Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Nepal

I flew into Nepal with much excitement and very few nerves having been well prepared and briefed on what to expect in Kathmandu by Projects Abroad. I was warmly welcomed into my host families house by my host parents Ram and Mina as well as 13 other volunteers. It was amazing to have so many people to introduce you to the way of life in Nepal, how to best get around the city, a few words in Nepali as well as helping you out on the build site.

Work was physically challenging however our onsite coordinator was amazing in looking after our general well being as well as aiding communications between the local staff (engineers, painters, masons etc) and the volunteers. The work was very varied, volunteering for 3 months I was able to see the project in its many stages. Music was always playing to keep us pumped up as we demolished, moved rubble, mixed cement, lay bricks, painted and sanded.

Weekends were always busy with plenty of temples, markets and gardens to see around Kathmandu as well as being able to enjoy weekend trips away to the jungles of Chitwan or the lakeside city Pohkara. The volunteer community built by Projects Abroad meant that there was no shortage of people to meet and travel with, it was incredible being able to live and work alongside people from over 10 countries. Projects Abroad ensured that you felt comfortable and safe whilst keeping you busy for the entire trip and I could not recommend joining one of their trips more highly.

My experience during the Himalayan Mountain Conservation Project in Nepal with Projects Abroad was absolutely incredible and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Ghandruk is a beautiful village with a breathtaking view of the Himalayas and it's worth the trip just to see the mountains! The people in Ghandruk and in Nepal as a whole are the nicest people that I have ever encountered.

The trip was very organized and all of the Projects Abroad staff members were helpful, full of knowledge, and always available if I had any questions. The actual conservation work in Ghandruk taught me quite a lot about the plants and wildlife in that area of the Himalayas. I was able to see certain animals and plants that I have never seen before, such as a snow leopard on the camera trap (which is very rare). There are many stairs that make up the village so you will get a great workout and be in fantastic shape by the time your project is over. You will also meet other volunteers and form friendships with people from all around the world. I would recommend this project for anyone that loves nature and is looking for a bit of an adventure. I promise that it is an amazing and life changing experience from beginning to end.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I volunteered in a Physiotherapy clinic in Nepal through Projects Abroad and I absolutely loved my time there and want to go back when I finish grad school. I learned so much at the clinic and absolutely loved the people of Nepal! The Projects Abroad staff in Nepal were very kind as well. They made access to themselves very available and helped us in literally anything we may have needed from planning weekend trips to giving the taxi directions.

My experience with projects abroad was completely positive, which allowed me to have the most wonderful journey in Nepal. I spent 5 weeks in Nepal performing physical therapy work. I was unsure of which organization to do my project through. But due to the variety, price, and review of projects abroad I decided to do my project through them.
Getting ready to travel abroad was a very confusing process for me as I had never traveled sole to a foreign country. However, Jessica, my pre-departure support staff, was helpful. She was a little slow to answer my questions, but she always responded and answered my questions fully and to the best of her ability. I also used the pre-departure website all the time- as it was extremely helpful.
During my stay in Nepal, I have no complaints whatsoever about my experience. The host family was amazing and completely accommodating to certain health restrictions in my diet and everything. I was placed at a rehabilitation center for children with cerebral palsy. I learned so much from the physical therapist and got a lot of hands on work. At one point my placement was no longer suitable for me to work in. Because of the help of the staff, I was able to change placements and begin a new journey at an official physical therapy clinic.

Volunteering through Projects Abroad was a wonderful experience. From the time you book your trip to the time you land at your final destination their staff are with you 24/7. Working in a hospital was exciting because we saw a variety of patients. Many cases we saw in the physical therapy department were different than cases you may see in your native country. For example, many farmers had lower back pain from bending over all day; this was a common pattern diagnosed and treated in the clinic. Many women were treated for wrist and elbow problems from repeatedly wringing out wet clothes. A man once came in with half his face paralyzed from a rare virus that entered through his right ear. Cases like these were so interesting to diagnose and treat. It's important as volunteers to assimilate as best we can into the lives and culture of Nepal. For me, this was best achieved by getting to know the patients. It is so important as therapists to sympathize and understand our patients. That was my favorite and most enriching part of volunteering: conversing with the patients and doctors enough to try and understand the Nepalese situation and way of life. Although it's tough to do, I found it to be the most important impact of my volunteer work.

Projects Abroad made my time in Nepal volunteering so, so amazing! As a volunteer, I was supported so much by them throughout every step of my trip - before even leaving my country all the way through being dropped off at the airport at the end of my project. I had never traveled outside of the United States prior to this trip, so I was quite nervous about pretty much everything. I needn't have worried, however; the staff had planned out everything to make the whole process run smoothly, and were well prepared to take on any problems that arose throughout my time there.
On the Disaster Relief Project, volunteers stayed in large guest houses, with about 20 volunteers as well as the host family that lived there. Living conditions were, admittedly, a bit crowded with this many of us, but it was all a great part of the experience. Also, you really get to make some great friends with other volunteers from all over the world while living together, which is truly amazing.
At work, we were given the task of rebuilding a school that had been destroyed in the earthquake. I went in knowing nothing about construction, building, or anything of the sort, but with the help of other volunteers and the staff, you pick up on everything very quickly. We spent our days digging, mixing cement, passing bricks/buckets of sand and dirt, making walls, painting, and laying floors, among other tasks. On top of that, being monsoon season in Nepal, conditions were very wet, rainy, and muddy. Walking across the site often consisted of slipping through the mud, or sinking ankle deep in muckier areas. Everyone is in the same situation, however, which really makes it quite fun, and the rain provides some relief from the hot Nepal sun that can make all of the hard work even more exhausting.
Volunteers also have the opportunity to spend one or two days at the end of every week going to one of three sites - and children's HIV center, a malnutrition/earthquake victim center, and a school - and spend the day with the kids there. This is such a great way to have a direct impact on the children of the area, and it's so much fun, as well as a nice break from the hard work being done all week on site.
Weekends consist of either traveling to the major tourist sites of Nepal - Chitwan National Park or Pokhara - which is all organized by Projects Abroad, or staying in Kathmandu, where volunteers get to see many of the major attractions and sites around the city.
This project is truly so amazing. In the short period of time I was there, I watched the school we were building come along so far. It's really great seeing first hand the impact you're making. Projects Abroad does a great job taking care of their volunteers, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking to do a trip abroad.

The time I spent in the beautiful Annapurna region of Nepal was the best time of my life. Our day to day schedule included either a bird or butterfly survey in the morning and setting out camera traps in the afternoon. We also went on many primate surveys. The camera traps we put out are to capture photographs and video footage of this region's rare mammals. Because this evidence is so rare, it's incredibly exciting when something does show up. The time spent with my fellow volunteers was the best part of the project. We became like a family by the end of my time there. The home stay families are such lovely people and love to embrace you into Nepali culture. I spent many afternoons learning to cook Nepali food in our family's kitchen. There is never a lack of activity on the weekends and because we got work off, we also planned a fun trip down to Pokhara or to the hot springs in a village nearby. I would definitely recommend this project and I would absolutely return myself!

Volunteering abroad in Nepal would have never been possible without Projects-Abroad. They coordinated everything from picking me up at the airport all the way to my departure. I felt completely safe in their hands as the workers were friendly, helpful, and always available. The accommodations both in Kathmandu and with the host family associated with Projects-Aboard were reliable and exceeded my expectations. Projects-Aboard also coordinated many group trips to Chitwan and Pokhara.

The project itself was unbelievable. I volunteered at HRDC (hospital and rehabilitation center for disabled children) for close to 4 weeks. I was able to shadow a physician, scrub in on various orthopedic surgeries, and meet some remarkable individuals. The doctors were always willing to teach and explain things to me.
I would recommend this experience to anyone.