Program Reviews

I had a great experience working with Volunteering with India. The kid’s program was very great! The staff are kind, attentive, generous, and willing to offer you help or answer any questions you may have. This program is great for families and solo travelers who want to give something back to the community who has hosted you. If you want the full experience, then you should be prepared to learn as much as you teach. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to have a life changing experience in India!

I had the most amazing 2 weeks volunteering at a women's centre in Jaipur. Stayed at a guest house close to the city centre. Volunteering was from 12-4pm each day and Rohit the coordinator would come with me each day. I felt incredibly safe and supported. Often after volunteering we would stop for chai or other indian treats on the way back to the guest house. The women at the centre were welcoming and as a volunteer you can incorporate your own skills. I work in a school in Australia so I ran some different art/self identity activities. On arrival to the centre the women would be practicing Mehendi (henna). The guest house rooftop spot was my favourite, Jaipur is a special place. Hope I can return one day soon!

We had a fab 2 weeks working the team. A great team who know how to look after their elephants. We were made very welcome, some home work on our behalf would have helped us, like take a strong pair of DIY/Gardening gloves for picking up elephant poop, as the medical type just....don't do the job and there is no shovel!

I would love to do this again but would also like to understand more about the reserve while I was there, when we asked questions the answers were vague - our fault more home work required on our part. The accommodation we stayed in while in Jaipur was amazing the guys who where looking after use during our stay ensured we enjoyed the rest/sight seeing days they even organised a fantastic night out on the town, i thoroughly enjoyed myself

Had an amazing 4 weeks stay in Jaipur, helping to look after Elephants in the Elephant Village.

The host family I stayed with was so friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble for them. The same goes for the friendship of both my driver and my guide. They made my stay something special to remember.

Mr Sukret helped me so much, especially when I picked up an infection and also when I lost my bank card. I couldn't have been better looked after.

Working with the Mahouts in various stable was a pleasure. They're truly dedicated to the welfare of these beautiful creatures. The work with them included preparing food and feeding the Elephants as well as cleaning the stables and regularly washing and bathing them in the lake. Sometimes it was hard work, but I was more than happy to do anything to help with all aspects of their welfare.

All in all, an amazing and worthwhile experience, which I will be happy to do again in the future.

Everyone in the program was amazing and I really got to take care of elephants, the elephants are amazing. The program had all sorts of activities to do and most if not all were very fun. We went to see camels and monkeys, and so many cool temples. We learned about the culture and really got to experience Jaipur. We also got to learn a lot about the Hindu religion and they're beliefs. You can go anywhere with your driver, though at times it can cost more so be aware. Your coordinator will offer you a bunch of day trips and stuff, you should go. All in all it was a great experience and a good way to experience animals and culture.

We participated in the program for two weeks and the experience was unique and unforgettable. We felt super welcomed and comfortable all the time, both at the workplace and at the guest house where we stayed.
We received all the necessary support from the program, both from the people in charge of coordinating and organizing, and from the people who accompanied us during classes, trips and transfers. We felt like family, very cared for and pampered.
At the house we ate delicious food every day and we felt very well looked after by the family we shared with.
As for the work in the workshop, it was a challenge for us since we had to propose the activities and carry them out with children who do not speak our language, but the result was always super positive. The children were really lovely, super participative and happy. We were never alone, always in the company of staff who helped us with the organization of the group and the translation.
Jaipur is an incredible city with a lot to explore and see, full of history, culture, architecture and landscapes that are worth experiencing. I think it's important to clarify that we felt super safe all the time, both on the street and in the work or rest spaces.
Visiting India and participating in the volunteer program was something super different and totally new for us, to the point of doubting whether or not we were prepared to do it. But the reality is that everything is set up so that the experience is friendly and we can contribute our grain of sand by helping those who really need it and give a different meaning to our trip.
We are super grateful to the entire Volunteering With India team.

I chose the women's empowerment programme because I wanted to come into contact with Indian girls and women - especially from the slums of Jaipur - and understand more about their world, their lives, their expectations, their difficulties and their dreams. The two weeks I worked in the programme were very enriching for me. The girls who attend the six-month course at the NGO Veeneta Society are trained to become dress makers and/or beauticians. I attended their practical lessons, helping where needed, and I was their teacher in the English lessons. With a great dedication the girls made me the beauty treatments they had learnt. Despite the language barriers between us (there was always a Hindi-English language mediator with me, to help in case of misunderstandings) we shared bits and pieces of our lives. I also had the honour of handing diplomas to the girls who had completed the six-month course. The festive moments were unforgettable for me, the girls performed traditional Rajasthan dances. All in all, I highly recommend this experience.

My volunteer program lasted 4 weeks in Jaipur, India. I spent 2 weeks in the women's support program and 2 weeks in the hospital. Both were very enriching experiences for me.

The girls and women were incredibly open-minded and inquisitive. They were interested in and implemented everything that was offered to them. First and foremost, they want to learn English. Any form of teaching is welcome, whether role-playing, singing, and translating English songs or face-to-face at the blackboard. It was a lot of fun to see how quickly they learned. In return, I got traditional make-up, beautiful braided hairstyles, or henna tattoos on my hands and feet. It was a very warm and unforgettable time.

The work in the hospital was very touching, as people came with problems and pain and needed help. The doctor's idealistic commitment means that even the poor population can receive very good treatment. They couldn't afford a normal hospital. So they only pay a small fee and only those who can afford it pay. The doctor works on a voluntary basis. The treatments mostly consisted of infusions, acupuncture with electrotherapy, cupping treatments, stretching and the administration of medication. The doctor also makes his own Ayurvedic medicine. I was very impressed by his efficiency and was able to learn a lot. As a physiotherapist, I was able to alleviate the pain in some patients. All of this left a lasting, deep impression on me. Perhaps it was a start for me to further projects of this kind.

I would like to thank the organization again for making this possible for me. Sukret, my local coordinator, responded immediately when there were questions or problems. They were solved immediately. Shekhar, my driver and "bodyguard", drove me everywhere extremely reliably, picked me up again, and showed me a bit of the area. Perhaps it is still possible to get a small handout about the work in the projects beforehand so that you can prepare better. However, I was integrated quickly.

My accommodation at Boby Mansion Homestay was a blessing because, as a woman traveling alone, I enjoyed family contact with all the care that comes with it. I felt very safe and secure in a foreign world.

In general I really enjoyed and learned a lot from the program. In advance I only expected that we could do a little more ourselves. I graduated in the medical field and will work in the ambulance. I had hoped to be more involved in medical procedures. Because the healthcare system here is very different from the Netherlands, we simply could not do more than we did now. The conversations we had were interesting, but I did miss something. the staff was very nice. they took you through simple actions and when they thought something was interesting to see they called you to look. I had a nice time

I had an amazing time in Jaipur doing the medical program. Although I couldn’t do much in the clinic, I learned a lot about the differences in healthcare between India and the Netherlands. Dr. Paiker was very friendly en did everything he could to explain what was going on and answer my questions. The driver and coordinator of the program were amazing, very friendly and willing to show their beautiful city. The tour of Jaipur included in the program was a nice addition to the experience as well!!