Volunteering Opportunities in Uttarakhand: The Land of Gods
Uttarakhand – Picture green hills, snow-capped mountains, foggy roads, little cottage houses, and clean air – that’s what beautiful Uttarakhand is all about. Uttarakhand or the ‘Land of Gods’ is a state situated in the north part of India with 13 districts, sharing borders with both Nepal and China. The state is known for its extensive and scenic beauty, history, yogic and ayurvedic practices, and soaring surrounding mountains. It is one of the most popular destinations for both Indians and foreigners alike due to the always-present stunning beauty that just changes and shifts, and never disappears. Foggy, green landscape of Uttarakhand About Uttarakhand Within the state, there are many cities and spots most visited by travelers. This includes Dehradun, Kausani, Dehradun, Haridwar, and Nainital, some of the more popular cities with more population than the smaller communities spread out in the valley. We should also not forget Rishikesh, a city made by the popular band The Beatles’ 1968 visit and consequent stay, known for its scenic beauty and the many adventures it offers to travelers. Uttarakhand is also known for being the entry point of the Ganga or Ganges River, where all the tributaries join to make one of the largest widths of the river in India. Uttarakhand is popular for having various different opportunities for volunteering. Volunteering in India itself is something made easy by many NGOs, schools, communities, hospitals, etc. in the country, and many travelers opt for this while exploring India. Travelers are often plagued with the question of low-cost travel in India, and often volunteering is the way to not only explore the country but also help in the process. Why should you volunteer in Uttarakhand? Be a volunteer in the Himalayas!! Volunteering in Uttarakhand Widely categorized, some of the ways you can volunteer in Uttarakhand are (explained further in detail below ) : 1. Volunteering for Women and Community Empowerment 2. Volunteering in Rural Areas 3. Volunteering in Ashrams 4. Volunteering Through Teaching 5. Volunteering through Yoga and Wellness Activities 6. Volunteering as a Health Worker 7. Volunteering for Environmental and Sustainable Development purposes You can find crowded schools in Rishikesh or isolated rural tribes in the mountains of the state, large yogic ashrams, or small farming-driven communities widely across the state to volunteer in. It is important to note that all these options differ in their volunteering process. Some will provide housing and food in exchange for dedicated volunteering, while others will expect volunteers to find their own housing, although will guide them in the process, due to less area and funds. There are some NGOs and communities with strict guidelines and processes for selecting volunteers, and other villages yet may not have even experienced the joy of selfless giving that is volunteering and may welcome visitors with open arms. 1. Volunteering for Women and Community Empowerment The joy of sharing: women showing volunteers local handicraft Women’s education, development, and empowerment, broadly speaking Women empowerment are lacking in Indian society and most communities. In order for the country to grow, prosper, and respect each citizen, this is an undertaking needed to bring about equality between the sexes and ensure independence among women. Many organizations and independent villages/towns have specific volunteering programs focused on the development of communities, in particular the empowerment of women and girls. In these programs, volunteers usually focus on developing basic skills among the women of the community so that they may earn and support their families. Sometimes specific skills such as coding and writing are taught; other times general education and the betterment of the societies are focused on. Either way, the goal of the volunteer is to help out communities where female education is severely lacking and there is a need for the development and empowerment of girls and women. These programs may also focus on pre-teen and teen girls who are educated and empowered so that they are more educated, independent, skilled, and therefore successful. If volunteers are interested in this specific area of volunteering, there are many small villages and communities in Uttarakhand such as Chopta, Kalsi, Mana, etc. where women and schools can be approached for volunteering opportunities with girls and women. Although this is not a full-proof approach, it can be tried out. An easier way would be to find NGOs and organizations that have running programs on community and women’s development such as Ankur, an organization focused on this. 2. Volunteering in Rural Areas Smiling women working in a rural setting Rural villages and areas in India are often plagued with problems concerning even the most basic necessities. Uttarakhand is no different – the state is filled with independently running, mostly self-sufficient communities, often isolated from one another amongst the mountains. The same set of problems is present in all – lack of electricity, education, hygiene, ease of living, etc. There are many small projects volunteers can take up to improve the way of living in these places – for example, better-invented toilet systems, solving basic problems, teaching, helping with construction and odd jobs, etc. There is an immense opportunity for development in these places – and in the end, volunteers can feel satisfied they helped better a community. There is always scope to approach villages and areas where such tasks are always appreciated and there is no lack of hospitality. If you prefer organizations, there are many that allow for homestay and local food during the time you work as well as ample time to explore places nearby. There is a popular project in Kanda, Uttarakhand, the Rural Organisation for Social Elevation (ROSE) that interested volunteers can research and consider. Also, there are Government volunteer programs of which you can be a part. 3. Volunteering in Ashrams Ashram volunteers serving food to locals Ashrams are institutions made for the specific purpose of studying
