Jaipur Orphanage (Rajasthan)
Introduction
Would you like to do something different this year? Why not come and
help out at the small orphanage run by Didi Gaotami, a very remarkable
woman, and do something for the underprivileged in Rajasthan in the heart of
Rajasthan?
Currently home to 13 orphans, this building really has an incredible
history. It is the story of one woman’s struggle against all odds to do
something for the underprivileged.
This project started in 2005 as a piece of land with a tiny tin shed, 8
orphans and Didi, a yoga nun. When Didi left the orphanage and school
she had been running to strike out on her own, she was only assisted by
a single volunteer, who had helped her buy a piece of land for the new
project. Eight of the orphans from the original home decided to go with
her to live in the tin shed with no water and no toilet. In the space of
only two years this shed was transformed into a two storey building,
though by October last year, it still had no doors or windows. Now it
does, thanks to the courage and determination of Didi.
Environment
The orphanage is situated in a newly constructed housing colony in a
green area of Jaipur. Jaipur, also known as the pink city due to the
pink rock from which its walls are built, is a popular tourist centre in
Rajasthan. It is famous for its cloth and silver markets, as well as for
its beautiful temples and castles which are still inhabited by rajas.
Although the town is prosperous, there are plenty of slum areas and
pockets of need.
Just recently our project opened an embroidery class for local poor
women and already has a regular attendance of 25 women.
Right now we only need a volunteer to help take care of the children,
but in the future we will also start a slum school and will ask our
volunteer to help with that too.
Project Director
Didi Ananda Gautami: What is most remarkable about Didi is that
she is severely handicapped.
She has a very painful form of rheumatoid arthritis and cannot even
stand up without assistance. Yet in spite of her handicap, she is
cheerful and loves the children as their own mother, taking pride in all
their small achievements. Yet it is very difficult for her to manage
alone. She desperately needs a volunteer to help her with the children.
Volunteer Coordinator
Malati is originally from England, but has been working in
India for over 15 years, learning about the culture, the languages and
about the people. Ten years ago she started a programme to help provide
infrastructure to struggling village schools and has since arranged
funds for many schools to help them to become self-sufficient.
Accommodation
The orphanage has a medium sized room where a volunteer can stay. The
electric supply is good. There is running water in the bathroom.
Volunteers will receive training in Indian style bathing!
You will be provided with vegetarian food but can eat other food outside
the compound.
Cost
First month:
Rs.18,000 (approx. Euro 300)
Subsequent months:
Rs.6000 (approx. Euro 100)
Who we need?
We prefer female volunteers. You must have a good moral character and
respect the local culture.
How you can help
When you come to stay with us, you join our family for the time you are
there, sharing our joys and sorrows, learning from our culture and
teaching us about yours. And most of all, you will gain a place in our
hearts...when you leave, our children will never forget you and will
request you to come back again and again.
What to expect
The construction of our building is not complete, and we still need some
help with fundraising to be able to complete even the basement and
ground floors, so accommodation and facilities are basic. We would like
our volunteer to help us with this as well as teach the children spoken
English. In India the children only learn to read and write English but
never learn to talk it! We want to remedy this.
In India rote learning is the norm and hundreds of bored pupils stream
out of schools every day, burdened with books and with hours of homework
ahead of them.
Many also spend a lot of money on tutors in an effort to make up for the
defects in the teaching system. As we cannot afford tutors for our
orphans, we would like you to help us teach the children their other
subjects as and when they need help.
We would love it if you teach them songs, games, dance, sports, drama or
share with them any other skills you have. If you wish, you can learn to
cook Indian style and help out in the kitchen when you are free or take
the children out on an occasional excursion...they would love that!
To learn more about our volunteer programme
Email: info at poor.org.in
Other Projects accepting volunteers: Uma
Nivas, Shillong, Trivandrum
Read more stories of our volunteers
Meet our volunteers who spent time at the
Jaipur Orphanage
Anna
We arrived back in Japan yesterday morning and still have wonderful
memories of India, the AM school and the wonderful children we shared
our lives with for a week reeling in our heads. It was really nice to
meet you and hear the stories about the wonderful work you are doing.
Thank you for your help in settling us in.
more about Anna
Dawn
I spent six months volunteering in 2004, and I still think about my time in Jaipur almost every day. The girls at the orphanage where I stayed were genuinely affectionate, curious, hard-working, creative, and grateful for what little they had. Coming from a wealthy country, it was an enlightening, and humbling, experience for me.
To learn more about our volunteer programme
Email: info at poor.org.in
Read more stories of our volunteers