Why I Volunteered in Nepal, Dee Chapon, FVIN Board Member

I want to talk to you about why you would want to go to Nepal and volunteer some weeks or even months with an organization called Volunteers Initiative Nepal.

I love traveling but have found going to foreign countries and staying in hotels while traveling around from city to city or countryside is just not a satisfying way to really get to experience the culture and meet with the people I was traveling to see.

When I decided to visit Nepal, I decided to take advantage of volunteer travel, or voluntoursim as some people call it. After searching on the Internet, I decided on one organization in Nepal for several reasons. This organization is locally run which means that all of the volunteer fees that are paid by international volunteers stay in country and go towards local programming. The other main reason for picking VIN, as it’s called, is because it is an organization with grassroot initiatives and has a sustainable model for effecting economic and social change – in this poorest of poor countries.

While I was in Nepal, I lived with a local family and taught English at an elementary school in a small rural village outside Kathmandu. I regret that I only volunteered for 3 weeks as the experience was so rich and I would have loved to contribute more.

However, whether short or long term, this is an excellent way to travel. You get to support great projects and initiatives, experience what it is really like in the country you are exploring and contribute something in the process. I would highly recommend this type of volunteer travel.

And if you are going to Nepal, I would encourage you to check out VIN. The staff of VIN will make you feel welcome, provide all your in-country support and housing and welcome your contributions toward health, education, women’s empowerment, teaching in a Buddhist monastery, or many other rewarding programs.

Contact Dee Chapon at dee@deechapon.net for more info.