Volunteer at Pragya Foundation and School in Nepal

  Nepal

• Kathmandu: 
Kathmandu

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: ongoing

Description: Most volunteers come to the Pragya Education Foundation and the School to work in the classroom for a minimum of two weeks and stay for up to 5 months. Long-term volunteers work in your particular area of expertise and may receive additional training and support from the staff.
There are many other ongoing programs for volunteers at Pragya Foundation's Projects such as Heath Care Center, Food Program, Construction Projects etc..
Please visit our website for more detail.

Highlights: Nepal is the ninth poorest nation in the world.

Therefore, the mission of Pragya School is to educate children who live in absolute poverty conditions in Nepal's capital city of Kathmandu. One of Director Patel's main concerns is that there are many children barely surviving on the streets of Kathmandu; they live in extreme poverty. These children need a safe place to rest their heads before they can properly develop their minds.

"Education is the backbone of economic development and children are the future of Nepal" - Director R.B. Patel, Pragya Secondary School

Any type of knowledge that we can impart to children's growing minds is valuable knowledge that lasts a lifetime. That is why we offer everything from pre-K classes to child/human rights courses. We teach dance, aerobics and yoga but also offer all sorts of sports in addition to the traditional academic curriculum.

"Atithi Devo Bhava."
(Serving the guest is like worshipping God.) Newari Proverb

The Nepalese people are kind, caring and loving by nature. This holy belief plays a key role when the Pragya School is finding host families for its generous volunteers. However, it is not required to live with a host family for the time you are compassionately volunteering. If you choose not to stay with a host family in the community, you may choose to stay on site at the school, or in a hotel in Kathmandu

Qualifications: The Pragya Education Foundation and the School is currently looking for teaching volunteers to teach various subjects and to work in other projects of the foundation such and health care center, Food program , construction projects and so on.Please visit our website for more detail. This opportunity is well suited for international students who would like to come to Nepal for an internship or cultural exchange and also for any travellers or visitors to Nepal. A passion for children and teaching in one given subject are the only qualifications. The following is a list of subjects that we are interested in offering to our students. If you have other suggestions or expertise, please inquire.

Science
Music and Instrument
English
Math
Fine Arts
Art
Geography
History
Social Science
Performing Arts
Environment
Photography
Journalism
Sex Ed/Health
Sports/Recreation
Kindergarten

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: $50 to $100 per week

Volunteer Program Fees

1.Registration/Administrative fee- $175 plus $ 25 each additional month

This includes:

Application and Placement Process
Transportation to and from Airport
Orientation and Sightseeing
Support and Supervision at School
Materials and Resources at School (arranged on case by case basis)
Volunteer I.D. Card (provides discounts at certain tourist attractions)
24-Hour Internet Access at Volunteer Program Office
Assistance with Arranging Trekking and other Excursions
Donation to School and Volunteer Program & ongoing projects.
Room and Board Fee:

Option I- $ 300 each month
- Private Room at Volunteer Flat (Home of School's Director and his wife)

Option II- $ 200 each month
- Shared Room at Volunteer Flat (Home of School's Director and his Wife)

Option III- $ 300 each month
- Home Stay with a Family

If you prefer to stay in a hotel/hostel, this can also be arranged, but at your own expense.

Description of Cost:
Due to the limited funds, volunteers are responsible for all costs associated with their travel to Kathmandu, such as airfare, tourist visa, travel/health insurance and airport departure tax. The fees also do not cover trekking, rafting or other adventure activities or excursions. Volunteers should budget approximately US $20 per week to cater for expenses like bottled water, personal items, beverages and entertainment. If you have any questions or concerns about the fees, please let us know. They are always open for discussion.

Volunteers must make a deposit of the program fee and the first month of their room and board fee to secure their placement.

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Prior volunteers at Pragya have been from all different countries and backgrounds. Each volunteer brings the experience they have, without the need of certificates or higher education, in order to help our children learn about other cultures and specific fields.

Age Range: 18 and above

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Nepal Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of 5 to 10

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Resume

Pragya Education Foundation( PEF)'s Mission Statement: The mission of the Pragya Foundation is "to help the underprivileged children of our country realize their potential". It aims at: Providing quality education to children and young people; Providing a warm home to abandoned and orphaned children; Providing quality and affordable healthcare to the most impoverished. The Pragya Foundation has committed itself to reach these goals through the establishment of three different institutes. The 'Pragya English School', the 'Pragya Children's Home' and the 'Pragya Healthcare Unit'.

Year Founded: 2007