Cambridge Volunteers in Nepal works to send between 5 and 10 volunteers each year to work with several different schools around Kathmandu, Nepal. We are a student run volunteer organisation and the past volunteers work together to set up the project for the following year. Last year 5 of us spent up to 2 months teaching children and traveling around Nepal. We place volunteers in 3 schools, Adarsha Janapremee, and 2 schools run by HVP (Hindu Vidyapeeth Nepal). The schools are very different in the way they are run but all of them will give you an amazing experience. This programme is an amazing way to really contribute to Nepal in an effective way as the children and the schools gain so much from the volunteers that come from this project. Also for you this is an awesome opportunity to see a country in a completely different way to the tourists and gap yearers. By working as a volunteer you have the chance to be incorporated into the school, family and community. This means that your experience of Nepal is a much deeper and cultural one than any tourist could ever have.
   Traveling to Nepal can be expensive but luckily there are many funds available to you if you apply for them on time. The reporter gives you information on the awards available, and is available in most libraries and online. There is also money available for travel grants from most colleges so it's worth asking. If you get a place on the scheme you will need to play for your flights, insurance, visa (make sure its long enough for your stay), a donation to the school and accommodation, and your spending money. The donations vary from school to school but are around £100 for the donation and £50 for your food and accommodation. So this is a very cheap way to visit Nepal. The amount of spending money will need depends on what you are wanting to do in your time off teaching. There are shopping opportunities galore and many sights to see. Most things are very good value for money but everything can add up. Also if you are planning to go trekking this will obviously effect the cost of your trip. If you need more information on any of this feel free to contact us.

The schools

Hindu Vidyapeeth info

By Nicholas Grafton-Green

   Hindu Vidyapeeth-Nepal is a school of about 450 children between the ages of 4 and 16, based about five minutes walk from the central square of Patan, the most beautiful of the three kingdoms that make up the present-day Nepali capital. It is a charity school which means that whilst pupils pay a nominal sum to attend, it is funded by and large by Western charities and runs a sponsorship scheme whereby pupils from underprivileged families all over the country, particularly at the moment those affected by Maoist insurrection, can still gain a good education... MORE

Janapremee info

By Jane Clarkson

   Adarsha Janapremee School is a family run school that is about half an hour away from Kathmandu. It’s a fairly typical example of Nepali education and has kids aged from 3 to 19. The school is a private school, which means that the families pay for their children to go to the school, however, don’t expect rich kids. Many of the families scrimp and save in order to send their children to schools like this and many of the kids have scholarships. These are either in the form of donations from charities, sponsorship from old volunteers or through educational achievement... MORE

Important dates

Meeting: Monday 31st January
at Fitzwilliam College, Walter Grave Room
at 4.30pm

Forms in by: Noon Sunday February 13th, in the pigeonholes of either Nicholas Grafton-Green (Peterhouse) or Kate Kinsey (Emmanuel)

CVN Summer program: 2 6-week 'shifts' between early June and late September 2005

Forms

Printable information form

Printable application form

Contact info

For more information, feel free to contact Will on [email protected] or Jane on [email protected]

Last Year's Volunteers:

HVP Central: Kate, Nick, Will

Janapremee: Emma, Jane

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