India: Child Labor Welfare

Project Summary

Stone breaking, that is exactly what the kids of Siliguri, near Darjeeling, are doing on a daily basis under the beating hot sun simply to attempt to make a living, never mind the ability to actually make a living. Kids and some of their families, if they have family, are breaking rocks everyday for a nominal amount of money which is not even enough to maintain a normal life. These kids fight for food and for their lives. Many diseases and health related problems have been noticed in these areas. It is very problematic, especially when the numbers consist of over 500 children in these conditions. This project/center will be similar to others in place in this area, but will focus specifically on the welfare of these stone breaking kids. Social work and health related work camps already exist in this area; it is our wish to build up these programs as well as a medical vocational training center for these youth. There already exists an abundance of community support for this project. We welcome students, volunteers, and retiree groups all to participate in this project. The goal is to start the non-formal school, medical camp and vocational training unit all in this area.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks
Start Dates:	August: 16th November: 1st
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 of teaching Monday to Friday. June 1-14, July 16-30, Aug 16-30, Nov 1-14

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. Your role as a volunteer will be to help underprivileged kids in Siliguri, near Darjeeling. We are working on getting this project off the ground and desire to have skilled initiators working with us at this time. It is also necessary to have creative independent volunteers to help achieve our vision. Teachers, artists, musicians, athletic enthusiasts, medical professionals and anybody who is good working with kids is welcome to create their own contributing role within our vision.

Project Location

In the north of India, 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. Siliguri and Darjeeling are north of Kolkata.

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.

Activities that are available on site to volunteers include Yoga and Language classes. Yoga classes are available for $50 per week, per person. This includes two classes a week on Saturday and Sunday evening. Bengali language classes are also available for this same rate on Saturday and Sunday early mornings.

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, dieticians or food distributors, yoga instructors, artists, musicians and coaches.