Nepal Volunteer Locations: Chitwan

Approximately 150 km from Kathmandu, Chitwan is in the middle of the Terrai, a vast, flat and fertile area that borders India and stretches right across Southern Nepal. Our projects are based around the small city of Narayangarth. Volunteers live with Nepali families in villages around Narayangarth and usually travel into the town to socialize with each other on weekends, eat western food and use facilities such as the internet which are unavailable in the home stay villages.

People in the Chitwan region are primarily Tharu although the area is much more multi cultural than most of Nepal as people continue to migrate to the area from all over the country. The Tharu people are known for their farming skills, industrious nature and intelligence. Although they have a low income, the Tharu are mostly self sufficient due to their farming abilities. The area is best known for the Royal Chitwan National Park, a large ecological and environmental reservation and Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha.

Volunteer Placements in Chitwan

Our volunteer work in the Chitwan region is mostly based around English teaching in local community libraries which have been built and established with the help of volunteers. Although work in the centers is primarilly English teaching it can also involve teaching basic life skills such as personnel hygiene. Volunteers also teach English in local schools. Our main teaching projects in the area are described below.

There is also potential for medical volunteers to work in the area. Volunteers can either assist doctors at local hospitals and health posts or work with local doctors travelling to villages where there is no permanent medical care. The second option will usually be more hand's on and involve treatment and diagnosis or local people so is more suited to qualified doctors or nurses or more experienced medical students.

Pathiani Language Resource Center
The Pathiani Resource Center was established in 2002 as a library, meeting place for villagers, and English Language Training Center and extended further in 2005. Financed by NGO's and built by local volunteers, the building consists of 2 rooms, a classroom and an open forum room where villagers can socialize. Since its inception more 20 than volunteers have been placed at the center training over 500 students and 250 students have become computer literate.

Ganganagar Informal Education for Displaced Tribal Children
This project was started in 2002, when the Tharu and Bote tribes were displaced by the Rapati River Flooding. Volunteers provided sanitation and hygiene education, and additional resources and were able to help 81 families, and also placed many of the children in government schools. When the program was first started 24 children of school age where found to be not enrolled in any schools. As a result an informal education program was started and continues to convince parents the importance of educating their children. As a result, 14 of the 24 children became enrolled in their school. Two of the children have been placed in a boarding school and essential school materials provided for 8 additional children. Volunteers have also built built 22 toilets in this community.

Ganganagar Children’s Library
Started in 2002, the library has 3 rooms, including a room for the volunteer, a kitchen and library room for the children. The library is a beautiful facility with a nice garden and sitting area for volunteers to relax at the end of the day. It has full western facilities and 24 hour running water. Over 14 volunteers have been placed at the center educating more than 300 children.

Prabatipur Library and Community Youth Center
Established in 2003, the library has full western facilities, and has 2 rooms; a classroom and a meeting area for villagers. The host family is located next to the library. 10 Volunteers teaching at the center have educated more than 150 children.

Amarapuri Library and Community Youth Center, Nawalparasi District
Established in 2002. This was built in 2002, 2003, it has two rooms, a meeting room for villagers and a classroom. This library has a beautiful garden, and Western facilities. Since inception, more than 400 students have been educated by 10 volunteers.

Nava Jyoti Library and Resource Centre, Chormara, Nawalaparsi District
This project was established by the Losedhara Youth Club, and "Room To Read" in August 2002. In 2004 a new building was completed, funded by local community organizations and NGO's and built by local volunteers. This facility has two rooms, one as an office for the volunteer, which has a computer, and a classroom. Since inception over 300 children have been taught by 10 volunteers.

Chitwan Health & Sanitation Posts
Our volunteers work with 3 health and sanitation centers in Ganganagar, Parbatipur, Bhartpur. In addition to working in the health posts, volunteers also work with community women’s groups, and youth groups to provide education. Volunteers have also assisted by building toilets for families within this community. This has benefited more than 250 people.

General Chitwan Information

Accommodation
Volunteers in the Chitwan area either home stay with traditional Nepali families or have their own room in their orphanage. The accommodation is typically Nepali and basic by Western standards, often with traditional Nepali toilets and showers and in many places electricity supply can be erratic.

Due to the numbers of volunteers that have worked in Chitwan most of the families have lots of experience looking after volunteers and our volunteers will be very well looked after. Nepali people are extremely welcoming and you will treated like a member of their familly. During your time in the house you will be encouraged to participate in activities around the home such as cooking, washing and generally caring for the house and family as if you where a member of the familly. We believe this is best way to experience real Nepali life.

Weather
The Terrai is the lowest and therefore usually warmest part of Nepal, although like the rest of Nepal it has 2 main seasons, the dry season from October to May and the wet/monsoon season from June to September. The Terrai can get very hot especially between April and July when tempratures can rise above 35 degrees.

Food
The staple food for people in Nepal is "Dal Bhat" which most families will eat at least once a day and consists of rice (Bhat), lentil soup (dal) and vegetables in curry (Tarkari) and/or meat (Masu) and a small amount of pickle /sauce (Achar). This usually eaten without cutlery the right hand which can be extremely messy for those not used to it. Many younger Nepali's have started using cutlery though and this is also perfectly acceptable for volunteers if they don't like covering their hands (and possibly arms, clothes and faces) in curry. Other foods in the Terrai region tend to be very Indian influenced and based around potatoes, rice and curries. Volunteers usually eat with there home stay families during the week but travel into surrounding towns for more continental food on weekends.

Activities
The main attractions in the area are Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddartha Gautama Buddha and the Royal Chitwan National Park, a wildlife reserve for rhinos, elephants, tigers and 50 other species of animals, and over 400 types of birds. Volunteers can enjoy elephant safari, canoeing, animal watching, animal breeding projects, animal rehabilitation centers, cycling, and 4WD safaris here. Other sites worth visiting include the Ashokan Pillar, Taulihawa & Tilayrakot, Mays Devi Temple and numerous local temples.

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