Community building and teaching projects in India

Our projects in India are located in Tamil Nadu on the South East coast. We work alongside NGOs who began work in the region as a result of the 2004 Tsunami which badly hit coastal areas here. With the need for immediate disaster relief now passed, together with local NGOs, we now focus on the most underdeveloped communities and their long term needs. Many villages suffer in poverty at the bottom of the caste system and without reliable access to clean drinking water disease is a major problem; similarly many children to not have access to education. Projects are all identified by the communities themselves and are aimed at giving local people the tools to become self-sustainable. Past projects range from digging wells and building water storage and sanitation facilities to improving local educations facilities and building multi-purpose community centres. We have recently re-built and re-roofed several houses in a very poor village where houses previously made of mud were being washed away in the monsoon rains every year resulting in dire conditions for the families expected to live through the annual flood and the disease it brings. Volunteers will also have opportunities to get involved in local schools teaching English and other subjects.

Our projects will really get you under the skin of your chosen destination; you will be fully integrated into the heart of a rural village where you will live, work, eat, drink and generally become part of the community. Everything we do is in partnership with our village hosts, living and working as part of a team of volunteers. You will make a very tangible contribution to the lives of those who have welcomed you into their lives by building basic infrastructure that will benefit the community for generations to come.

All of our projects are selected for their long-term benefits to the host community. Our focus on youth development incorporates health, education and sports and our community building and teaching projects build vital facilities such as schools, classrooms, clinics, toilet blocks, water tanks, community centres etc. We research each project to ensure it meets our strict criteria including an assessment of the need, benefits and long term-sustainability of the project itself, together with levels of community involvement, risk assessments, health and safety requirements, logistical practicality and living arrangements. We always work in close partnerships with village chiefs, village development committees and other NGOs as well as local, national and international charities to ensure that we gain as much local knowledge, expertise and support as possible. The projects are always initiated, owned and led by the village, community or local partner organisation to ensure the long-term support and involvement of the local people which also secures the sustainability, staffing and maintenance of the project long after we have left.

Our projects are very environmentally and culturally sensitive respecting local traditions, languages and religions. We live as the locals do as far as is possible, adapting to local conditions and employing local staff from within the village; these include cooks, carpenters, mason, engineers and local labourers to work alongside our UK crew on all of our projects. All accommodation is locally owned and hosted by a local family, we source all food, materials and supplies nearby to contribute as much as possible to the local economy. We minimise the use of valuable resources such as water and firewood to reduce the environmental impact of our projects, bucket showers are used for washing and towels are not provided. We operate small group projects with a maximum of 16 per group to ensure that volunteers are welcomed into each community ensuring that our presence isn’t overwhelming. We also provide comprehensive and accurate pre-departure information together with full orientations and responsible travel briefings to increase cultural sensitivity. We offset the CO2 emissions for every flight made by our staff and encourage all volunteers to do the same.

To describe this form of travel as ‘low impact’ belies the incredibly positive and tangible difference that you will make; your contribution will be highly valued as the community will benefit from an improved standard of living as a result of your decision to travel there.