Description

Discover Sri Lanka, a glittering jewel of an island nestled in the aquamarine waters of the Indian Ocean. Fringing the coasts is an array of gently arcing golden-sand beaches, and vibrant colourful communities. Sri Lanka is a country of exquisite cultures, landscapes and cuisines and has a fascinating history.

What Will I Be Doing?

* Introduction week
Your first week is designed to give you an opportunity to explore the history and culture of Sri Lanka, and of course Kandy, with visits to local sites of special interest such as nearby markets, sample the local cuisine, familiarise yourself with Sri Lankan customs and meet the local people, as well as hopefully learning some key phrases to help you get by. Following this wonderful opportunity to fully immerse yourself in your new surroundings, your briefings for the volunteer work will begin along with language classes and cooking lessons throughout the week.

* Volunteer work
Your work programme and schedule will vary depending on the time of your visit and any personal interest or experience, but with a little flexibility and enthusiasm you are sure to have a wonderful experience. Upon arrival in Sri Lanka you will meet your local coordinator to design the ideal project for you personally. All volunteers are encouraged to leave their own personal mark on the project work, and the range of activities available to you includes:

* Teaching
Experience the heartbeat of the future generation of Kandy, as you bring your own teaching style to the classroom. Make a difference to the lives of the children who will hang on your every word, and make friends for life with the teachers and students alike.

* Orphanage work
Whilst not an orphanage in the Western sense of the word, you will find the children for whom the orphanage is a home to be from an underprivileged background and yearning for support and stability. Involve yourself in teaching, games, workshops, and construction and renovation work, and indeed anything else in which you have experience.

* Women's Shelter work
The women's shelter option is for female volunteers only and has been established to provide support and guidance to women who have suffered from domestic violence, as well as being a safe refuge where women can share experiences and rebuild their confidence. Working for this truly fantastic cause and helping people to open up and laugh again can be incredibly rewarding and encourages you to use your creative side to build bonds and engage with the women.

* Elderly care work
Contribute to the everyday running of a local care home for the elderly with maintenance and improvement work, decoration and gardening work, and learn about the Sri Lanka of days gone by from the residents who will be equally as eager to learn about your life and home.

* Construction Project
If you prefer some hard work and like to be hands-on, throw yourself into the construction programme which focuses on improving and maintaining local temples and nursery schools. Your involvement will depend upon the needs of the project at the time and what stage the renovations are at, but working on such integral community projects is sure to win you lots of friends!

Highlights

* Gain a lifetime of wonderful friends and incredible memories.
* Visit the tropical paradise of Sri Lanka and her communities.
* Earn the respect of the local community through a variety of volunteer work.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

1,645

Program Fees Include:

Before you go:
* Pre-departure support
* Travel & medical advice & documentation
* Equipment advice
* Discounted medical kit
* Free Frontier t-shirt

In-country:
* Accommodation
* Food
* Local orientation
* Project training
* In-country emergency support
* 24-hour international HQ back-up

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Elderly
• Orphans
• Teaching
• Volunteering
• Women

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living
• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Phone/Video Interview

Frontier's Mission Statement

To conserve the world's most endangered wildlife and threatened habitats and to build sustainable livelihoods for marginalized and under resourced communities in the world's poorest countries. To create solutions that are apolitical, forward-thinking, community-driven, and innovative and which take into consideration the long-term needs of low income communities.

Year Founded

1989