Dharamshala is a small but internationally well known town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is 70 km north of Pathankot city and 15kms from Kangra town. Dharamshala offers a number of treks to tourists and a good majestic view of great Dhauladhar range of mountains. Dharamshala is a district head quarter for Kangra district and also happens to be the Secretariat of Tibetan spiritual leader, The Dalai Lama. Dharamshala offers tourists culture of Tibet and a different experience. Like any other hilly area, the houses in the area are scattered. The economy of the Tibetans is on tourism whereas that of local villagers is purely dependent on agriculture. This workcamp will be divided between the two paces of Dharamshala and RUCHI's main base in village Bandh of Solan district.
Work:
This camp will involve both exposure visit as well as physical work. In the first week an exposure to local as well as Tibetan culture will be provided. The second week will see more physical action when the volunteers will be shifted to another RUCHI office in Bandh village (235 kms) where they will visit various community development projects and work on them with the local people. Volunteers will work with various rural village communities and share their knowledge on various models of community development. Thus the camp will provide opportunities to expose to local and Tibetan culture and share each other's culture and broaden horizons of volunteers on issues concerning environment and livelihood.
Accommodation:
Volunteers will live under simple conditions and share accommodation with other volunteers. Asian squat type toilet and English WC will be available. Vegetarian food will be served. A cook will be there but volunteers are expected to help him and occasionally cook their own meals and self-management is required. Sleeping bags are also necessary.
Leisure time:
The volunteers will have opportunity to visit the seat of spiritual leader, the Dalia Lama and other historical Hindu temples. Opportunities will be there for short and long treks in the mountains. After the camp volunteers, if they like, may visit Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab.
International Terminal:
New Delhi (500 Kms); Domestic Terminal: Dharamshala (15 kms)
Nearest railway station:
Kangra and Pathankot (15 and 60 kms)
Participation Fee:
220 Euro (15,500 Indian Rupees). The participants are required to pay the fee in Indian rupees in cash on the first day of their arrival in the workcamp.
The Project: Valleys of the Himalayas - where the heaven meets the earth. This small paradise is home to the Dalai Lama and to a significant Tibetan settlement in India. Dharamsala is set in the backdrop of the snow-clad peaks of Dhauladhar Mountains. It is the capital of the Tibetan Government in exile and the residence of the Dalai Lama. In the first two weeks of the camp, the volunteers will get the opportunity to learn about the Tibetan culture and the different issues related to the exile of its people and the re-settlement in India. There will be cultural activities and exchange with the Tibetan Youth with the support of the Tibetan Welfare Office. The project will also include an awareness campaign for the protection of the environment and solid waste management in cooperation with the Tibetan welfare office. Furthermore, the volunteers will support a local Indian/Tibetan school in need of simple renovation work and interact with the school children. Finally on the third week of the camp volunteers will take part in a 4 day trekking activity around the mountains of Dharamsala and Triund. Location: Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, North India. 500 Kms north of Delhi. Dharamsala is accessible by bus on a daily basis from New Delhi and other smaller cities of North India. The nearest train stations are Pathankot and Kangra Mandir. Delhi is the nearest international airport. The exact Meeting Point will be mentioned in the info sheets. Accommodation: At a guesthouse, in shared rooms.
The Project: Yercaud is a beautiful hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu with a fantastic landscape - surrounded by coffee and tea plantations. Together with local NGO's we are conducting short-term volunteer projects for the local children and the Old Aged people and the local community. The volunteers will be working with the local tribal community in the field of education, renovation, environmental protection, reforestation, tree planting, spreading health and hygiene awareness among the tribal villages. We will be working together in building a more peaceful and working environment with the local NGO. Volunteers will also be working with local schools in teaching English, building playgrounds and assisting various underprivileged schools. The work will vary a lot in the camps and will include some amount of physical work. The work will be in the villages in the beautiful mountains, isolated from the rest of the world. The exact meeting point will be mentioned on the info sheets. Location: Yercaud, Tamil Nadu. 30 kms from Salem town. South of Bangalore. Accessible only by bus from Chennai (Madras), Bangalore and other small towns in Tamil Nadu. Accommodation: At a Guesthouse, in shared rooms.
The Project: Located in the central part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern part of India, Hampi is definitely one of the most interesting travel destinations in the map of India. It is famous for its ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar, now declared a World Heritage site. The temples of Hampi, its monolithic sculptures and monuments are breathtaking. The Hindu style of architecture found at Hampi speaks of the splendor of the Vijaynagar Empire. Work camps in Hampi will concentrate on the protection of the cultural heritage site and on creating awareness among the locals and the tourists. The volunteers will be involved in cleaning the heritage surroundings, planting trees and plants, thereby converting dry areas into beautiful spots for an eye to rest on. The work will include physical work and will require a lot of creativity and motivation from the volunteers to convey the message through dramas, plays etc. Location: Hampi, North Karnataka, 350 kms from Bangalore, and 13 km from Hospet. Hampi Bazaar (full name of the village) is accessible by bus from Bangalore and Goa. The nearest train station is in Hospet (13 kms). The nearest international airports are Goa, Bangalore and Mumbai. The exact meeting point will be mentioned in the info sheets. Accommodation: At a guesthouse, in shared rooms.
The Project: Mahabalipuram is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is renowned for its magnificent temples, rock carvings and sandy beaches. During the work camp, volunteers will be involved in various activities ranging from physical work, creative and entertainment activities in schools and kindergartens and awareness spreading on issues related to education, environment protection, health and hygiene, preserving cultural heritage. Volunteers need to be very creative in designing the exclusive orientation for the people and children of this region. Volunteers who participate in these camps need to bring materials, ideas from the program on their arrival after which the whole group will settle on a plan of action decided by the team. The program will be mainly in schools/rural areas where the management will invite the parents and the surrounding villagers to visit and absorb the message given out through the presentation and dramas/plays. Location: Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. The nearest international airport is Chennai (60 kms). Daily buses are available from Chennai and Pondicherry. The nearest railway stations are Chengalpattu (29km) and Chennai (60km). Accommodation:
The Project: Valleys of the Himalayas - where the heaven meets the earth. This small paradise is home to the Dalai Lama and to a significant Tibetan settlement in India. Dharamsala is set in the backdrop of the snow-clad peaks of Dhauladhar Mountains. It is the capital of the Tibetan Government in exile and the residence of the Dalai Lama. In the first two weeks of the camp, the volunteers will get the opportunity to learn about the Tibetan culture and the different issues related to the exile of its people and the re-settlement in India. There will be cultural activities and exchange with the Tibetan Youth with the support of the Tibetan Welfare Office. The project will also include an awareness campaign for the protection of the environment and solid waste management in cooperation with the Tibetan welfare office. Furthermore, the volunteers will support a local Indian/Tibetan school in need of simple renovation work and interact with the school children. Finally on the third week of the camp volunteers will take part in a 4 day trekking activity around the mountains of Dharamsala and Triund. Location: Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, North India. 500 Kms north of Delhi. Dharamsala is accessible by bus on a daily basis from New Delhi and other smaller cities of North India. The nearest train stations are Pathankot and Kangra Mandir. Delhi is the nearest international airport. The exact Meeting Point will be mentioned in the info sheets. Accommodation: At a guesthouse, in shared rooms.
Wayanad is situated in the Western Ghats (a mountain ridge) of Kerala, and literally means 'the land of paddy fields'. Wayanad is interspersed with dense forest, jungles, valleys and there are many indigenous tribals in this area. Wayanad has the largest population of Aborigine people in Kerala. Starting from this year, FSL is exploring the possibilities of working with the Wayanad tribal community in the field of education, renovation, environmental protection, reforestation, tree planting, spreading health and hygiene awareness among the tribal villages. We will be working together in building a more peaceful and working environment with the local NGO. Volunteers will need to be creative in their approach to give out the message through dramas and street plays. Volunteers who participate in these camps need to bring materials, ideas from the program on their arrival after which the whole group will settle on a plan of action decided by the team.
Location:
Wayanad is accessible by bus from Kochi, Bangalore and Mysore. There are domestic and international airports in Bangalore and Kerala. The nearest railhead to Wayanad is Kozhikode which is 110 kms from Wayanad. The exact meeting point will be mentioned in the info sheets.
Speaking of the topography of India, the Northern side is covered by the wide range of the huge snow clad Himalayas. The west is covered by the Arabian Sea. The East is covered by the Bay of Bengal. The southern side is very unique as both these seas mingle with the Indian Ocean. Kanyakumari lies at the meeting point of the three bodies of water: the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Kanyakumari is the southernmost town of the Indian mainland. Kanyakumari is located in Tamilnadu state, at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula. It is also called Cape Comorin. The Project: In this project we will work along with different organizations involved in the development of the underprivileged. Our aim is to spread awareness among the people and to give them more instruments to feel confident and feel free to decide for their future, and for the future of a new generation. The mission of this project is to educate the children to build a better and more conscious society. We will also be working with other NGO's in community service projects. Volunteers will be involved in teaching basic English, Maths, Health and Hygiene to school children through art, music, dance, songs etc. The kind of schedule and the focus of the project will be adapted to the season, the possibilities and the needs of the moment, to improve the achievements in a long-term view. The info sheets will give the full details about the particular camps. Location: Kanyakumari, South India Buses are frequently available from Thiruvananthapuram, the closest major transport hub. Long distance buses are available from Chennai (Madras), Coimbatore, Madurai etc The exact Meeting point will be mentioned In the info sheets. Accommodation: At a guest house, in shared rooms
« I appreciate that constructive criticism may be more useful to you than praise but I honestly have no gripes that I could possibly mention. I can only thank you for the experience that I really enjoyed and will undoubtedly follow-up in the coming year. »
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