti river.

4. Working in a Health Centre

This project is located in the Rural village of Gerkhu, in the foothills of the Himalayas, North of Kathmandu. In 2011 a medical centre was built in the village which serves several thousand people in Gerkhu and the surrounding area. It was then arranged for the Nepali government to staff and fund the centre on a daily basis. This is a region where without basic medical care, people die from the most basic of ailments. As such, the centre is vital in providing the basic care needed for local people, and to organise transportation to the larger hospital at Trisuli.

As a volunteer you will be working alongside the Nepali staff at the centre, talking with patients and experiencing rural life in Nepal. No day will be the same, so be prepared to test your first aid knowledge. Ideally this placement is for medical students who want the experience of working in basic conditions in a very remote location.

5. Volunteering in an Orphanage

Over recent years orphanages have sprung up across Nepal at an astonishing rate with over 50 registered homes in the tourist city of Pokhara alone. There are a number that are unfortunately just a money making business for their owners but many work to cope with the number of children left homeless and orphaned after the recent civil war. Which, when added to the lower life expectancy in the mountain regions leads to a growing number of children needing shelter, food and education. This project aims to support several homes across Nepal by placing volunteers where the need is greatest.

Spend your days surrounded by children from the ages of 9 months to teenagers. Helping the house mother to get them to be ready for school or cooking, cleaning, helping with homework and generally playing games with them. Everything you would expect to do for a younger brother or sister. But it’s not always hard work and feel free to sit in the sun watching the children play or strolling to the park where they love to go. And if you feel real confident try teaching those English or any other subject that you’re good at. The main duty to perform here is to see that the children have a good time under your care as most have suffered in their young lives before coming to an orphanage.

6. Teaching English in Bardia National Park

Bardia national park is in the west of Nepal, close to the Indian border and set in the Terai or "flat lands". It is the home of the Tharu people. Volunteers work in a school in this area to help teach English to the local Tharu children. On this project you will be staying in a beautiful mud and wood built Tharu village called Thakurdwara, in the centre of Bardia National Park. Your duties will be to support the teachers, helping to get the class ready and teach English to the children working mostly on pronunciation and grammar.

Because of the remoteness of this placement, and the fact that you will be living in a National park where wild Elephants, Rhino, Tigers and Leopards roam free, this project is recommended only for nature lovers (inside the national park) seasoned travelers and those used to living and working in basic conditions.    

On all projects, you will receive full training and support from both the Volunteer Coordinator and local staff. 

Additional information

For more information regarding this opportunity, please visit the main project page here, or contact Aaron here. The application form can be found here, though it is advised that applicants express interest before applying, in order to discuss personal situations.