Volunteer in Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka

  Sri Lanka

Rural Areas

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: All Year Round

Description: Established as a sanctuary in 1975 by the Sri Lankan government, the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage rests on 25 acres of lush forest - feeding, nursing, and housing young elephants who have been lost or abandoned by their mothers. With a newly-added breeding program, volunteers can experience and interact with the baby elephants: bottle-feeding them and walking alongside these curious, wondrous creatures before lazily lumbering down to the river for their daily, splash-filled bathes. Like human children, these nearly-helpless elephants also need love, care and attention. The elephant orphanage centers are lacking in crucial resources and desperately need more able-bodied volunteers to assist them in providing optimal care for these growing, gentle elephants. This project is a rare and amazing opportunity for volunteers interested in working with animals and/or elephants.

Highlights: Volunteers working in elephant orphanage mostly work as assistant to the "mahouts" (elephant handlers). Volunteers bathe the elephants in the river twice a day, clean out and maintain their enclosures in the morning, wash and feed the baby elephants, and help in construction or maintenance work (as needed). Most of the time, some work, such as the mental stimulation of the elephants, is usually left to the initiative of the volunteers with some guidance from the "mahouts."

Qualifications: Volunteers do not require any specific qualifications to volunteer in elephant orphanage project. But volunteers should have a deep love for animals.

Cost in US$: starts USD798

What does language and cultural fee cover?
Language and cultural courses
Food and accommodations for 7 days
Training materials: books, paper, orientation package, TV, video, trainer, etc.
Local sightseeing/tourist site arrangements
Recreational activities
Village stay/host family
Cultural programs and additional activities
Travel related expenses (one week orientation)
Insurance

What program fee does not cover?
Airfare, Visa and Visa extension fee
Transfer to airport, airport taxes
Any personal expenses
Mineral water and soft drinks
Gifts to project staffs and host family
Laundry, Telephone, Immunization

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18 or above

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Sri Lanka Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Written Application

Institute For Field Research Expeditions's Mission Statement: The mission of our volunteer abroad program is to offer meaningful volunteer abroad opportunities for volunteers and to seek sustainable solutions for education, health, conservation, and development issues through international volunteering. We hope to achieve this goal by offering community orientated volunteer programs where the efforts of our volunteers go directly to the poor people and their communities. Many grass-root organizations working in developing countries are poor in resources. These organizations are doing a commendable job to address development, education, health, and conservation issues by launching a variety of programs but these organizations are in a great need of help and support. IFRE promotes these local organizations by making donations and sending volunteers.

Year Founded: 2005