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Working Holiday 2011
Some people bask in the tropical sun, enjoy Tamil Nadu's lovely beaches, take in the towering temple architecture and shop for the silks, handlooms and handicrafts - famous all over India...
You can do all that on the vacation of a lifetime - but you can make a difference, too!
Dates for your time with us
You may arrive or leave one day early or later if your flights are so timed. BUT we need to know ahead of time so that we can ensure that you don't miss out on any interesting events.
2011
Two week working holiday dates to be annouced.
Ten day holidays are possible in August/September, subject to approval by Nalamdana staff. We cannot take later dates in September, as it may rain and field programs get cancelled then.
Payment
Total cost for a two-week working holiday will be available when dates are posted.
Your contribution covers:
1. Shared accommodation, food and local travel during the working holiday.
2. Support for Nalamdana's innovative programs in the field.
3. A portion of your contribution is tax-deductible.
To register, please contact Nithya Balaji or Nalamdana. Payment by check or money order is required ONE MONTH prior to departure and should be sent to:
Friends of Nalamdana
c/o Karina Corrigan
14 Curtis Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-729-9339
Team Size
Minimum number of volunteers per team - four
Maximum number of volunteers per team - six
Ages 18 - 70 years
What to Expect
THIS IS A COMMUNICATION PROJECT...
You won't be given physical tasks such as building walls, houses or digging wells! If you enjoy talking to people, creating entertainment programs, using hand puppets and working with children and adolescent girls through any form of art or music, you will be an asset to the project. If you have never done any of these before but are willing to give it a try, you are our kind of a volunteer! You will be paired with Nalamdana staff for all tasks, and they are able to speak moderate English. Some of us speak it well.
You will be picked up from the Chennai airport and taken to the booked shared accommodation. Starting slowly...with orientation, ice-breakers and briefing, you and other volunteers will join the Nalamdana team in our on-going programs and field work. Your interaction with Nalamdana staff and local community members, will give you the opportunity to experience first-hand our programs and the issues we address. There will be periods of intense activity, interspersed with leisure - time to experience the rich local culture, food and events. You will help us reach under served women, children and students in urban and rural settings.
Volunteer Tasks
Projects will be clearly explained by the staff and training will be given prior to field visits and activities. Previous team members have joined in the pre play entertainment, acted in small parts, helped us with pre and post questionnaires and interviews within the community. They documented all of this in English and completed the reports before they left. Some have helped with photography and videography, using their own cameras, covering events through video and photos and later sent us edited films. Many have returned and have chosen to stay in touch. The organization, Friends of Nalamdana was born out of such a group and they now help us fund raise for our work.
Local Experiences
You will visit Nalamdana staff homes and join in any event that happens during your stay...a wedding? a child's birthday party? ...a movie? We will definitely visit at least one traditional Hindu temple and local churches. Often the highlight of a volunteer's time with us is simply the time spent with people from the local communities we visit and with the Nalamdana staff. You will leave with many mutually unforgettable experiences.
Tentative Schedule
FIRST 2 DAYS: orientation, cultural briefing, recover from jet lag. Get to know the Nalamdana staff and understand our on-going projects. Local sight seeing and shopping in the evening. Some activities are ongoing and some are new each year. Volunteers who sign up will see/participate in some of the following work in progress....
1. The HIV/AIDS awareness role plays and monthly drama we do at the Government Hospital campus- just outside of Chennai. This is where the State Government rolls out free ART treatment and free medicines for TB infected people. Nalamdana has linked ten wards through a cable radio and we deliver music (call in program) and key messages in Tamil, the local language. We also enact role plays there about general hygiene and tips about the medication for HIV, etc... This involves the nurses, counselors and doctors. Some local college students also volunteer for this. We will be connecting the children's ward next month and intend to do special programs for the children here. We have a separate room for recording and relaying the programs.
2. We will have started from July, 2008 onwards, a series of drama's on Child rights to be staged in five city schools and related communities. Also included will be interactive sessions using various art forms, such as drawing, puppetry, story telling, etc. with smaller groups of students in these schools. Volunteers can certainly help here... as some of these children will know some English. Then there is always non verbal communication!
3. We work in some local slum areas, where adolescent girls meet regularly at our drop in centre to discuss issues, and to learn skills such as theatre and songs. We recently screened a digital film on suicide and alcoholism, created by us, for these girls and held a discussion on the issues shown. This film, entirely enacted by our drama team, was shot on location in villages. We have just completed editing it and are field testing it as training material. This is something volunteers could also help with: documenting responses, recording questions raised and helping with the answers. We will have plenty of translators to help you.
4. If there are sufficient people signed up in advance a rural trip will be planned for the volunteers. We will all travel to a village area, stay together in a local house, enact drama's in the evening for communities, maybe hold some training sessions for local women's groups? Of course we would get a very rich rural experience in beautiful South India. We will pick some place close to some great sight seeing possibilities... as we have done in the past!
FINAL DAY: group party and departures.
Travel Planning
August and September team dates are just after our summer, but it is still warm. An average of 34 Celsius (93 degrees F) with no rain. Dress conservatively in comfortable cottons (no tank tops, see- through blouses or tight clothes). Women should wear long loose skirts or pants - no shorts or skirts above the knee. Long, narrow skirts may be difficult to sit in for long periods of time, particularly when sitting on the floor, which you will be doing some of the time. Men should wear long pants and short-sleeved shirts. Women should also wear shirts that cover the shoulders. Loose-fitting cotton clothing would probably be the most comfortable due to the heat and humidity. Women may purchase a salwar kameez (loose cotton dress with matching trousers) cheaply in Chennai if they wish. The staff will provide an explicit safety briefing, guide for dressing and cultural dos and don'ts in the first several days. Chennai is a large town and everything is available. Major credit cards are accepted.
Accommodations
While in Chennai, shared rooms with attached toilets will be booked for the team in a local hotel, close to the beach if possible. Freshly cooked vegetarian meals will be delivered or catered from an identified safe restaurant. If traveling in rural areas, a local hotel with similar arrangements will be booked. This may or may not have Western toilets, so be prepared for Indian style ones, but with running water.
Medical Tips
Take all recommended shots and malaria tablets. Check with a public health nurse or your doctor for their recommendations as to the best malaria tablets, least side effects, for you. Former volunteers may have some suggestions. Bring any medications you are used to, in small doses. We have a good GP lined up in case of emergencies and Chennai has excellent hospitals ... should the unlikely need arise. Some time during the team may be spent in rural fishing villages. The project vehicle will be the primary mode of transport in case of an emergency. Thus some pre-existing conditions including cardiovascular conditions, strong sensitivity to heat and dust, seizure disorders, serious asthma and very high blood pressure might preclude volunteers from participating (please consult your Doctor) Volunteers should have a tolerance for Indian food to make participation on this project enjoyable. The only emergency that has struck a volunteer during the six years we have been running this program, was someone getting heat stroke. So please take the safety/health briefing given on day one seriously. Swimming and sea bathing are not possible in Chennai but you may use a week end resort on your free days.
Your contribution will cover
1. Your shared accommodation, food and local travel during
the working holiday
2. Support for Nalamdana's innovative programs in the field.
3. A portion of your contribution is tax-deductible.
Please book your own airline tickets, obtain a visa and travel insurance.
You should make sure that you have up-to-date immunizations as advised by your travel agent or doctor. Your visa should cover your full stay in India with some cushion for flight delays and connections.
How much money should I bring
Since your contribution to Nalamdana covers accommodations, food and local travel on work days, your extra shopping/gifts needs can be covered easily for under $500 (internet cafes are close by for very inexpensive, via internet, long distance calls and email access). Should you wish to purchase fine leather goods, jewelry, silks, art, etc, you may need your credit cards!
To reserve a place
Kindly confirm your place and send a check for your contribution to "Friends of Nalamdana" (if you live in the US) as explained above. Please email us your itinerary giving clear arrival details: flight number, scheduled arrival time, etc. and you will be met at the airport. If you would like to talk to any previous volunteers please email me and I will link you up. For any further details please email me at nithinal.balaji677@gmail.com
We look forward to meeting you in Chennai...
Nithya Balaji, Executive Trustee
R.Jeevanandham, Project Director and Trustee
(Both are Principal Investigators on Communication
Research Projects initiated by Nalamdana, Chennai)
* Nalamdana is a non political, non religious registered charitable trust in India - with tax exemption and permission to receive foreign donations. All local regulatory laws have been observed and audited balance sheets and reports are annually filed.
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