Organizing entertainment activities for street and orphaned kids in Calcutta

  India

Calcutta

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: February 15, 2009; April 6 - April 19, 2009

Description: A city of Joy and Love, Grandeur and Glory... Kolkata alias Calcutta is full of life and bustle, verging on the chaotic as traditional occupations rub shoulders with ultra modern industries. Kolkata is India's second largest city, the capital of West Bengal and formerly, the capital of British India (1772-1912); it is a city with a great deal of charm with its imperial monuments, strong cultural and religious flavour.

However it is also suffering from a terrible lack of hygiene, illiteracy and unemployment are rampant, and the first to suffer from these poor living conditions are the children. In an effort to bring a bit of joy back to the faces of the street and orphan children of Calcutta, international group of volunteers together with local NGOs will conduct a Happy Hearts Workcamp: it will consist of a series of Happy Hearts Sessions in which the group of volunteers will organise activities to entertain and open the minds of the children to the outside world. It might also consist in taking them out on a one day picnic or visiting local attractions.

Project sessions:
February 15, 2009
April 6 - April 19, 2009

There is an extra fee of $175 US for participation in this project, intended to support the hosting organization.

Highlights: Calcutta has a domestic and an international airport. Trains and buses operate on a daily basis from many major towns/cities in India.

Cost in US$: $290 US

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: motivated to work voluntarily within an international team, tolerant, open-minded and cooperative person with adventurous spirit

Age Range: 18 and over

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

CADIP - Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects's Mission Statement: CADIP promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in international, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural surroundings. The organization also promotes patterns and examples of civil activities focused on serving others, on building social ties and strengthening communities, on supporting civil society development. Aims and general objectives: * To promote volunteering as an expression of civic contribution * To strengthen the international contacts among young people * To build tolerance and understanding in multicultural and multi-ethnic surroundings *To promote multiunderstanding among youth all over the world * To facilitate the individual growth of the volunteers through the acquisition of work, life and learning skills * To work for the recognition and promotion of non-formal learning * To support the community initiatives and assist in community development.