India: Street Childrens' Home

Program Summary

Thousands of refugee families from Bangladesh have been displaced and living in shanty communities for years. Near Madhyamgram there are hundreds of homeless street kids sleeping in the open at night. This makes them more susceptible to getting involved in illegal activities and with drugs and alcohol. Some of these kids end up dealing drugs and the young girls even end up in prostitution, many of whom are forced into it. Local mafia also uses these children as carriers to keep their illegal business going. These kids find themselves in these situations for little money and food, which barely allows them to survive. Understanding the cycle of crime it is quite obvious that these kids will later turn into the criminals endangering people's lives and involving future kids in the same activities, making it difficult to break the cycle. It is our hope to use "Kids Land" as one of the projects to help reduce the number of street children, which will hopefully help reduce crime and criminals.

The goal of the "Kids Land" project is to provide more than 100 kids, ages 4-12, with shelter, and also give support to many other street kids during the day. This program would also provide them with the proper education, food, medical support, entertainment and vocational training. After finishing that training these kids would be able to join in the work shops for self generating income and hopefully be able to sustain a life reaching to a better future. This is a very big project which will require time to gain the proper funding. At this time one center is under development and it is our goal to build five centers within the next ten years.

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.

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 it is our hope that you will help make these street kids feel safe and at home at "Kids Land". We will also need volunteers who can teach various different subjects and topics. This includes basic English, reading, basic computer skills etc. and various trades such as handicrafts, cosmetology, carpentry etc. Providing entertainment for these kids is also a key aspect, in order to keep them interested in the program and out of illegal activities. These children will also need medical support and treatment as well as education on hygiene.

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.

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, and a willingness to provide basic life necessities to everybody. 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.