Why Volunteer in Nepal?
Make a difference in Nepal
Nepal is not only one of the most disadvantaged countries in Asia, but one of the most disadvantaged in the entire world. The Human Development Index is a measurement used to compare countries based on their level of development, Nepal has a current score of 0.558 which places it 144th in the world. (UNDP 2018)
To give some comparisons, Australia has a HDI of 0.939 and is ranked 2nd in the world.
United States of America - 0.920 and ranked 10th.
Argentina - 0.827 and ranked 45th.
Egypt - 0.691 and ranked 111th.
Well, we are sure you get the idea by now.
WHAT IS IT LIKE IN NEPAL?
It is certainly much more than the world famous Himalayan mountains.
Kathmandu is a vibrant and bustling city that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year. The Thamel (tourist) area is an eclectic mix of modern day hippy types, adventurers of all ages and young families jumbled together in an old city with chaotic streets.
Outside of Kathmandu, things are a little more peaceful despite 81.4% of the countries population living outside of urban areas.
The Village areas are stunningly beautiful and the people are incredibly warm and accomodating. THISWORLDEXISTS are fortunate to be working in four seperate communities in Nepal, each with their own charms, cheekiness and unforgettable memories.
Read more about the Caste System in Nepal here.
Read more about Village life in Nepal here.
HOW TO ENSURE YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN VOLUNTEERING?
Quality volunteers and fundraising support are hard to come by, so it is important that you focus your good willed attention in specific aspects to ensure your volunteer experience has the greatest impact.
Sadly, there are some people in developing countries that take advantage of impoverished communities for personal gain. Therefore it is important to approach each intention with some understanding of how to maximise your impact.
THISWORLDEXISTS focus entirely on sustainable education development projects for a number of reasons.
Every dollar that we invest in our projects, continues to work for a number of years and does not provide immediate relief before the benefits are exhausted
Education is proven to not only increase job/income opportunities but proven to impact a number of implications associated with poverty that include but are not limited to; environmental issues, improves gender equity, reduces sex trafficking, improves health status, human trafficking, improves food security and reduces malnutrition etc.
Accountability and transparency are extremely important. 100% of our fundraising contributions are invested directly into our projects. At the completion of each stage of each project, an impact report outlines the entire expenditure of the specific project. Read our Sorung Chhabise report here.
Before engaging in a volunteer experience with an organisation, ask a lot of questions about their programs, how fundraising money is invested etc. to ensure that the organisation is the best fit for you and what you want to achieve.
THISWORLDEXISTS not only invests 100% of the fundraising contributions but it is completely volunteer run!
Read more about How we measure the Impact of our Volunteering here.
Read more about Our Volunteer Impact here.
So Why Should I really volunteer?
People from around the world volunteer for a range of different reasons and as long as people are out there helping to improve the lives of others, who are we to question? Right?
Want to know the top 5 responses from our THISWORLDEXISTS guests when asked why they wanted to volunteer?
I wanted to give back. (Presumably, these people recognise the fortunate position they are in when compared to the entire world and the only think that it is fair that they do something to help others less fortunate)
I wanted more out of my holiday. (This is the response we really love because our motto is to change the way you travel. We still do all the fun touristy things and get up to some pretty awesome adventures but we always help contribute to a sustainable impact in the communities in which we visit)
I wanted to stop being so selfish. (It is great to have that some of our guests have the confidence to be able to respond so honestly when asked, don't you think? Fortunately, many of us do have the ability to make a difference in the world and who said travelling and volunteering doesn't come with personal reward?)
I wanted to improve my CV. (In this day and age, job placements are becoming increasingly competitive and a meaningful volunteer experience can make the difference between landing your dream job or just missing out.)
I wanted to meet like-minded people. (THISWORLDEXISTS is all about community. Over recent years we have grown our community to over 100 people from 8 different countries, many of whom keep in regular contact and continue to travel and make a difference in Nepal, other countries or in their home towns.)
Who knows if any of these are relevant for you or maybe you have different reasons for wanting to volunteer in Nepal. Whatever that reason may be, it is great that you have considered helping to make a difference in this special country.
At THISWORLDEXISTS, we promote and create opportunities for us all to travel in a different, more meaningful and just manner. All of our trips include an adventure component (in the case of Nepal, hiking through the Himalaya), genuine community engagement and most importantly a meaningful and impactful volunteer experience.
