Nepal – Construction and Rebuilding

Kathmandu, often referred to as a “living museum” for its vast collection of shrines, temples and monasteries, is the capital and largest municipality of Nepal. The city is recognized for its many paradoxes, as it’s not uncommon to find lavish apartments next to slums, Hindu temples next to Buddhist monasteries, ancient sites next to modern buildings, and paved roads next to terraced farms. Surrounded by four major mountains, almost any locale in Kathmandu offers exquisite views of mountain peaks.

Since the 2015 earthquake, some companies also need new buildings to expand their businesses, so there is a need to rebuild larger buildings. In 2017 one of the construction projects saw over 100 stray dogs move to larger premises, built by the help of volunteers and now can help up to 300 stray dogs. Each construction project takes around a year to complete, so volunteers are needed all year round to make this possible! In the past four years, three schools and a disabled children’s home have been completely rebuilt with the help of volunteers.

Volunteer work involves improving local community buildings and structures. Volunteers may be removing old structures and rebuilding or building new ones. Volunteers will work to improve the standard of living within the local community, and beautify public spaces such as schools.

Some of your tasks may include:

• Removing broken structures
• Moving rocks
• Painting
• Building walls and fencing
• Mixing cement

A typical day: Volunteers will work Monday-Friday. The average volunteering day begins at 8:00 AM for breakfast. You’ll meet volunteers living in the volunteer house and all working on different projects within the region. At 9:00 AM you’ll take a bus to the construction site to meet the local team working on the project. You will be given all safety equipment needed to perform the tasks. If the current project is close to another volunteering project in Kathmandu you will meet together for lunch, which is usually an hour. The volunteering day ends at around 4:00 PM, when you will be taken back to the volunteer house or dropped off at a convenient spot to do some shopping or sightseeing.

Laundry: Laundry services are not provided.

Accommodations: You will be staying in a shared house, five kilometers from the city center, in a shared, same-gender room with up to six other participants. Each room has a Western-style bathroom with hot water. There are several other facilities which you are also free to use, including a recreation lounge with a satellite TV and fridge, travel desk and mini library. There is also an option to upgrade for an additional fee to a two-person room with an en suite bathroom or a private room with a private toilet. Both are subject to availability.

Food: From Monday-Friday, three meals a day are provided. All meals consist of typical Nepalese fare. On the weekends, only breakfast and dinner are provided.

Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:

• Minimum age of 18
• Police clearance
• Basic level of English
• Physically fit
• Immunizations (please consult your local travel clinic)

Culture Week (Highly Recommended):
This week is an immersive orientation and the first step towards a great stay in Nepal. It is designed to expose you to the country’s unique culture and customs with activities that include a henna workshop, morning yoga classes and more. *You can also substitute your first week of volunteering with Culture Week.

One-Week Nepal Adventure:
For an additional fee, volunteers can spend one more week exploring the Himalayas in this beautiful country! Activities include jungle exploration, hiking, white water rafting and other blood-pumping adventures!