Volunteer in Nepal

Himalaya journey offer currently has volunteer opportunities available through our partner organization in the beautiful Kingdom of Nepal. Volunteers have the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational and community aid programs. This will give you a chance to make an important contribution to the people of Nepal and while doing so gain an in depth experience of the country and its culture, that will stay with you the rest of your life.

The Program

Teaching English

The system of teaching is different in Nepal. Volunteers do not need to use the same method; but there will be times when you need to follow the school curriculum – for example - to prepare the students for exams. They will be encouraged to use their own

teaching methodologies. Volunteers will stay with a Nepali family near the school. Volunteers will teach for anywhere between 2 to 6 hours each day for six days a week (Saturday is the day off). This will vary from school to school. You can be involved in

teaching in youth clubs or a women's group for informal education for 1 to 2 hours a day. The age range of the students will vary, but generally fall between 10 to 14 years of age and have basic level of English. Volunteers for this program are encouraged to work with local teachers to develop new teaching practices and help with their personal conversational English to enable them to teach English in the future.

Working in an Orphanage

Volunteers will be placed in an orphanage where they will assist the children in their day to day routine (Volunteers still live with a host family or where available in the actual orphanage). The children are mostly between the ages of four and fifteen, and have a basic understanding of English. The general role of the volunteer will be to act as an older sibling: to care for, look after and encourage the children. Volunteers will teach the children general life skills, including health and sanitation, as well as arts, crafts and music. In some of the orphanages the children do go to school, however you can help the children with their school work in others. Placements are limited in this program.

School and Community Maintenance Program

Volunteers stay in a village with a Nepali Family and help with School and Community Maintenance. You will be involved in painting, building and repairs. During this period volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in local festivals and get the opportunity to exchange their culture.

Home Stay/Cultural Exchange

Volunteers stay in a village with a Nepali Family. The home stay program is a good opportunity for volunteers to learn about the Nepali culture, lifestyle, language, and people. We can arrange home stay programs in most parts of Nepal. During this period volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in local festivals and get the opportunity to exchange their culture. Home stays can only be arranged for two weeks or one month.
In a typical placement volunteers stay in a family where they get Nepali food twice a day (around 9 o' clock in the morning and 7 o' clock in the evening). Tea is served in the morning and in the afternoon. Volunteers will have the opportunity to get together with other volunteers and share their experience. You will be able to travel to nearby towns to purchase things for daily use and could travel to other areas on longer vacation. Besides your project work, volunteers can utilize their spare time in organizing the youth and women's groups of the community to do some worthwhile activities like building a smokeless stove, toilet by using local materials, making a soak pit, kitchen gardening, making a solar dryer, garbage management or paper recycling.

Program Location
The placements are available in Katmandu Valley and rural areas. The locations of the program placements can vary with regards to a number of issues. Placements are determined upon arrival with considerations of safety of volunteers and availability.

Program Requirements

Volunteers for this program must:
*be 18 years or older
*have no major health problems

Program Schedule
The volunteer program starts on the 1st of each month. You can volunteer any where from 2 weeks to 5 months. The schools are closed during June and July so the teaching English program is limited during this period. Please note that September-November there are local festivals that can disrupt your program. This is dictated by the lunar calendar. Therefore if you are volunteering for month or less, we do not recommend starting your placement at this time of year. For those volunteering for a longer period of time, the festival does provide a great opportunity to interact with the local culture.

Application Process

All, applicants will be notified by email as to whether their application has been successful.
(1) Complete the Application Form: Fill out the application form below. Upon receipt of the form we will assess your suitability for the program.
(2) Contact You: If you are successful we will then email you a letter of acceptance.
(3) Decision Point: Once you have read through the letter of acceptance and we have answered any questions or concerns that you might have, it is time to pay your application fee to secure your place on the program. Please note that we will refund your application fee if you decide not to go.
(4) Confirmation: Once the application fee is paid, our volunteer partner will contact you to ensure everything is organized.
We will also send you the link to our program guide which covers topics such as: country information, travel links, visa application process, fundraising ideas and much more!
(5) Communication & Support: Throughout the application process, we are committed to working with you to answer any of your questions or concerns. During your placement we are also available as a form of support to you as a volunteer and will email you while in country to discuss how the program is going.