Volunteers Needed at a Indian Primary School - only USD50 per month

  India

West Bengal

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years and over 2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: All year

Description: Do you want to really make a difference to the lives of the poor? Come on an adventure to the tribal villages of West Bengal and help teach English, maths, computer, science or any other skills you have to desperately poor Santhal tribal children at Uma Nivas, a primary and girls' high school with attached orphanage. Join our children's daily yoga and meditation sessions and develop your full potential while helping our children to develop theirs.

Environment: The school is located in Katanga Village, Purulia District, West Bengal. The primary school has around 60 boys and girls, 20 of whom are residential, while the high school has around 150 children attending. An orphanage is home to 23 girls aged between 10 and 18. The surrounding area is populated by tribal santhals who, for the most part, live well below the poverty line. The high school provides subsidized, and in some cases, free education to the local children. A school hostel accommodates around 50 girls from further afield who cannot come on a daily basis due to lack of easy transportation.

Right now we are only providing education to the village children. In the future we want to help develop infrastructure for the villages, a mobile medical unit cum ambulance, a maternity clinic to provide hygienic conditions for childbirth, a multi pathyclinic, wells, and much more. The people here are unimaginably poor. They need our help so much. Bring your skills and come and join us!

Management: Didi Ananda Vratiisha, the principal of the school is a very jolly person who is warm and hospitable.She's a great social worker and has been running the Uma Nivas high school for the last 10 years She speaks very good English and will make you feel at home right away. She is also open to change and new ideas as far as the management of her project is concerned.She is also deeply respected by the local people as she really tries to help them solve their problems.

Cost: Although we ask you for only $50 per month for food and accommodation, we do require you to help us by fundraising at least $300 for the development of the school before you come.

This project is part of Ecoteer - the solution to travel and volunteering on a shoestring.

Ecoteer is a unique volunteer opportunities agency - offering a directory of cheap volunteer work opportunities, volunteer jobs abroad and working holidays. Our volunteer opportunities are cheap because we have eliminated the middleman slashing the price to volunteer abroad for gapyears, careerbreaks and working holidays. Ecoteer is leading the way in a new type of volunteer work opportunities abroad and is changing the volunteer and working holiday industry back to what it used to be   benefiting both the volunteer and the volunteer project.

We have other opportunities in ecotourism, conservation, humanitarian aid and teaching in other 50 countries.

To volunteer with Ecoteer you need to become an Ecoteer volunteer member which costs only £20 per year.

Please inquire for more of our cheap volunteering opportunities.

Highlights:
* Teach English, maths, computer, science, history, geography or any other academic or non-academic skills you have to the children
* Train the teachers to plan and teach creative lessons
* Help with after school homework
* Play games with or organize activities for the children during recreation time, teach them about your life and share theirs
* Become a member of our small family for the time you are with us and have fun together.

Coordinator: Malati is originally from England, but has been working in India for over 15 years, learning about the culture, the languages and about the people. Five years ago she started a programme to help provide infrastructure to struggling village schools and has since arranged funds for many schools to help them to become self-sufficient.

Accommodation: The school can offer one medium sized room where one or two volunteers can stay. Alternatively, a private room can be rented in one of the local houses nearby. The electric supply is generally good.

At the school bathing water is carried up to the bathroom from the well downstairs and washing of clothes is done at the well. Volunteers will receive training in Indian style bathing! You will be provided with vegetarian food but can eat other food outside the compound.

Qualifications: None

Cost in US$: UA$50 per month plus a one off USD 300 donation

Experience Required: no

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

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2-10

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

Ecoteer's Mission Statement: To help locally run grass root organisations to achieve their aims via attracting paying volunteers and tourists. Plus we personally help develop and improve the projects we work with to help them to achieve their objectives.

Year Founded: 2005