GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Nepal

I've been volunteering in Pokhara for two weeks, in the early childhood teaching project. It's been the most enriching and challenging experience of my life so far. I had the chance to get to know amazing people and children, and I got in touch with the Nepali culture, which I ended up falling in love with.
The staff members and the other volunteers were so welcoming and supportive that after few days I already felt at home.
I will never be grateful enough for this experience!
Being the only voluteer on project with the staff members, made me question myself and gave me the possibility to be as involved as possible in the choice and organization of the activities.
Moreover, Nepal is an incredibly beautiful land, and Pokhara is literally a little corner of paradise.
There's no better place for volunteering.

I did the Women’s Empowerment project in Nepal, Pokhara from about mid July to mid August 2019. It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. It was perfect for me as I was looking to get experience in development whilst also broaden my experience and understanding of the world. In regard to the actual project itself, we would work Monday to Friday with local women in nearby villages from about 9am to 3pm. I personally thoroughly enjoyed the work and it was evident how vital the opportunity was for the women through their eagerness and commitment. One of the good things about the way the project is structured is that the work load doesn’t hinder any exploring of Nepal that you want to do, so in the evenings and weekends I could often go and see and do what I wish; and Pokhara as a town itself has a lot to offer. There is a local travel agency GVI work with who provide excellence service (car hire, treks, flight bookings ect) however, tend to be a bit more pricey then other local agencies however the quality of their service, their kindness and reliability make up for it. The staff in Nepal are amazing, the project manager Hannah offers a lot of comfort in that if anything goes wrong or there are any issues she tends to know what to do and the project co-ordinater of WE, Sita, is so kind and offers so much support and guidance if needed. From the second I arrived I felt so welcomed and comfortable in the homestay; it is very nice living conditions and the food is delicious.

My time in Pokhara, Nepal on the volunteer teaching programme was truly amazing! I was only there for two weeks due to time restraints but would have loved to have stayed longer. It was lovely to see how passionate and enthusiastic the whole team in Nepal are and how much thought they put into running the projects sustainably. The location of our homestay is also brilliant as there are many places to visit nearby when you have time project. Can’t recommend it enough! The orientation at the start of the programme was very through to help adjust to the local culture and we had plenty of activities to do outside of programme hours if we wanted to. The school projects themselves are very rewarding and GVI has good links with the schools they work in.

Just one week ago I came back from my trip to Pokhara in Nepal. I took part in a construction project for under 18s. I’m so very grateful for having had the opportunity to repair the local school and interact with children who came to see our work. It was a wonderful experience. I was also able to learn a lot by visiting the organization fighting against human trafficking. Not only did we hear thrilling stories of women who were trafficked but we also learnt how to cook traditional Nepalese dumplings Momos. The most amazing part of this project was the opportunity to see the Himalayas, interact with local people and immerse myself in the Nepalese culture. It was one of the best trips in my life and I made many good friends. I hope other people can also have such a great experience.

Participated in a volunteer abroad program in Pokhara, Nepal, in September 2017. I wanted to give my time to a responsible cause by doing some volunteering work over the summer, as well as travel somewhere new. In Pokhara I worked with GVI, the organisation and local Nepalis to repair schools affected by lack of funding and support from the government, after the earthquake in 2015. During my time In Nepal I worked on two schools with other volunteers. We repainted their classrooms, and their buildings after repairing the wall cracks with plaster, as well as repaired their temples which were in very bad conditions. Furthermore, we rebuilt a wall that had fallen after the damages it took from the earthquake. In addition, I used my engineering knowledge to design, advise and build them new toilets. This experience has told me a lot about myself and has helped me develop my skills in order to successful complete the tasks of each day on site.

Last summer I had my first experience of volunteering abroad with in Pokhara, Nepal on the Womens Empowerment Programme. I was one of 3 more mature volunteers in the project working alongside a dozen younger volunteers, mostly students or in their mid 20s. The age difference was not an issue in any way - we were all there to make a difference and all did this in our own ways.

I chose to take this first step into vo!uteering as something completely different from my career at home at a time when I felt I needed a new challenge. I was uncertain of precisely what I was letting myself in for and even after arriving on project, I was still unsure of exactly what I would be doing, but once we met the ladies and children and the project was in full swing, the impact of the work that GVI is doing and the contribution that I could make soon became apparent.

I have no formal teaching experience , so elements of the lesson planning were a challenge at first, but soon felt more natural. I would say to first time volunteers, be prepared to put in some time each day for preparation and you will enjoy the teaching far more knowing that you you are organised!

The Nepali ladies on the project without exception were keen to learn, and the support from the local project staff was excellent. By the end of the 2 weeks , despite the relatively short time, I and others all felt that we had made a difference to the individuals that we had worked with.

The work in the local primary schools was an unexpected element of the project for me, but equally rewarding. Just like the ladies, the children were keen to learn and appreciative of the one to one and small group support that they do rarely get in their norma! classroom environment.

The third element of our work , with the ladies of Sasane was potentially the most challenging given the issues being faced by these ladies. Whilst we didn't spend much time at Sasane due to the programme and festivals, the sessions we did there provided great examples of the tremendous work done by Sasane supporting victims and those affected by human trafficking.

At the end of my 2 weeks the obvious question was "would i do it again ' and the answer was a clear yes, and have in fact booked onto another project this coming October.

If you are a potential Volunteer wondering if this is for you i would encourage you to seriously consider GVI . You don't need any formal qualifications, just your own individual life experiences, a willingness to have a go, and an open mind.

Give it a go and like me you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

I first heard about GVI through my daughter who attended an under 18s programme to Cape Town. I wondered if GVI offered programmes for adults so rang them and was delighted to hear that they did. In fact, they are actively seeking over 50s volunteers. I chose Women’s Empowerment as the project theme was where I felt my professional experience best lay. I chose Nepal as I had not visited that country before and wanted my GVI experience to be totally new.

Whilst I happened to be the oldest volunteer during the two weeks I was there this did not matter at all. Everyone there has chosen GVI for their volunteering experience and we all had lots in common. The GIV staff both managers of the hub and the local Nepali project co-ordinators were very welcoming and understood what volunteers needed to give them confidence before starting on projects. It was a friendly environment.

The main activities that I worked on were being paired with two local Nepali ladies who wanted to learn English. A few days a week I worked in a village in Pame, just outside Pokhara and there other days at a community centre in Male Patan with the city of Pokhara. Both of my ladies were at different stages in their learning, but you get a log book that previous volunteers had written up with gave me a good idea of what I needed to cover in our lessons. The lessons were usually 2 hours long and I used the grammar resources and reading books that were at the homestay to plan my lessons. I was a bit out of my comfort zone for the initial sessions but soon got a good idea of what would work, if all else failed I reverted to reading books with my ladies, so the English conversation and pronunciation flowed.

From the moment I first contacted GVI and the open day that I attended I felt in good hands. The staff were very helpful in helping me find the right program for me and all the pre-departure information was spot on. I was met at the other end and made welcome from the off. I would urge anyone who might be interested to pick up the phone and speak to GVI you will not regret it.

I would like to start by saying that my time in Nepal was incredibly enjoyable, exciting and SO worth the money. As soon as I arrived in Pokhara and met a few of the other volunteers I knew I was in the right place for me. The volunteers new and old were all friendly and up for a laugh, the accommodation was not too glamorous but it did the job well, and the staff were helpful and welcoming. As for the project I was on construction so it was mostly lifting, painting, brick laying and making and laying concrete. While this can get repetitive at times, when you get to see the progress your making in the building and interact with the kids whose lives will be improved with the results of your hard work, it becomes a very satisfying and enjoyable project. What I think will be most memorable though is the people that made the trip so amazing; the other volunteers, GVI staff from abroad or who live in Pokhara, and the Nepali kids and workers that we met while working or playing football in the street. I made friends with other volunteers from Switzerland, America, Ireland, Australia and all over the UK that I will never forget. What is even better is that all this happened in what is maybe the most attractive country in the world in terms of landscapes and natural beauty. I remember catching just a glimpse of the mountain they call Fishtail and it made me want to stay in Nepal a lot longer. The town of Pokhara is also a great place to be; there are shops, bars, cafes and great views of the lake just a few minutes walk from the homestay, and trust me its far away from the chaos of Kathmandu.

The project and the whole experience definitely added to my personal development; travelling out there, being introduced to a population and a country so different to my own culturally, economically, and socially, expended my world view and helped me appreciate the level of comfort those of us in the Western world live in compared to those living in third world nations. With the project I felt we were able to at least make a slight difference in combatting the poor opportunities of children and people in Nepal, and more closely improving the local community and schooling system by improving infrastructure for education and learning. However, I felt personally that three weeks volunteering wasn't quite enough time to make a real difference; I would recommend staying for four weeks or more so you can get the most out of the place, the people and the project.

To conclude, I couldn't recommend more strongly the project and the country. It was one of the best life experiences I've had so far in so many ways and I strongly believe it will be for anyone who decides to sign up. Believe me, you won't regret it. #GVINepal