Volunteer in India for Environmental Preservation and Awareness

Organisation activities in brief: This organisation is dedicated to maintaining the sanctity and beauty of the Ganga and Himalaya near Rishikesh and helping to reduce Global Warming through:

·         Door to door garbage collection

·       Segregation of waste and sale of recyclables

·       Public Service: cleaning of roadsides, drains, hillsides and residential areas etc

·       Composting (pilot project)

·       Education in schools and customer education

·       Clean-Up campaigns

·       Discovering a creative way to dispose of non-recyclables 

Name of project requiring volunteers: Environmental, civic and spiritual awareness and education through direct action—responsible waste management and picking up garbage off the streets!

Project location: Laxman Jhula/ Tapovan near Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 

Project highlights: There are many reasons you might want to work with this organisation as a volunteer. First of all the work they are doing, even if it is on a relatively small scale, is a significant way that you can directly affect the most urgent problem we currently face as a human race—global warming and environmental degradation. And you will be taking direct action on these issues in an area of great concern not only nationally, but internationally—the Himalayas and the River Ganges.

The experience of working as a volunteer for this organisation (as a Westerner or as an Indian) will give you a rich experience of real life in India at a fundamental level. Volunteers work very intimately with organisation workers and the core team.  It is impossible to overemphasize how rewarding this experience can be. And of course you cannot get more down to the basic aspects of life than working with people’s garbage and all the related health issues! 

Waste management, particularly picking up garbage off the roadside etc.,  is considered low caste work, and so is not only boring for the organisation workers, but demeaning. Educated Indians and foreign volunteers not only increase the dignity of their work, but infuse a very positive energy.

Many volunteers have felt a real commune with the workers, which helps the volunteer connect not only with organisation staff, but with the community at large. Some volunteers have even found the work meditative. It is also very satisfying to see areas transformed and know that the work one is doing is important. It is doubly satisfying when visiting pilgrims/tourists and local people come up and sincerely thank you, as they often do, for the work you are doing.

In addition, picking up garbage off the roadside has a very practical educational impact not only on the local community, but also on the numerous pilgrim/tourists. While tourists will question the volunteer as to what and why they are doing the work, they will never speak to our workers. Such engagement with tourists can also enhance the dignity of the workers as the volunteer will often bring the workers into the conversation with them.

Date project commenced: September 2006 

Language preference of volunteers: English or Hindi 

Main duties for volunteers:

(1) If short stay (one week to one month): Join the organisation workers for roadside cleanup for two hours, two to three times a week (or more if volunteer desires) and/or do survey work in daily garbage collections to ensure all Clean Himalaya customers are being covered every day, and where organic waste is being collected, to make sure it is being segregated properly between organic and inorganic. This could also include time and motion studies. Survey work and time and motion studies require three hours per day four to five times a week.

(2) If longer stay (6 weeks to 2 months): As above (point #1) and if desired help with customer education. Old habits die hard and hotel and restaurant staff are always changing, so ongoing education in proper segregation is the order of the day. Be part of the home visits the organisation does around the local villages where the team speak to families about waste management, joining the organisation, and health and safety issues.

(3) Volunteers could also be involved the planning and participation of clean-up campaigns we do around our project area. These are exciting events sometimes attended by over a hundred people.

(4) If long stay (3 months to 6 months):* As above (point #1 and #2) and also help and plan educational projects in schools, the community, service clubs etc.

(5) We also may need help with composting, general computer and graphic skills, with electrical or building skills, arts and crafts and sewing skills and organizational and writing skills.  

Attributes/Qualities required:

·         Reliable and self motivated

·         Ability to integrate oneself into a grassroots project that is growing organically

·         Self-sufficient financially: volunteers would need to supply their own gloves, facemask, which are all readily available

Volunteer duration: Ongoing as per volunteer’s own requirements. Volunteers can stay one week to many months.  

Age range: No limitation, but good health is necessary 

Accommodation details (if available): None on site though there are many guesthouses and hotels within walking distance of the organisation 

Meal details (if available): Many restaurants in the project area  

Transport details (if available): None 

For more information contact: volunteer@responsenet.org