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REWARDING CARE FOR ORPHANS PROJECT IN SOUTH INDIA
If
you love small babies and young children this project is perfect for
you! Your work at the orphanage in the temple town of Madurai is very
hands on and rewarding and you will fall in love instantly with the
children with smiles that will melt your heart. You really will make a
difference to their lives.
“Sing ‘Jingle Bells’ to
Priya and ‘round & round the garden’ to Subitha, they love it!”
Meera
Ravindran
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►SUMMARY
FACTFILE |
| Start Dates |
All year round - you choose your
start and finish dates! |
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Duration |
Minimum stay 2 weeks and up to 1 year, subject to visa
requirements |
| Requirements |
You don't need any
qualifications to do this project, just lots of enthusiasm and ability
to give disadvantaged children love, care and attention. |
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Price |
From £795 / US$1,195 for 2 weeks, ranging to £1,795
/ US$2,695 for 12 weeks.
Full Price List and other
Currencies |
| What's included |
►Accommodation
►Food
►Meeting you at the Airport
►Transfer to your accommodation
►Transport to and from your
project
►Full pre-departure support
►Local in-country team support
and backup
►24-hr emergency support
►Two free T-shirts. |
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What's not included |
Flights, Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a
visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and assistance), Return transfer to
airport. |
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Who can do this Project? |
All our projects are
open to all nationalities.
Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+ |
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The main care centre where we work is at a
home for victims of female infanticide and abandoned children. Their
mission is to help them first to survive and then to ensure the right of
the child to a family. There are around 28 children at the orphanage,
but this number changes frequently as new children are brought in or are
adopted.
All of the children’s backgrounds are heartbreaking; some of them have
been found abandoned in nearby churches or temples and others are
surrendered by their parents. The children are all in desperate need of
tender loving care ... and this is where you come in!
“My time at the orphanage was fab and the kids
are all one of a kind, (they’re happiest when they’re being the
naughtiest they can be! "- Laura Marsh
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
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An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into
beautiful India and it's fascinating culture.
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The enormous satisfaction of helping disadvantaged children and
knowing that you made a difference to them.
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New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
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An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market
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And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!
WORK CONTENT
Your work will be very hands-on as you will be dealing with all of the
children - be prepared to get very grubby!! Your work load and
responsibilities will depend on your abilities and attitude to your
work, and you'll assume more responsibilities as you grow in confidence
and as the staff's confidence in you grows. You should be supervised all
of the time while you are there, and you will be given help and
directions. Your work may include some or all of the following:
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Helping the staff wash and dress the older
children
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Bottle feed the babies
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Changing nappies
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Feeding the older children
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Teaching basic English and Maths
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Teaching the older children nursery rhymes
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Organising and facilitating games for the
children
By playing games with the children you also encourage
confidence building. It also encourages children to use English in an
informal way, and even with the younger children it gives them exposure
to the language at an early age. Playing games may seem irrelevant on
the surface, but it helps to build up team spirit and skills, leadership
skills, dexterity and quick thinking, and a healthy competitive spirit.
It also gives them a more developed ability to interact with their
peers.
For many of the older children, you are able to integrate education into
games and also help with homework etc. Where children are not taught at
the orphanage you will help these on their return from school in the
afternoon.
Volunteers normally work at the orphanage in the mornings when it is at
its busiest and the additional help that you provide is really
appreciated. You can take your lunch with you and eat with the staff and
finish after the babies are fed at 2pm. You can choose to work longer
hours but it is very exhausting and challenging work and you may
appreciate the afternoon off to relax and unwind.
"Your tasks are fairly routine and
repetitive, but really you’re there to give the children individual
attention that the full-time nurses don’t always have time to provide.
That’s the most important thing you’ll do there – may not feel like
much, but it’s so important for them as some of the children’s’ social
skills and ability to interact with people are a bit poor. Plus it’s
very rewarding to just be there to make them laugh and feel a bit loved!
Aliki Salter
You may also have the opportunity to work
at a boys home in the evenings. The boys are aged between 7 to 18 years
of age and all of them attend local schools during the day and return to
the home in the evenings. The boys are semi-orphans and they are
resident at the home and go back to their families only in the holidays.
When they arrive back after school, they have a few chores and then
there is an hour of play time. At this time you can go along and
interact with them by organising games (they love cricket and football!)
or just going to chat to them.
When the games session is over there is an hour and a half of study
time. You can choose to stay and help them with their homework at this
time or help them practice their conversational English. Again, this is
a very rewarding project and the boys with be overjoyed to meet you.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO WHILE ON THIS
PROJECT:
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1-Week Intensive Tamil Language Course prior to starting your
project. Learning a little Tamil will enhance your time in India
immeasurably, as you’ll find out things about the culture and the
way of life that someone without language skills simply wouldn’t
have access to!
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Tamil Language Lessons with a private tutor taken at the same
time as your main project. Courses range in length to suit your
needs.
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Yoga
and Meditation Lessons: You have the choice of combining the two
or focussing on Yoga on its own. These courses vary in length to be
done as an optional extra to your main project. Start the day with
yoga and meditation – it’ll set you up for the day!
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Cookery Courses: Cooking is an institution in India. If you’d
like to learn how to cook some of the mouth-watering dishes this is
the perfect way to do it; you’ll be able to choose from an extensive
choice of recipes, visit the market to purchase the fresh produce
and then learn how to cook the south Indian style food with your own
private chef! Again, this activity runs concurrently with your main
project.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
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ACCOMMODATION: |
Your accommodation could comprise of either staying with a host family or
living in a Travellers flat. In either accommodation you may share a room
with another Travellers volunteer. The accommodation you’ll be allocated to
will depend on which project you’re doing and the number of volunteers there
at the same time as you. However, if you have a preference for either a host
family or staying in a flat, we will do our best to accommodate you.
Host Family
For a complete Indian experience we can arrange for you to stay with one of
wonderful host families. All of our hosts are very welcoming and not only
will be made to feel part of the family you’ll also gain a great insight
into Indian culture and customs. Many of our volunteers remain friends with
their host families long after they leave India and in some cases they
return to the country later especially to visit their family.
You may share a room with one other volunteer; and you may have an en-suite
western style bathroom. Most of the showers in our host accommodation are
cold water only – however your hosts will boil water for you.
All of our host family houses are close together and just a few minutes’
walk away from internet cafes, banks and snack shops and just a short auto
ride into the centre of town. Our staff in Madurai also lives close-by.
All your meals will be provided and prepared for you by the family and it is
mainly local fare allowing you to taste a varied selection of delicious
south Indian dishes and exotic fruits. You'll also have access to the
kitchen if you want to make snacks or drinks.
Volunteer Flat
Our volunteer flat is situated close to all our host families. This option
gives you the chance to live within the local community whilst at the same
time retaining your independence. This newly built flat is very modern,
spacious, light and airy. It has a well kitted out kitchen and large lounge
area with satellite TV, DVD and a good selection of DVDs for your
entertainment. DVD’s however are extremely cheap to buy in the market at Rs
20 each! There is also a small balcony on which to relax with a cool drink
and a book and gets a wonderfully refreshing evening breeze to keep you
cool!
You will be provided with a food budget giving you the option to either cook
for yourself or sample the local restaurants. Eating out is extremely cheap
in Madurai. Opposite the flat is a tasty vegetarian restaurant with
excellent south Indian Thali’s and Dosa’s. There is a supermarket just
outside the flat selling everything from groceries to clothes and a meat
shop below where non vegetarians can stock up on sausages! Many of the
hotels in town have roof top restaurants offering incredible views across
the town with the dramatic Sri Meenakshi Temple silhouetted on the skyline.
Most restaurants are good quality and you can sample north as well as south
Indian dishes along with a small selection of western food. Vegetarian food
is in abundance! Bakeries and snack shops are on every street and be sure to
try the delicious fruit; there is so much choice; mango, pineapple, water
melon, custard apples and jack fruit make a very refreshing option and
coconut water is also delicious!
To read about the extensive
Support & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here. |
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TRAVEL, VISAS, plus SUPPORT & BACKUP: |
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You will fly into Madurai where you will be met by a representative from our
India office. You'll be taken to your accommodation and introduced to the other
volunteers before starting your placement.
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856.
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our
volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination
country.
Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa
and the level of your air ticket,
of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get
a changeable ticket.
VISAS:. We'll send you all the necessary forms and information and
make the process very easy for you.
To read about the excellent Support
& Backup we provide before you leave and during
your programme,
please click here.
We can also arrange your flight
dates
to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a
fascinating and wondrous country!
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