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To volunteer one must take part in a Passage program that lasts for a minimum of 90 days. Disadvantaged Youth
One of Nepal's saddest population is that of disadvantaged children. The Kathmandu Valley is home to a wide number of social initiatives working with children through health, education, sports, and arts projects. Volunteers interested in devoting serious time to helping the children of Nepal can work with local orphanages or monasteries, as well as with the wide number of NGOs that assist street children, child laborers, and refugee children.
Development
Nepal is one of the poorest nations in the world. Half the population lives below the poverty line. There are many unique development success stories in Nepal, as well as many disasters. As a result, "development work" has earned a controversial name for itself in Nepal, with some people touting its necessity and success while others condemning its naiveté and corruption. That said, most people conclude that development is essential for Nepal and that effective solutions are indeed possible. For students and volunteers interested in learning more about positive development strategies, Passage has many associates working in various sectors of this field, including poverty alleviation, education, women's rights, democracy building, nutrition, medical care, refugees, and sex education. Students can volunteer their time at projects or can work one-on-one with individuals in the field to strengthen their knowledge of one of Nepal's largest sectors.
You will naturally have expectations. Remember that they are expectations--not a template of reality. Some will be met, some surpassed, some absent from the actual experience. Practice the dance of adapting to what you encounter, adjusting your perspective, and inventing enjoyment wherever you are. Take your own frame of mind, your response to the world, as your personal responsibility. Tune it regularly. Paint your own picture. We're here to back you up.
Music
Kathmandu is a hub for music lovers with 3 annual music festivals taking place – Kathmandu Jazz Festival, Himalayan Blues Festival and International Folk Festival. Festival, such as these, also shows that Nepal has much to offer to people with diverse interests and tastes. At Passage we believe in music and are offering it as a volunteer option for interested participants. The founding member and director of the music school that we are associated with has himself been playing, recording and teaching music in Nepal for the past two years. It was during this time that he got a feel of the thriving music scene in Kathmandu, performed with extremely talented (mostly self-taught) musicians and realized that the city lacked an institution for formal music education with proper and adequate equipment or staff. Teachers and/or advanced music students who love to teach and want to experience life and music can apply to teach here. A BA in music is desirable but not essential; experience in teaching and performing is a must.
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“The family is very nice. The atmosphere is always happy. The food is good and I had a lot of freedom to do what I want. The members of the family are all sincere and open-hearted. And the family really is a history itself.”
- Yuchen Zhao, Personal Passage 2009 |
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