Himalayan Education Lifeline Programme

HELP is a tremendous organization that allows volunteers to be placed in schools that can really use their help. The reason we were attracted to HELP, in part, was that the funds expected from the volunteer were not overly cumbersome, and were directed primarily at the school, not toward a large, somewhat unaccountable Not For Profit organization expecting unreasonable fees. Jim can be very proud of what he has accomplished. The schools are so lucky that he has devoted so much to HELP.

I think HELP is the volunteer organization that I looked for a long time. It is the most easily accessible and responsive organization I found on the web. I really like the self donation to the school and how independent it requires its volunteers to be, unlike many other organizations.

HELP is rare for an organisation offering volunteer teaching in that it puts the needs of the local people before the desires of the western person wanting 'the experience.' For example, insisting on a minimum of 8 weeks of teaching is an excellent policy.

I didn't really appreciate how great HELP was until I got the chance to talk to some other teachers in Kalimpong. I met at least four or five others who were teaching and all of them seemed to say their placements were unorganized and boring. Some also paid as much as 6 times the amount I paid and they didn't know where any of the money went. HELP gave me the opportunity to work very independently with the comfort of having a number of reliable contacts in and out of my placement. I can't say enough how glad I am to have chosen this organization over some of the other available opportunities.

An incredibly well organized and benevolent organization.

HELP has been great. Jim kept in contact with us while we were out in India and was also really helpful when my mother needed to get hold of us in an emergency. We just want to thank HELP really as without them it wouldn't have been possible.

Very good - doing a meaningful job in a small and personal way.

Super! A worthy organisation doing work where it's really needed!

I think you're running an excellent program! I really admire the integrity and simplicity of the organization. I appreciate the interview and your dedication to really educating volunteers about the situation and what to expect. The family I stayed with was absolutely wonderful, and they are related to another school and family working with HELP and I had the opportunity to visit that facility as well. After searching for months online for a volunteering situation, I can say that this is truly a brilliant organization. Everything else I found was charging exorbitant prices to volunteer! And there was no disclosure about to whom and how that money was spent. Nothing came close to what I found with HELP, and I truly respect what this organization stands for, who they are supporting and how they are running the show!

Out of all the volunteer programs that I have seen, HELP is the cheapest and most hands-off. As a college student, the only way I could have volunteered was with a program like HELP. Jim is constantly supportive and insightful. He runs a great program.

Volunteering with HELP offers all the good things of working with a small, personal organisation: in-depth local knowledge from the HELP organisers, and the feeling that one is doing something for the first time.

We think the thing you do is a great idea, that you do it very well, that your fees are volunteer-friendly (unlike those of other organisations), that you know the region very well and can give the volunteers a realistic picture of it before going, and that you have a wonderful contact in Kalimpong...