volunteer – 5
Jasmine, United Kingdom
What is your motivation behind volunteering?
I was looking for a way to really get to know Nepal while backpacking and to meet some of its amazing people. I didn’t just want to go to the tourist destinations, but I wanted to see and learn about this incredible country as much as I could! Kathmandu is an impossible city to describe, and I wanted to live in it and explore it. I also wanted to give something back to it if I could. I spend 4 months in Nepal, and because of my first two months at WFN, I had picked up a bit of Nepalese, could sing some local songs. I was hoping for a unique experience of immersing myself in Nepalese culture, and I got so much more. The Nepali people are the kindest I have ever met, and during my two months at WFN I got to talk to some of the most inspirational people. I learned so much about the history and way of life during my stay, and got to visit the sights on the weekends which were all close!
Why The Women’s Foundation Nepal?
There is a lot of companies offering volunteering where you won’t actually get to do anything, especially in Kathmandu. With WFN, the organisation is led by the same women who founded it, and you’re committing to at least 2 months of volunteering and/or staying in the home. I was careful when researching volunteering online, but WFN is fully Nepalese, and their many projects to help the community are detailed online. I had previously worked with women’s rights organisations before, so I believed I could be of use too! I loved that I got to stay at the home too, meeting everyone who got through and eating with everyone! With WFN, you will make friends, learn songs and recipes, walk into street parades, and witness the great work the organisation does. I found a family in WFN and I see why a lot of the volunteer come back.
What was your highlight during your volunteering time?
I have so many highlights that I will remember forever. The time Deepa and Prabesh, the best coworkers ever, took me to try their favourite potato snack at their local street restaurant. Celebrating the women’s holiday Teej with the whole organisation’s women dressed in red, dancing and celebrating! Getting to know the kids, from watching TV together before dinner to practising yoga together. Talking to Renu, who runs WFN, was always incredible. I was so inspired by her passion for helping people, and working tirelessly to do this. Through her insanely busy schedule, Renu always made time to talk to me, cook for me. She and her family took me to temples and meals out, giving me experiences that I would never have had otherwise. My highlight is all the people I met!
Adriana, Australia
What is your motivation behind volunteering?
Travelling to Nepal for the first time I wished to volunteer and contribute my professional skills from design and social work in meaningful way. I love being in woman-centred environments and I was seeking to volunteer in an organisation that used a grassroots approach to working with women and children.
Why The Women’s Foundation Nepal?
Previously working for a women’s organisation in Australia and as a social work student, I was seeking a volunteer program that aligned with my experience. I learnt about the Women’s Foundation Nepal (WFN) through the Global Women’s Project (GWP) who are one of their international partner organisations. WFN provide many services to the community such as a Women’s shelter, Textiles co-op, Micro-finance opportunities, Leadership training and so much more. I was interested to learn about the initiatives in which women work with women to create long-term changes for well-being and their livelihood.
What was your highlight during your volunteering time?
It was so inspiring to spend time amongst lots of resilient women and men advocating for equality on all levels; as individuals, within the home and the community. I interviewed a couple of the Maheela staff members (Textiles co-op) with Prabesh assiting to translate which was a very special experience for me. I was deeply moved listening to the women’s stories and learning about the ways in which WFN have impacted and transformed their lives forever. Living in the solidarity home was so heart warming and fun to share all delicious meals with the huge WFN family!! So many special memories I feel grateful for.
Katharina & Robert, Germany
What is your motivation behind volunteering?
We planned to go travelling around the world in 2014 but only travelling seemed a bit simple and so we wanted to get to know a country from different perspective. Working in Nepal as volunteers allows us to do something good on one hand and to learn a lot on the other hand.
Why The Women’s Foundation Nepal?
We volunteered in Nepal through an organisation from Austria. They suggested that we should volunteer at the WFN because of their need for professional skills. After finding out about the organisation and meeting the people here, we were sure that this was the place for us.
What was your highlight during your volunteering time?
We cannot choose one highlight as there were many. Getting to know the women and their stories, hearing the warm welcoming “Namaste” at the office several times a day, attending the very special haircutting ceremony for some of the WFN’s boys…
Working for WFN and Maheela and creating two new websites made us feel that our volunteering had created something lasting and that we have learnt so much from our work.
Hannah, United Kingdom
What is your motivation behind volunteering?
After spending three years qualifying as a chartered accountant in London I was ready for a change from the corporate way of life. I have spent a lot of time travelling in Asia and I wanted to return to my favourite country, Nepal. From my travels I had seen the poverty and suffering in Nepal and I wanted to use my professional skills to help a charity and give something back to the country.
Why The Women’s Foundation Nepal?
I chose WFN because I was very interested in their focus on women’s empowerment and campaigns against sexism in Nepal. I liked the fact that they had a wide range of projects (from a shelter home to a micro-credit training programme) as there were lots of different things I could help with. I wanted to be part of an NGO that was growing and needed help in the process of expanding. I thought I would be able to help in the office but also wanted to help out caring for the children in the shelter home which has been a lot of fun!
What was your highlight during your volunteering time?
My highlight has been staying in the WFN solidarity home. There is such a wonderful sense of family life and community and from the moment I arrived I felt very welcomed and happy. I was worried when I came to Nepal I would miss my family and friends but living at the solidarity home means I have a new family! There are always people to chat to and have fun with and the food is very delicious (‘mitosa’ in Nepali). It has been great living with Nepali people as it is a great way to learn about the culture and I have also learned lots of the Nepali language in the process. An added bonus is that there is no commute to the office as it is next door to the solidarity home!