About Us
The ‘Himalayan Volunteers programme’ was developed
to assist impoverished rural communities and has
been operating in Kathmandu and Chitwan for several years.
People in the Chitwan region are primarily
Tharu although the area is much more multi cultural than most of
Nepal as people continue to migrate to the area from all over the
country. The Tharu traditional dance and songs are performed in
resorts and lodge entertainment. The Tharu people are known
for their farming skills, industrious nature and intelligence.
Although they have a low income, the Tharu are mostly self
sufficient due to their farming abilities. But the people who live
in the surrounding area are amongst the country’s poorest.
One of the programme’s main priorities is
education, working closely with the local secondary school, and also
by providing vocational training to young adults along with skill
development for all ages. Other volunteer projects include
helping to restore some of the historical buildings, schools, such
as Buddhist prayer halls, which have fallen into disrepair.
Volunteer Himalaya welcomes Nepalese and
international volunteers in the abode of Himalayas, Nepal, to make
their positive contribution in a developing country with a rich
culture.
Volunteer Himalaya in Nepal holds a non-governmental
and non-profit making but the professional status.
It is in corporate under Association Registration
Act 2062 (2005) - (Regd No. 76-62-63) to His
Majesty's Government of Nepal and affiliated to
Social Welfare Council of Nepal
Why
are Volunteers needed?
People
volunteer for a wide variety of reasons, especially
because they want to help others. But it's also OK to want
some benefits for yourself from volunteering.
Some people
are uncomfortable with the notion that a volunteer
"benefits" from doing volunteer work. There is a
long tradition of seeing volunteering as a form of
charity, based on altruism and selflessness. The
best volunteering does involve the desire to serve
others, but this does not exclude other motivations as well.
Instead of
considering volunteering as something you do for
people who are not as fortunate as yourself, begin
to think of it as an exchange.
Consider that
most people find themselves in need at some point in
their lives. So today you may be the person with the
ability to help, but tomorrow you may be the
recipient of someone else's volunteer effort. Even
now you might be on both sides of the service cycle:
maybe you are a tutor for someone who can't read,
while last month the volunteer ambulance corps
rushed you to the emergency room. Volunteering also
includes "self-help." So if you are active in your
neighborhood crime watch, your home is protected
while you protect your neighbors' homes, too. Adding
your effort to the work of others makes everyone's
lives better.
Your Motivations
Think about
how much you receive when you give and consider why
you want to volunteer. You may have several
different reasons. Here are just a few of the many
possible motivations identified by other volunteers:
•
to share a skill
• to get to know a community
• to demonstrate commitment to a cause/belief
• to gain leadership skills
• to do your civic duty
• satisfaction from accomplishment
• to keep busy
• to donate your professional skills
• to learn something new
• to be challenged
• to feel proud
• to make new friends
• to help friends
• to explore a career
• to help someone
• to do something different from your job
• for fun!
• to learn about a different culture and beliefs
• to keep skills alive
• to feel good
• to gain status
You will
probably have some special reasons of your own.
Remember that the motivations behind your decision to offer your services may not be the reasons
why you stay. Once you're on the volunteer job, you
will continue to serve as long as you feel that your
efforts are accomplishing something, that your
talents are appreciated, and that you make a
difference. And if you also like the people with
whom you work, it makes it so much better!
As long as
you are truly serving through your volunteer work,
isn't it wonderful that such an exchange occurs? In
fact, it tends to strengthen your commitment to
volunteering when you can see the benefits to both
the recipient of your efforts and to yourself. And
it is much more comfortable than "charity" because
it upholds the self-esteem of those with whom you
volunteer. |
