India: Community Development

Project Summary

There are many different types of Community Development projects involved with all of our various projects. These projects are on-going and require much needed volunteer work. Below describes some of the areas of community development work involved.

The Tea Estate workers near Darjeeling and their families have little money and minimal access to facilities to even attempt to lead normal lives. Many of these families have to depend on the rat and snake meat for survival. We welcome any groups from May-September who would like to help us focus on the 200 plus kids who are suffering from malnutrition and illiteracy. Our goal is to continue the non-formal schools we have already started along with further community development while utilizing vocational training centers with self-income generating projects. The purpose of this is to create a sustainable environment for the people, and especially the youth, in which they can grow and live. A self-income generating sustainable project will help these young kids survive and hopefully put them on the right path, as they are already getting involved with alcohol and other drugs. At this time the vocational centers are providing the following trainings: basic computers, basic English, tailoring, and handicrafts. We are also planning to start carpentry and beautician trainings.

Thousands of refugee families from Bangladesh have been displaced and bound to living at both sides of the Railway Tracks from Sealdah (Kolkata City) to Bangaon (Bangladesh Border). These areas are very unhygienic and could quite possibly be considered unlivable conditions. We are targeting a group of 5000 plus kids and working with them to try to help support them through our various types of work camps. These kids are much in need of our support in order to live better lives. We welcome groups of all types who are willing to help these needy kids. Teacher groups, medical groups, social worker groups, student groups, intern groups and any others that desire to help, are all welcome to help.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks
Start Date:	Every Monday
Arrival Date:	1 days prior to your Start Date (Sunday)
Minimum Age:	18 years old
Volunteer Gender:	Male and Female
Accommodation:	Your accommodation is included in the program price. Volunteers could stay in any of the following: family homestays, halls, lodges, guest house and school lodges (dormitory) depending on availability at the time and location. Accommodations will be for 2-4 (same gender) volunteers per room with basic living conditions.
Food:	Three meals a day are included in the program price.
Pick-up Info:	A Volunteer Visions representative will be waiting for you at your arrival point and guide you to your accommodation and project location.
Project Schedule:	The working day can range from 4-8 hours Monday to Friday, but basically any work hours are applicable in this project.

Your role as a Volunteer

You will be given a more specific list a work details during your orientation, but the following is a very basic description of what you may be able to expect. As a volunteer you will be working with these needy children to help improve their lives in any way possible. Your work may include anything from playing with the kids to teaching English, hygiene, computer skills and various other vocational skills. Washing, cleaning and feeding the kids may be some of your other tasks as a volunteer. We are also looking for people to be creative and help brainstorm and initiate other sustainable self-income generating projects, such as a beautician school or carpentry school.

Project Location

Kolkata (Calcutta), India's third largest city is defined not by its poverty but by the energy, imagination and zest for life of its people. Located in West Bengel, Kolkata has a population of 14,000,000. From April to June the city is extraordinarily hot, so the arrival of the monsoon rains in mid June can feel like a blessing. From mid June to October these rains poor down on the city and lighten up starting in October and run through February. Temperatures in Kolkata rarely drop below 15ºC (59ºF) and often soar above 35ºC (95ºF). The city is expected to date back around 2000 years, therefore it clearly has an abundance of history underneath your feet. More recently the IT boom in India has started to catch up with Kolkata, prompting many multinational companies to set up base in the city.

Local Activities and Attractions

Considering volunteers have weekends free they are more than welcome to travel to nearby places. We are also capable of organizing tour programs for our volunteers before or after their program.

Possible excursions depend on available time and project location. Here is a list of destinations you may choose to visit: Taj Mahal, New Delhi - Capital of India, Trekking or simply seeing the sights of the Mountains of India - Himalayans, Western Ghats, and Eastern Ghats, Villages of India with cow driven cart and man driven cart rides, Ganges Safari, Pilgrimage places of India, Jaipur - the Pink City of India with elegant Elephant ride, Deserts of India - Thar Desert with a challenging Camel ride, Beaches of India, and Indian valleys which include snow-capped peaks, dry and cold deserts, luxuriant fields, rock-faces, mangroves, bare stretches of earth, and a range of alpine to impenetrable tropical rain forests.

Suggested Skills and Interests

Most importantly the volunteers need to be open-minded, have initiative, creative, patient and enjoy working with children. Self-motivation is very important as well. Volunteers should respect the culture, dress codes, and traditions very closely. They need to be flexible with local foods, accommodations and systems of living. Specific skills or trades that have been found in previous volunteers include, but are not limited to: teachers, health care professionals, social workers, community developers, construction workers, and dieticians or food distributors.