Projects Abroad in India

  India

Sivakasi

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

Description: India is a wonderful place to spend time volunteering or interning abroad. The Indian subcontinent, in south Asia, is a land of beauty, spirituality and adventure. From the towering Himalayas that mark India's northern borderlands through to its plains, deserts and tropical rainforests, this is a country of awe-inspiring ancient temples and colorful tribal villages.

Our projects in India are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world, including those on a college summer break, gap year, career break or volunteer vacation.

Projects Abroad India has an office in the town of Sivakasi, in the state of Tamil Nadu (in the far south). Overseas voluntary work placements are here and in Kerala state, over the Western Ghat mountains. Projects involve Teaching, Care, Conservation & Environment, Medicine - including dentistry, physical therapy, nursing and midwifery - Journalism, Veterinary Medicine and Sports.

Volunteers Placements in India

Care - We have placements available in a number of care centers in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Overall they cater to orphans, infants, and disabled children. In many cases, your day will begin early when the children need help getting ready for school. You might have the afternoon free or opt to help with other activities. For the younger children, there are often nurseries attached to the home where you can lend a hand. Or, you might even go with the children to school to help with their English lessons! When the older children come home at 4:30, you can help with their homework or organize games for them before dinner.

The Green Village Project - The Model Farm is situated at the foot of the Western Ghat Mountains in the southern town of Ullar. Working with the local community and experts throughout southern India, volunteers are equipped with important tools for raising awareness about friendly environmental practices. Projects Abroad both funds and runs the Model Farm, maximizing your ability to become a leader in the community.

During your placement, you will be responsible for running the farm. You will learn how to produce our 'vermi-compost' - a natural fertilizer produced from domestic and farm waste using earthworms. There is a large medicinal plants nursery, where we cultivate indigenous plant species that can be used to treat a wide variety of common ailments. You will also devote time to planting and looking after trees in areas of deforestation with species carefully chosen to benefit the local people.

Teaching - As a teaching volunteer, you will play a vital role in improving the spoken skills, and therefore the life-chances, of children in schools. You can teach younger children or teenagers, but whatever the age you will find the students eager to learn all about western culture and your life back home.

Classes can vary in size depending on the school and age of the children. You will usually be teaching between 30 and 40 students per class. Facilities in the schools are often basic - you may find yourself with little more than a blackboard and piece of chalk. But with one of the school's English-speaking teachers as your supervisor and the support of our Projects Abroad staff, you may be surprised at how quickly you gain confidence and make progress!

Journalism - Set up in 2002 by Projects Abroad, "The Sivakasi Times" is the first-ever English language newspaper or magazine produced in the area. It is sent free to schools and institutions, and is available on the street. Additionally, the journalism placement is conveniently located in the capital of India 's printing industry, Sivakasi!

The magazine is run by volunteers with our Indian team. The supervisors have a wealth of experience working as journalists across Southern India. This means that those who have no previous knowledge of the industry can become involved in the entire process including writing, researching, editing, photography layouts and handling the final printing stage. On the other hand, volunteers who come in with skills can bring their specialized knowledge and assistance to the paper and even act as mentors for the less experienced.

Medicine - A medical placement in India will give you a variety of experiences, including leprosy clinics, paediatrics, gynecological units, kidney care centers and busy general hospitals. A placement specializing in Ayurvedic treatment is also available if you so desire. Your placement in India will involve rotation between these different fields of medicine, but if you would like to specialize in one area, we can arrange for you to concentrate your time in a particular department or hospital.

The breadth of knowledge and experience that you will gain in India is unrivaled; you will be working with doctors who enjoy the opportunity to impart their specialized knowledge to enthusiastic students. If you have previous experience, they will want to put you straight to work. If you have no experience, they'll show you all they can and give you as many hands on opportunities as possible.

Veterinary - Many vets work in town in the morning and spend the afternoon traveling into rural areas, where the villagers cannot easily bring their animals to a veterinary clinic. This is a unique opportunity to experience village life from an insider's perspective and assist with clinical procedures. You can help make a real impact on the welfare of animals - and thus help to improve the economy of some Indian villages.

Sports - In a country that has so much diversity in terms of lifestyle, religion and race, sports are one area where the culture unifies. Cricket is by far the most popular sport in India. In fact, cricket is one of the few aspects of Indian life that unites the whole country. Ever since the first game was played in India nearly three centuries ago, Indian people have identified with its tactics and skills, and cricket has been a major source of entertainment. We also offer sports placements in track and field and tennis.

Business - Our Business Project in India will see you working on an internship placement with an Indian company in one of the most exciting economies in the world today! Volunteers have the choice to work in the capital Mumbai, one of three southern states (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka), or a combination of these. The work you do will depend on the placement, but be prepared to be challenged! You will get involved with the day-to-day activities of the office whether that be contacting different clients, working with business support teams, researching for current or future projects, putting together portfolios, attending meetings or working on set briefs!

Also high school students between the ages of 16 and 19 have the unique opportunity to get involved in our general medicine and veterinary medicine projects on our two-week summer specials.

Highlights: India is a truly amazing place - spectacular scenery, quaint villages, fascinating and magnificent temples, sandy beaches and lots of sun. It has all this and an ancient culture. For the vast majority of visitors, it is a place they long to return to again and again.

All accommodation is organized, paid for and monitored by Projects Abroad. All project placements are regularly visited and checked. We require high standards of supervision and accommodation, which are verified before you arrive in India.

In addition, these projects offer the opportunity to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications: Volunteers must be 16 years old and submit 1 letter of recommendation

Cost in US$: From US$1,795 up

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Anyone with an open mind and a desire to travel.

Age Range: 16-80

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to India Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992