Trivandrum School and Orphanage (South India)
How would you like to do something to really make a difference and enjoy the beauty of nature at the same time? If yes, then our two small schools with 4 resident orphans in Trivandrum may be just the place for you.
Environment
Our Muthathara and Palkulangra Schools are located 20 minutes apart in residential areas of Trivandrum, a beautiful town in southern Kerala which is famous for its backwaters - salt water rivers that run into the sea, flanked by picturesque villages.
Muthathara School is only 15 minutes drive from the airport and beach, and it is lovely to go down there in the evening for a walk along the shore near the fishermen's huts. With many beautiful beaches nearby and Kanya Kumari, the famous rock in the sea, only a couple of hours drive away, Trivandrum is a great place to be. Two of our volunteers even managed a two hour elephant ride in their free time!
Project Director
Didi Ananda Sampriti supervises the Muthathara school. She is extremely hospitable and has gained something of a reputation as a cordon bleu chef among our volunteers. She will be happy to share her skills with you and guide you on all your adventures around the town.
Didi Bhavapriya is the young and very dynamic principal of Palkulangra School.
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
Female volunteers can be accommodated free at our Muthathara School. Unfortunately we do not have accommodation for couples at our project, as our guest room is still under construction. Once they arrive, we will do our best to help them find a comfortable place to stay in a guest house nearby.
Cost
First month: Rs. 20000 (approx. Euro 310)
Subsequent months: Rs. 6000 (approx. Euro 90)
Who do we need?
We prefer female volunteers or a couple. You must have a good, moral character and respect the local culture.
How you can help
When you stay with us, you will become a member of our small family for the time you are there, sharing our joys and sorrows, learning about our culture and teaching us about yours. We will give you a place in our hearts, and when you leave us, we will never forget you and will request you to come back year after year.
In India rote learning is the norm and children learn to read and write English but not speak it. So both schools would like you to teach spoken English to their children, as well as songs, games, drama and share any other skills you have. After school you may be requested to help with homework and teach the orphans more English.
If you wish, you can learn to cook Indian style and help out in the kitchen when you are free, or take the orphans out on an occasional excursion...they will love that! If you can help with fundraising for the development of the two schools, your efforts will also be deeply appreciated. In return we will teach you Indian dance, songs and yoga too, if you wish to learn.
What to expect
You will normally be asked to teach at one of these schools. Palkulangra School has around 70 children and is located in a rented building that is really basic - it used to be a horse stable and is in need of lots of repairs. The schoolchildren belong to poor families such as rickshaw pullers, taxi drivers, and market sellers.
Two of the orphans live at the school with Didi Samshuddha, the school principal, while the other two live at Muthathara. Muthathara School has around 90 children and is located in a building owned by the school. However, facilities are really basic there too and the school is also in need of repair and painting.
The only school materials are a blackboard, some charts and the school course books. Palkulangra School also boasts a single, somewhat worn, computer.
Other Projects accepting volunteers: Uma Nivas, Shillong, Jaipur
To learn more about our volunteer programme
Email: info at poor.org.in
Read more stories of our volunteers
Meet our volunteers who spent time at the Trivandrum Schools
Raphaela
We did try to teach as often as possible, but it is quite hard with the younger ones because of language barriers until you develop some kind of sign language everybody understands. It is quite fun, though, and the students are absolutely lovely and so cute! Once Alice and me did some drawing with all the year 1-4s, and because they enjoyed it so much, they did some Indian Dancing and Singing for us at lunch break. It was just so fluttering! (more about Raphaela).
Zoe
Zoe is a young volunteer from Canada who helped at our two Trivandrum schools for three weeks in August of 2007. She taught English to the children and helped paint one of the schools. Zoe lent an artistic hand when we livened up a very drab partition wall by painting it with cartoons. Zoe is back in Canada with some creative fundraising plans (more about Zoe).
Jesse
I remember when Zoe, my friend whom I met at York University in International Development Studies first invited me on this trip. It was somewhat spontaneous; she was already going anyway and figured she would probably have to drag one of her less enthusiastic girlfriends with her. I was already looking to volunteer overseas... (more about Jesse).
To learn more about our volunteer programme
Email: info at poor.org.in
Read more stories of our volunteers