Volunteers will teach environmental awareness at the local school and/or Environmental Post for 2 to 4 hours each day, Sunday through Friday. Environmental awareness projects will be defined by the individual volunteers based-upon their areas of expertise and the needs of the village community. Example projects include: creating "green" clubs, planting a flower garden, planting trees, garbage management, recycling programs making a smokeless stove, building a toilet pit, etc. Volunteers may also provide assist to youth clubs or women's groups in the community sharing their ideas, skills and knowledge about environmental issues. After completing the Nepali language and cultural training, volunteers will be placed with a Nepali family in one of the program villages. The host family will live no more than one half hour from the school/Environmental Post INFO Nepal local co-ordinator will be helping to volunteers.
See some volunteer's Testimonials:
http://www.infonepal.org/volunteers.htm
Monthly Newsletter:
http://www.infonepal.org/newsletter.htm
Current Volunteers : www.infonepal\current_volunteers.htm
Latest Newsletters: www.infonepal\current_volunteers.htm
Join us at INFO Nepal and make a difference!
Please feel free to contact us for more information at
infonepal@mail.com.np or visit our website www.infoepal.org
Here is an experience of our recent volunteer:
Julie - UK - Oct 2005
Upon arrival in Kathmandu Asim informed me that he would like me to teach English for two hours at the resource center, teach English at the private school for two hours, garden for two hours at the resource center, form a women's group and build two toilets! What would I do with all my free time?
I was placed in a village in Chitwan, to me it was very remote although Asim assured me it wasn't. It was a two mile walk to the closest phone and after that a one hour bus ride (if you're lucky) to the next town. The village was quite beautiful, miles of rice paddies, many, many buffalo and extremely tranquil. My host family was lovely, Indira, the mom worked so hard to make sure I was happy. She somehow knew exactly when I was awake and she would knock gently on my door and bring me hot tea. Sanjit, the 15 year old son was a typical teenager but he always took the time to explain things to me and was happy to take me around if I needed a guide. Suzetta, the 19 year old daughter often cooked for the family, she was a wonderful cook. The portions were huge and I could hardly finish most days but when I did Suzetta always rewarded me with, "Now, I am happy." She really was too.
The kids at the resource center were great and so eager, the first day I told them I'd be there at eight but they were waiting at seven. I had 15 children initially ranging in age from 4 to 12 so it was quite difficult to entertain all of them. I ended up splitting the class into two sessions. This worked a lot better; the younger ones weren't so left out.
Instead of teaching at the private school I helped in the library of the government school. Shreram (the INFO coordinator and teacher at the government school) was in charge of the library project, he was re cataloging all the books in the library, it was a huge task. I spent 4 or 5 hours a day there. Sheram and I had many long chats while doing the project; we spoke of everything from the Moaists, the male role in Nepali life, Nepali teachers and discipline, to world politics. He was very knowledgeable and I really enjoyed the time spent with him. His wife too, taught at the school and often their 18month old daughter would spend her day in the library, she was so good and would take long naps on the floor.
The toilet project was something I had not expected and had no idea what was involved. The only instruction I was given from Asim was that the villagers would have to dig the pits for the toilets before I was to hand over any money for materials. This turned out to be a big problem as the villagers insisted that the pits be dug last, however I had my instructions. The first time I went out to the village where the toilet project would be I was surprised to a small community of mud huts, they had no electricity and only one water pump shared by the 22 families. They were indeed very poor as Ramje (the dad of my host family) had told me they would be. The second time I went out to the village was to have a meeting with all the villagers, discuss the project and see what their level of participation would be and what materials they would provide. The whole village gathered around, men, women, children and babies, they formed a circle around me and squatted down; I was given a straw mat to sit on in the middle of the circle. I couldn't help thinking I'd seen something like this on National Geographic. First, I had to introduce myself to them then the whole village one by one introduced themselves to me. Ramje explained to the villagers about the project, this was followed by a lot of raised voices and angry gesturing. This went on for almost an hour, there would be lulls and Ramje would ask me what I wanted the villagers to do. I would explain exactly the same thing over that first they must dig the pits then I could give them money for materials, and again the raised voices and gesturing would begin. It went on and on then suddenly I was told that everything was okay and tomorrow they would dig the pits. They did dig the pits the next day and we began buying the supplies they needed, in retrospect they were correct the pits should be dug last. The problem is there is a fear that they will take the money and buy other things with it. The project went really well and I'd ride my bike out there each day to see how they were doing and I was impressed with how quickly it came together. Now the test will be to see if they will actually use the toilets, they'll have to bring water from the pump each day and they may just decide that it's easier just to use forest. If they do use it then INFO will build toilets for the rest of the village so I'll keep my fingers crossed.
My time in the village went quickly, everyone was so friendly. I couldn't move around the village without the children calling, "Hello Julie, where are you going?" A lot of the families would want me to sit with them even if they couldn't speak any English.
In the village I didn't do any gardening, I didn't form a women's group but I did see the two toilets being built. Now I am back in Kathmandu and here nobody shouts 'Hello Julie!" or wants to know where I am going and I miss that.
Jay Parikh - USA July 15th 2005
Toilet Building ? With the exception of a few houses, the vast majority of villagers did not have proper toilet facilities. The common toilet was the ?end of the road.? My host family was without a toilet as well; I brought that issue up with Asim when he visited me three days into the placement. He immediately allocated funds for a toilet for the host family, with the aim of building many such toilets for other families in the future.
The total money allocated by INFO Nepal for the toilet project was 4200 rupees; the family paid a total of 2460 rupees on their part. The work for the toilet was wholly arranged by the family with the help of friends and family in the village. INFO Nepal?s initial projections for the total cost of the toilet were between 3000 ? 5000 rupees, but the actual cost was higher. With a total cost of 6660 rupees, there was a cost overrun of almost 1600 rupees. However, this can be accounted for higher material costs in Dhunche as compared to Kathmandu; by the fact that the family decided to construct a kitchen area above the toilet as well.
I saw that the toilet was completed in a timely and honest manner. Consisting of a 1-meter deep sceptic tank, stone walls, a toilet pan, a showering area and windows, the construction of the toilet was finished in eight days, and I accounted for all the materials bought and all service charges paid (from the use of a truck and the work of carpenters).
What remains to be done is an outreach to other villagers who desire to build toilets as well, and a continuation of INFO Nepal?s financial assistance with regards to toilet building. INFO Nepal?s future funding should be fixed through the implementation of a 60:40 funding program and the standardization of materials used in the construction of toilet. Standardization of materials are important to the continuing success of this toilet program, as the variation in materials used in the construction of each individuals toilet could unnecessarily make accounting difficult and allow for a significant discrepancy in the quality of one toilet against another. By drawing up a specific list of materials supported by INFO Nepal?s funding, INFO Nepal may be able to achieve more manageability and equality in this project.
