What we provide
I suspect that Nepal changed me far more than I changed Nepal. Not that anyone would want to, apart from the poverty, obviously. I was happy as a clam all the time I was there.
Lewis Ford ,Former Volunteer
Getting there
Pre-departure Information Pack-
This includes a confirmation letter, contact details, an information sheet, our responsible volunteer policy, and advice on getting the most out of your voluntary experience.
Airport Pickup-
We will meet you at the airport and take you to your host family, school and hostel. We will also take you back to the airport when you are going home.
Confirmation of arrival-
Your family will receive an email from Nepal to say that you have arrived safely and after you have rested we will take you to a cyber cafe for a follow up email.
Helping you along the way
Backup-
Rabindra Tuladhar (‘Robbie’) our Field Director in Nepal will provide backup when you need it. He manages and supervises all volunteer placements and has 8 years experience with volunteers. He understands that Nepal is a very different country for you and is ready to lend support and advice should you need it. Should you face any problems during your voluntary placement just phone Robbie with your new SIM card or go and visit him and he will lend you his full support. He is supported by 5 members of staff and a further 6 directors who make up Help to Educate Nepal.
Your host family, school and hostel are also trained on how to look after volunteers and help you settle. Rabindra will also visit you regularly to get updates on your progress.
In the event of an emergency, your host school, hostel and family have been advised on what to do such as taking you to the best medical facilities for tourists. Rabindra will also be in continuous contact with your family should it all go wrong. We cannot replace your travel insurance but it is reassuring to know before you travel to the other side of the world that you are in good hands.
Orientation & Training-
In your first few days you will receive orientation and training from Help to Educate Nepal. Specifically, your supervisor will advise you on what is expected from your school, hostel, host family and what is culturally acceptable behaviour in Nepal.
A place to volunteer-
You can volunteer in a school or you can help children in a hostel. In fact you can do both at no extra cost. We recommend that you do both because they complement each other and because hostel children also go to school between 10am-4pm. You can always change your mind when you get to Nepal and see what it is like. It’s your choice!
English is the medium of choice in most schools, colleges and jobs and so there is tremendous pressure to learn the language. We want you to give 18 hours a week of your time to teaching and helping students practice their conversational English because this is a fantastic opportunity for Nepali children to gain confidence in their second language (sometimes their third). Confidence is the key to learning any language and we have seen the difference one volunteer can make.
Food & Lodging-
Get to experience the famous hospitality of the Nepali people first hand by living in a village environment which is always a bus ride away from the city. We will arrange for you to live with a friendly and welcoming family where you will be served traditional Nepali food.
Host families are carefully chosen because they are friendly, helpful and caring towards guests and because they offer clean, comfortable lodging and healthy, hygienic food. Your host village has been chosen for its beauty, people, convenience and cultural heritage.
A Free SIM card-
When you arrive, we will give you a Mero Mobile SIM card with some telephone credit so that you can make local calls within Nepal. Most mobile phone networks do not work in Nepal but with your SIM card you can make calls to any one and if you run out of credit you can buy a top up card just like you do at home. For all urgent and emergency calls this is a great way to contact your friends in Nepal or for your parents to contact you. Your family can also send you emergency text messages online by going here.
Lonely Planet Guide to Nepal-
When you arrive, we will give you a Lonely Planet guide to Nepal or an equivalent travel guide should this be out of stock. The Lonely Planet series of guides are some of the most respected and widely read travel guides in the world today. We just know that you will be itching to visit the sights so we thought we would make it easier for you to find them.
A free EMAIL address-
Stay in contact whilst you are in Nepal with our free yourname@help2educate.org email address and check your email at webmail.help2educate.org. We also encourage our volunteers to post diary entries in our news section so that they can share their experiences and photos from Nepal.
Rewarding you
Complimentary Mountain Flight-
The ‘must-see’ landmark of Nepal is Mt Everest. If you believe that seeing Everest involves a strenuous altitude trek, then think again. Coming face to face with this majestic peak is as easy as taking another flight but with the added difference that you are guaranteed a window seat and, in most cases, the chance to view Everest from the pilot’s window. Just volunteer and then wait for your reward at the end of your trip.
Sightseeing- You will get plenty of opportunities to travel but in your first few weeks we would like to take you to visit some of the cultural highlights of Kathmandu such as Monkey Temple.
