Volunteer Society Nepal : The best experience for volunteers, the best value for Nepal.
Every once in a while Volunteer Society Nepal visits our projects outside of Kathmandu. We do this because we want to maintain high quality of our projects and also connect with the local communities. Besides visiting old projects, we are always on the lookout for new projects that could benefit the local communities.
Last week our team of Gelu Sherpa, Beesal Shrestha and Linda Ris went out to Pokhara where they visited multiple projects. The focus for this trip was to visit schools, hospitals and elderly homes.
The first day we visited a local hospital. There the head of the hospital welcomed us and gave us a tour, he explained to us that volunteers are needed in many departments of the hospital to share their skills. Examples of departments are the Physiotherapy Department or the Pediatric Department. This hospital also runs a nurse school, therefore nurses are particularly welcome to work with and further train the Nepali nurse students.
After visiting the hospital we went to see a nursing school and the adjoining primary school. The school was looking good after our previous volunteers have fixed the roof there. We also noticed that a few disabled children at this school are in need of extra attention that can be provided by our volunteers. The second day we visited a village close to Pokhara called Kaskikot. Kaskikot is only 30 minutes away from Pokhara and is located on a ridge with beautiful views of the Himalayas. Here we visited three different schools with different needs. Some schools had urgent needs of construction work such as the refurbishment of the classrooms. Another school has a new building, but is in need for volunteers who can teach their teachers and students better English.
The last day we visited two Elderly centers. The first one was a daycare center. Here elderly people come to enjoy activities and friendships together. As their families are poor, they also receive a meal at the center. When we heard that they only have two people to take care of the 72 elderly, we knew that our volunteers are needed here. Volunteers can help with health issues of the elderly and with social activities. So we would be needing nurses and physiotherapists or occupational therapists at this place. And general volunteers who can start social activities with the elderly.
The second location we visited is an elderly home. Many elderly people who used to be living on the streets spend their last days here. We met the 80 year old owner who has put his heart and soul in this elderly home. He told us that help would be very much welcomed, as he is getting older and is having a hard time managing the place. We noticed that elderly people were just sitting around and not receiving any attention. Also some elderly where in their rooms, not able to get up. Although they have food and a roof above their heads they are in desperate need of some forms of activities. One of the caretakers mentioned that they are in need of a nurse to set up medication rounds to treat those with health problems, and that many had physical problems that physiotherapists can help with. Also people with general experience with elderly and taking care of elderly are very much welcome. Even people that have a creative mind and give the elderly some fun activities that brightens up their day. Many Elderly people in the home are feeling lonely and do not have any activities to spend their time with. Volunteers are needed here!
Do you want to volunteer in any of these projects? Please visit the pages listed below for more information and apply here.