Testimonials from Volunteers
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Peggy Law, Hong Kong, Child Care: Orphanage Homes, 14th March 2011 to 27th March 2011
My volunteering experience with VIN was truly awesome and unforgettable. Due to some logistics reasons, I stayed with 2 host families. Both of them were amazing. They made me almost cry on my last day! They both treated me as part of their families, took me out for sightseeing and helped me with travelling around the city. They even invited me to their birthday party!As for the orphanage I worked with, the children were so adorable. They were very attentive and I could tell they enjoyed my teaching a lot. At the same time, I enjoyed teaching them too. They are all friendly and smart. I wish I had more time in Nepal!
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Myriam Sauter, Switzerland ,Child Care: ECD Centres, 15th Nov 2010 to 4th Feb 2011
Coming for volunteering Nepal is certainly an experience for itself you will not only be forced to face new challenges but also you will discover new aspects of your personality. Volunteering in ECD classes will keep you busy all the day and you will not feel bored. If you get frustrated because coordinating with the local teacher so hard, do not feel afraid speaking with VIN staff. I was over whelmed by the familiar and heartily atmosphere in the office.
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Amy Vaduthalakuzhy, U.S.A, Micro-credit Teaching, 01 Oct, 2010 to 09 Dec 2010
I volunteered with VIN for almost three months, and what a great three months it has been! From working with the VIN team to enjoying festival time with my host family in the village, from daily crowded micro rides to weekend trips to explore beautiful Nepal, from daily daal bhat to street-side momos, from watching the sunrise over the Himalayas to going bunji jumping, my time here has been unforgettable!
I worked mainly on the Microcredit project, which is part of the Women’s Empowerment Program in the Jitpur Community. My work involved many aspects of the Women’s Empowerment program, such as developing a training manual on basic account-keeping and business skills for women’s groups, developing an electronic database for account-keeping of the microcredit cooperative and updating cooperative policies. Working in the VIN office also gave me the opportunity to also understand and contribute to various aspects of running an NGO, including fundraising, marketing, volunteer coordination and publications/communications.
I also really enjoyed working alongside such enthusiastic staff members, who all have the same objective in mind: improving the lives of the Jitpur community villagers. Working in a single community enables VIN to focus all their energy in improving all aspects of life there. The staff also understands that handouts cannot improve a community – that only through enabling the residents to stand on their own two feet can one see long-term and sustainable improvements. I truly believe that VIN will go a long way to bring positive change, and I am happy to have been a part of the journey!
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Natalia Szczygielska (Poland), Teaching English, Dec. 2011
“Working for VIN was an unbelievable experience."
I was put with a family that was so warm and welcoming. It was very humbling to see people with so little offering me all they had in order to make me feel comfortable. Working in the community and at my school in particular was a real eye-opener. One that I will never forget. Having support on the ground from VIN's office in Kathmandu was unusual forvolunteer charities but invaluable when it comes to sorting out any problems that might occur when so far from home.
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Felipe Moreno (Columbia) Teaching English, Oct-Nov. 2011
What really left a mark on me was sharing my life with the monks at the monastery. I was volunteering there, teaching English to approximately 80 kids, from 7 to 15 years old. I also became very good friend with some of the older monks and shared priceless moments with them. I didn`t have any luxuries or any great comforts there. All the kindness and spirituality of the people there made me feel like I didn`t need anything else in my life.
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Minna Zhang (Australia), Winter Camp and Orphanage, Jan 2012
I helped organise and run a week-long Children's Winter Camp for up to 70 kids in a village called Tinpiple, worked in a girls' orphanage in Kathmandu, trekked Annapurna Base Camp (while raising money!), and even went paragliding over Pokhara! My favourite part of the trip however was living with our host family Salla Dai and getting immersed in the language, culture, community, and their different way of living and seeing the world. They are all friendly and welcoming people with a joy for life that's truly inspiring.
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