Looking to volunteer longterm in India; Don't know where to start!

StephenG

Hi, this is my first foray on the forums and I'm hoping I can get some advice. I'm a 19 year-old from the USA and I recently graduated from high school. I'd really like to spend a long time volunteering in India,(starting this spring or summer), and I would love any advice about good programs or tips that you veterans can give me. I'm very interested in working with the poor, specifically building homes, sanitation, wells, etc., but I'm open to whatever program will take me. The only stipulation I've got is my strict vegetarian diet, although my information about India seems to tell me that it wouldn't be hard to accommodate.


Anyways, any information would be welcome information. Thanks!

edwardseco

Veg is all you get unless you hunt something down yourself. Only problem is the 6 month stay limitation of tourist visas and the visa run to a nearby country..

Spirit of Havelock

There's a huge childrens home in Shillong which the Spanish government built, catering for blind/deaf/disabled tribal kids. I know they're always looking for volunteers. I know the director really well, don't have her number right now though, I could post it here in a few days if you're interested.

If you're vegetarian, India really is the right place for you to go. Vegetarianism is a way of life there, and they have got THE BEST vegetarian food in the world. Most of the stomach bugs tourists complain of, are contracted through meat and fish anyway - so I think everybody should consider vegetarianism whilst in India.

............

Don't US citizens get longer visas if they want?

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jalebiwallah

I'm a U.S. citizen and I just got a 1-year visa quite easily, so that shouldn't be tough. You could always check out volunteer opportunities on the idealist.org website. Good luck.

dzibead

Even with a one-year visa you have to leave the country after 180 days and then return. You can't stay continuously for a year.

jalebiwallah

I'm thinking a trek in Nepal............

dzibead

That should do the trick!

navinkurian2002

IF you like the montains (seeing them 24x7 ).Then One of the most eco friendly places where they are pure vegeterians is the sai campus 18 km from ladakh. And they take volunteers all year round
Students from the Vermont Intercultural Semesters, or VIS
http://www.vermontis.org/ Visit Ladakh a remote, impoverished former Buddhist society to study at Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, or SECMOL. VIS accepts all Vermont high school students and is accredited through the Sharon Academy.

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navinkurian2002

there is ledeg http://www.ledeg.org/areas/ at ladakh (you can try your luck there.)

hrishim

HI Stephen

Have you been to India before? Have you travelled extensively outside of the US? I think it is great you want to volunteer but I would recommend that you come over for a shorter visit first. It will help you find a place to volunteer and also tell you if you really do want to do a long stint.

If you have just finished high school I would recommend you plan this trip after college.
Hrishi

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mirjamd

I know an organisation that places volunteers in projects that deal with a wide range of topics. Its run by a Dutch man. The website is www.amaidi.org They are located in Tamil Nadu and have mostly projects in the south.


I have been a volunteer for a year in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai. I was lucky to be with people who speak very good English and who were on the same level of thinking as me. I found that more important than I initially thought. The language is a problem if people speak only little English and it can make you feel lonely.

I would recommend that you go through an organisation in the US, because they can prepare you for what you can expect. It makes all the difference. If that is not possible, just prepare through talking to people who have already been there! (Long live IndiaMike )

And, like the other posters, I would also recommend going for about 3 to six months if you havent been to India before. That is long enough to be able to do something that might actually benefit the organisation you're with, and manageable if you dont like India as much as you thought...

I am also a vegetarian, but found it slightly more difficult than I thought to stick with it, because people who are not strict vegetarians themselves, tend to give you meat when they have a celebration and find it weird you dont want to share in their joy (which also means eating expensive meat...) But being clear from the beginning will help, and they will understand.

Good luck with the search!

AvidTrekker

Check out these sites. They match up volunteers with organizations all over India. I got it from a volunteer who got her assignment from this site.

www.karmayog.org OR www.devnetjobsindia.com

Vegetarianism is at least two thousand years old in India. India has lots of vegetarians who are so by choice and by birth. You will have NO probs with asking for veggie food. If you are a strict vegan, you will have to state that you do not eat milk products either. India is very fond of milk products We are what one would call "lacto-vegan".

All the best and Happy volunteering !!!

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kikketta

hi,
if you are interested to a volunteer experience you can try to contact this organization fsl india http://fsl-india.org/
it's very important and offers many camps you can work in.
I think i will go there in april (in the south)for staying one month or more.
all best
francesca

snonymous

If you havent already found something, my cousin whose daughter studies at Rishi Valley School at Madanapalle [not too far from Bangalore] says they organise programmes for volunteers, in the neighbouring poor villages. RV is strictly vegetarian so it would suit you. Please do a google search for their website details, or if I can contact my cousin [he is away at the moment] I will get it and post.

snonymous

I think you can contact them through these sites

www.rishivalley.org
www.rvs.org
www.ashanet.org/projects/project-view.php?p=650