Nepal – Construction and Rebuilding

Kathmandu, often referred to as a “living museum” for its vast collection of shrines, temples and monasteries, is the capital and largest municipality of Nepal. The city is recognized for its many paradoxes, as it’s not uncommon to find lavish apartments next to slums, Hindu temples next to Buddhist monasteries, ancient sites next to modern buildings, and paved roads next to terraced farms. Surrounded by four major mountains, almost any locale in Kathmandu offers exquisite views of mountain peaks.

The aim of this program is to rebuild and renovate educational and public facilities, enhancing living standards for local communities and enabling children to resume their education for a brighter future. As a volunteer, you will work to enhance local infrastructure, including removing old structures and constructing new ones, to improve living standards and to beautify communal spaces like schools and community parks.

Tasks vary based on current needs, but typically include:

• Demolishing old structures
• Constructing walls with cement, sand, stone, and bricks
• Painting and basic carpentry
• Fencing the school area
• Preparing cement mixtures
• Transporting rocks

A typical day: Volunteers will work Monday-Friday. The average volunteering day begins at 8:00 AM for breakfast. You’ll meet volunteers living in the volunteer house and all working on different projects within the region. At 9:00 am, you’ll take a bus to the construction site to meet the local team working on the project. You will get all the safety equipment needed to perform the tasks. If the current project is close to another volunteering project in Kathmandu, you will meet together for lunch, which is usually an hour. The volunteering day ends at around 4:00 PM, when you will go back to the volunteer house or dropped off at a convenient spot to do some shopping or sightseeing.

Contruction program achievments:

• Following the earthquake, our team and volunteers constructed two school building, one in Tinghare and the other in Sikdel. In Tinghare, we built three separate buildings, each containing two classrooms. In Sikdel, the volunteer team completed a school with seven classrooms.
• Volunteers actively assisted the Canine Rehab Project in setting up their facility for over 300 dogs.
• Volunteers aided Dhapasi School by building toilets, installing drinking water facilities, setting up a computer lab, and constructing sheds.
• At the community park, we are currently involved in setting up a badminton court, clearing the area, and planning to plaster the boundary walls.

Laundry: Laundry services are available for an additional fee

Accommodations: You will stay in a shared house, five kilometers from the city center, in a shared, same-gender room with up to six other participants. Each room has a Western-style bathroom with hot water. There are several other facilities which you are also free to use, including a recreation lounge with a satellite TV and fridge, a travel desk and mini library. There is also an option to upgrade for an additional fee to a two-person room with an en suite bathroom or a private room with a private toilet. Both are subject to availability.

Food: From Monday-Friday, three meals a day are provided. All meals comprise typical Nepalese fare. On the weekends, the staff provides only breakfast and dinner.

Internet: Wi-Fi is available in the communal areas of the volunteer house.

Please note this project’s minimum requirements:

• Minimum age of 18
• Police clearance
• Basic level of English
• Physically fit
• Immunizations (please consult your local travel clinic)

Culture Week (Highly Recommended):
This week is an immersive orientation and the first step towards a great stay in Nepal. It is designed to expose you to the country’s unique culture and customs with activities that include a henna workshop, morning yoga classes and more. *You can also substitute your first week of volunteering with Culture Week.

One-Week Nepal Adventure:
For an additional fee, volunteers can spend one more week exploring the Himalayas in this beautiful country! Activities include jungle exploration, hiking, white-water rafting and other blood-pumping adventures!