Sri Lanka – Child Care and Community Work – Images

Sri Lanka is a small, tear-drop shaped island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of India, with a population of about 18.5 million people. This volunteer project is located in Kandy, one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka. Kandy lies amidst the rolling hills of the Kandy Plateau and is home to the famous Temple of the Tooth, a sacred Buddhist temple.

Volunteers can choose from any of the three placements below:

Community project: This placement offers two options:

• Assisting at a special needs care center
• Providing care for children from families with low socioeconomic status.

As a volunteer on the special needs placement project, you can make a difference in the lives of these people by providing care and support for the members of the home. At the childcare placement, volunteers will assist with feeding the children, putting them down for naps, playing games with them and cleaning the care center.

Community Renovation: This project involves the painting and restoration of temples, community centers and schools throughout Kandy. Local children may be joining you to assist in the beautification and restoration of these buildings.

Teaching Project: These placements are assigned solely on the current needs of the program; volunteers must be prepared and willing to contribute at any of the following placements:

• Teaching English to local adult community members
• Teaching village children
• Assisting local teachers at a pre-school
• Assisting local teachers at a special needs school

Important notes: You will be expected to work five days a week for all of the projects listed above. You will have the weekends off, giving you plenty of time to go on excursions around the country or just relax.

Volunteer work and allocated projects may change due to unexpected circumstances, thus it is important to have a flexible attitude.

Depending on the project location, volunteers will commute 15 – 60 minutes from the volunteer house to the project site by local bus. This is considered by many past participants as a great opportunity to experience the local culture and meet people.

Cultural Note: Due to cultural norms of Sri Lanka, participants are required to remove any body piercings and cover all visible tattoos while at the project sites.

Holidays:

Teaching placements will be unavailable during these holidays:

• November 29 – January 2, 2020
• April 1 – 31, 2020
• August 1 – September 5, 2020
• November 30 – January 1, 2021

No placements of this program will be available during these holidays:

• November 16-19, 2019 (Presidential elections)
• April 11-17, 2020

Internet: WiFi is available at Internet cafes located nearby for an additional fee.

Laundry: Laundry can be arranged for an additional fee.

Accommodations: During this project volunteers will be living in a comfortable volunteer house in a beautiful village near Kandy. Volunteers may live with up to 10 people per room and will have a bathroom, toilet facilities and hot water. Home stays are also available upon request (for an extra fee) and can be an integral and enjoyable part of the cultural immersion process. Volunteers can upgrade to a home stay upon arrival – this is highly recommended for volunteers age 50 and over. Famililes must reserve private accommodations for a supplementary fee. Volunteers travel from the volunteer house (located in an authentic village) to their project by bus – fares included in the program.

Food: Local, vegetarian dishes are served on site. You will be provided with three meals a day during the week, and two meals a day on weekends.

Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:

• Police clearance
• High level of English
• Motivation to work with children or adults and experience new cultures
• Immunizations (please consult your doctor)

Culture Week (Highly Recommended):
This orientation week is the first step towards a great stay in a new country! It’s an action-packed and fun-filled week in Kandy that is dedicated to introducing you to Sri Lanka and all its cultural aspects with a firsthand, live-in experience. You will also have time to meet local people, taste the local cuisine and get familiar with Sri Lankan customs.

Program Add-Ons (Not Included)
After your volunteer placement you can join one of the following program add-ons for an additional cost (book following registration):

Tropical beach week: Spend an entire week on some of Southern Sri Lanka’s most beautiful beaches. The mornings are packed with exciting activities such as a river safari on the Madu Gaga, where you may be able to sight a few crocodiles or a trip to Cinnamon Island to see some island temples and mangroves. You will also visit the Galle Fort which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and see South Asia’s largest sleeping Buddha statue. Your outings for the week also include a trip to the mask factory and the museum. You will have the afternoons and evenings off to spend at the beach.

Yoga and meditation week: Indulge in a week designed to relax the body and soothe the mind. This week combines Yoga and Meditation with Ayurvedic treatments. This week will teach you the basics of Yoga and Meditation and also educate you about the human body. The techniques taught here form the basics of Yoga and Meditation, but as with any form of exercise it is not a magic formula. The benefits can be reaped only by continuously practicing it and making a conscious change in lifestyle.

Trekking week: An adventure-packed week interspersed with treks and other exciting activities. You will be led by an experienced guide through the Hill Country, i.e. the central province of Sri Lanka, renowned for its flora and fauna. The week includes treks to the Rose Stone Garden, Ambuluwawa Hills and a trek to Bible Rock. You will also visit Sigriya Rock and a local spice plantation, take a walk through a local village and visit three loop temples. The activities for the week also include a trip to the Royal Botanical Garden.