India is a country full of various cultures, languages, and religions that never ceases to amaze. From its marvelous architecture to its aromatic spices, witnessing India is a journey that engages all your senses. It also has one of the oldest cultures of the world which began almost 4,500 years ago and has now become one of the most popular destinations for volunteering opportunities. After all, India offers bustling cities, one of the quality cuisines, which is recognized for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of herbs and spices, and also fascinating architectures.
Looking for volunteering?
There’s no shortage of volunteering opportunities in India, but you may feel confused looking at the fees of these volunteering programs. It is difficult to know and work out what the right decision is. The volunteering opportunities here vary greatly in terms of price, quality, cultural exposure, and commitment to the projects they work with. And if you select an organization without doing sufficient research, you might end up paying extra for your stay or wasting your time with a subpar program.
The fees of the programs usually charge money for accommodation, and food but it can be a lot cheaper if you deal directly with the volunteer organizations themselves. Because of this, there are hundreds of volunteering organizations that are competing to attract you to their humanitarian work.
The following opportunities listed below are either free, or just a minimal cost is involved. And, there’s a wide range of opportunities to suit everyone’s wants!
1. Rural Organization for Social Elevation, Uttarakhand:
About:
Its motive is to improve the lifestyle of local poor’s and help in their growth and development of these poor villagers by education, rural development, health care, eco-development, livelihood development, rural tourism, and others.
Work:
They run projects throughout the year, for people who want to experience life in rural India and the foothills of the Himalayas. The activities involve farming, teaching at a local school, and construction. Volunteers are supposed to live with a local family and they learn about their culture while enjoying nature.
Cost:
They charge a small fee of Rs. 9900/- per volunteer for 2 weeks volunteering.
Contact:
For further information/details you can check their website.
Applying:
Interested candidates can fill the reservation form here: http://www.rose kanda.info/reservation-form.php
2. WWOOFing in India:
About:
WWOOFing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), is a worldwide concept that’s been gaining a lot of popularity in India. The number of hosts has grown from just a few in 2000, to over 100. They include coffee estates, vegan agricultural communities, and tea estates.
Work:
WWOOF is working to provide certain things to the community, some of them are mentioned below:
- To provide the first-hand experience of organic or some other ecologically growing methods.
- To provide an experience of life in the countryside.
- To give people a chance to talk, meet, exchange views with others, and learn in this organic movement.
- To provide them with an opportunity to learn about life in the host country by living, and working together.
Cost:
To join here as volunteers, there’s a membership fee of $40 for singles or $60 for couples, for 1 year.
Contact:
For further details check their website.
Applying:
Interested candidates can fill the application form here: http://www.wwoofindia.org/join-wwooff.php
3. Salaam Baalak Trust, Delhi:
About:
The Trust has been continuously providing support services for street and working children in the National Capital Region. It also provides protection and full care to street children through nutrition and health, quality education and are also trained to become travel guides for Delhi, with their initiative – City Walk program, they are also provided with vocational training, support for performing arts such as dance, photography, puppetry, and theatre, etc.
Work:
Volunteers can help with marketing, teaching, and also help in the health care department. They are required to work with the organization from 10 am to 5 pm. They are required to build a friendly relationship with children. The trust offers a flat for volunteers to live in, the cost of the flats are as follows:
Cost:
Room Type Less than a month 1 month 2 months+ 3 months+ Without A/C 700/- per night 17,750/- 15,750/- per month 13,000/- per month With A/C 800/- per night 19,500/- 17,500/- per month 14,500/- per month
Applying:
Interested candidates can fill the volunteering form here: https://www.salaambaalaktrust.com/volunteer-application.php
4. Ladakh Ecological Development and Environmental Group(LEDEG):
About:
LEDEG is situated in Karzu, Leh, Ladakh, Jammu Kashmir in northern India. Its primary motive is to uplift sustainable and ecological development in Ladakh, concentrating mainly on the promotion of renewable energy, in particular solar energy.
Work:
The association keeps notice on ecological and monetary issues that are influencing disadvantaged communities in Ladakh.
Cost:
Volunteers can stay in the hostel at a very minimal charge and the cost for volunteering depends upon the category you want to volunteer for.
Contact:
For further details visit their website.
Applying:
For internship and volunteering fill the form here: http://www.ledeg.org/contact-us/
5. Ecosphere Spiti, Himachal Pradesh:
About:
Ecosphere Spiti is an association that is a joined exertion of the neighborhood network of Spiti and experts from different foundations, with a wide scope of experience and aptitudes.
Work:
Its directive is to work on the triple bottom line of conservation, economy, and development. If you’d like to combine volunteering with travel to a remote high-altitude alpine region, this is the best opportunity for you. Volunteers can participate in the construction of some much-needed facilities, such as structures for passive solar heating and greenhouses for growing vegetables. If construction isn’t your thing, another option for you is to assist the villagers with their daily activities.
Cost:
The cost varies from program and time duration.
Contact:
Interested candidates can further contact them here for volunteering.
http://info@spitiecosphere.com
6. Pyunli, Uttarakhand:
About:
This organization is named after a very popular flower in that region, which symbolizes a beautiful woman who lived in the forest. It believes in the process of social change through women empowerment and child education. The area where the main functioning for this organization takes place is a small town of Uttarakhand named Gauchar which is situated on the left bank of river Alaknanda.
Work:
Volunteers can teach the local children various things such as English, yoga, drama, music, and can even participate in organic farming.
Cost:
Volunteers are supposed to pay a fee of $15 daily
Contact:
For further details and information you can contact them here:
Applying:
Interested candidates have to apply via Giving way.
https://www.givingway.com/organization/pyunli?sharedByID=guest
7. Human Wave, Kolkata:
About:
It is an organization that is based in Kolkata, that runs community development and health projects for women, children, and communities in West Bengal, including volunteer programs in the Sundarbans and youth projects in Kolkata.
Work:
Volunteers can participate in various programs such as:-
- Women Empowerment
- Health Promotion
- Community Mobilization
- Child Development
Cost:
Volunteers can sign up for two weeks to three months and have to pay a small fee for food and accommodation, rest everything is free.
Contact:
For doubts and further details you can reach out to them here:
https://www.humanwave.in/contact-us
Applying:
Interested candidates can apply here:
http://www.humanwaveindia.org/index.php/our-projects/
8. The Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh(SECMOL):
About:
This is an enterprise that was established by a group of young Ladakhis.
The main motive of the organization is to reform education in Ladakh. It’s an amazing opportunity in the remote beauty of the terrain. Many of you might even remember this enterprise from the popular movie 3 Idiots.
Work:
The volunteers can teach subjects, special skills like photography, conversational English, and coach for sports such as figure skating, hockey, and ice skating in a campus near Leh.
Cost:
Food and stay are available at a very minimal price of Rs. 650 per day (vegetarian food and shared rooms).
Contact:
For further details, you can contact here: https://secmol.org/contact/
Applying:
Interested candidates can apply for volunteering here: https://secmol.org/apply-to-volunteer/
9. Ladli, Jaipur:
About:
Ladli, which means “loving girl”, is a local non-profit, non-governmental small organization. It provides training for approximately 100 abused, orphaned, and destitute street children.
Work:
Volunteers teach English, work in child care, and lead children’s activities. Usually, there are around three or four volunteers from around the world working there at one time. Some are there for a week and some even stay for a year.
Cost:
The organization doesn’t charge any fees, but volunteers have to pay for their accommodations and food.
Contact:
For further information and details feel free to contact them here:
Applying:
Interested students can contact them via email here:
mail@i-indiaonline.com
10. Joe Homan Charity, Tamil Nadu:
About:
Joe Homan quit his teaching job and relocated to India after being shocked by the suffering of children here. The organization’s mission is to grant every child a safe and secure environment, the opportunity of an education, and skills training for a future free from poverty.
Work:
Volunteers here have to help run residential centers and will have duties allocated that will involve visiting projects and meeting the children, at weekends and evenings when they are not at school.
Cost:
Volunteering is free of cost, although simple guesthouse accommodations are provided for volunteers at a nominal charge to cover overheads, volunteers are required to contribute towards accommodation overheads while working with the Charity.
Contact:
For further details, you can visit their website here: http://www.joehoman.org.uk/
Applying:
An interview is required to be accepted. Interested candidates can apply here: https://www.paperboatcharity.org.uk/
11. World Packers:
About:
World Packers is a tremendous worldwide community platform that connects verified hosts with travelers who are looking to exchange their skills and talent in return for some safe places to stay.
Work:
The worklist includes social media, photography, arts and music, web development, administration, and reception. Child care, Farming, teaching, and Social work are also some other opportunities to enjoy.
Cost:
The cost for joining the organization at present is $49. They even have the offer of a couple— a plan for a couple or two friends who are traveling together! This offer is available at a fee of $59 (paid once and valid for one year).
Contact:
For further clarification, you can contact them here at this email: support@worldpackers.com
Applying:
Interested candidates can sign up for the organization here: https://www.worldpackers.com/users/sign_up
12. HelpX:
About:
HelpX is a short form of Help Exchange. The great thing about HelpX is that they believe in the diversity of India’s volunteering opportunities. It is a barter platform in which people offer or receive homestays, including lodging and food.
Work:
It’s an online piece of the board where hosts from all over the world put up notices for any help required. You can provide your efforts here by indulging in any activity from helping in running guest houses to teaching English, and working on farms and much more fun-filled activities.
Cost:
To become a member you must first join and register as a free member. It costs 20 euros to upgrade to be a premier helper, which lasts for 2 years worldwide.
Contact:
For queries and doubts, you can contact them here: https://www.helpx.net/contact-us.asp
Applying: Interested candidates can join them here:
https://www.helpx.net/signup.asp
13. Sadhana Village, Maharashtra:
About:
Sadhana Village is a private consideration community for crippled and oppressed grown-ups. It’s located in a village about 30 kilometers from Pune. All through the Sadhana Village, Adults with special needs and volunteers live and cooperate as equivalents in more distant family homes.
Work:
The organization’s focus is on education via volunteering in workshops, cultural activities, and community development projects for women and children.
Cost:
No cost is involved, meals and accommodation are provided but the organization receives no government funding so donations are appreciated.
Contact:
For further details and clarifications you can mail them here:
Applying:
Interested candidates can fill this form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14O5BpYe46vV3VciDT9nvG4KFURkAStpKuvbQrDwEcLg/viewform?edit_requested=true
14. IVHQ: Impactful Volunteer Programs in India
About:
IVHQ is a leading provider of volunteer experiences around the world and offers four different types of programs in Delhi.
Work:
Volunteers can choose to work from childcare, health work, slum teaching, and teaching.
Cost:
You can check the fees for the program here: https://www.volunteerhq.org/affordable-volunteer-fees/
Contact:
For doubts and queries, you can fill this form: https://www.volunteerhq.org/contact-us/
Applying:
Interested candidates can apply here: https://my.volunteerhq.org/users/new?_ga=2.112143428.1104554390.1596048525-208715192.1596048525
15. Seva Mandir, Udaipur
About:
Seva Mandir is situated in the white city of Udaipur, in Rajasthan. It’s a massive and well-established organization that’s been working for development work in rural Rajasthan for over 40 years.
Work:
Volunteers can opt for any work on projects regarding their experience and interests. Activities that go on day to night includes conducting research, undertaking independent assignments, and developing training modules.
Cost:
Seva Mandir offers restricted guesthouses and quarters for volunteer convenience. These are given free of cost to volunteers dependent on availability.
Contact:
For queries and doubts feel free to contact them here:
https://www.sevamandir.org/ContactUs.aspx
Applying:
Interested candidates have to download a form and fill it, then mail them. You can download the form from here: https://www.sevamandir.org/Get-InvolvedDetails.aspx?page=Volunteers%20and%20Interns&Gid=1
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