Nepal Booking guide

1. Complete the Online Application.
2. Read through this Booking and Info Guide.
3. Sign Terms and Conditions and Liability Agreement. A PDF of this is sent to volunteers near the end of the application and booking process.
4. Send Project Deposit of $195 US Dollars to book spot in your project. Only send this after you have received confirmation of your placement from a placement officer.
5. Purchase travel insurance for the length of project time.
6. Make travel arrangements to arrive into Kathmandu, Nepal between 8am and 8pm on your project start date.
7. Send balance of the project fee by 30 days prior to project start date. 

Placements range from two weeks to three months. 

All of our Nepal Projects start at a project fee of $799 (US Dollars) for two weeks, with additional weeks are $99/week.

 Volunteering in Nepal is a meaningful, cross-cultural experience where volunteers really make a difference. Nepal is just emerging from decades of political strife and there is a palpable sense that there is now a real opportunity to build a better future for the country. Our volunteers help make this a reality by enriching the lives of thousands of adults and children each year.

Friends for Asia’s representatives look after our volunteers for the duration of the project. Volunteers are picked up on arrival at the airport, taken to their project location, and provided with a proper orientation and training for their assignment.

Of course, Friends for Asia realizes that our volunteers will want to get out and explore this amazing country. Volunteers have plenty of time off to do their own thing and see the sights.

Volunteering in Nepal is an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life with many of our volunteers coming back again and again.

 All program placements have rules that you will also need to abide by, which will be explained in detail during training in Nepal. During your placement if you are ever unsure of these you should consult Friends for Asia (Nepal) staff to clarify. Failure to abide by the program rules and the Friends for Asia (Nepal) Code of Conduct will result in your immediate expulsion from the program without warning.

Remember, during your time as a volunteer you are a representative of Friends for Asia (Nepal). We ask that you conduct yourself with this in mind and be considerate of the lasting relationships that Friends for Asia (Nepal) continues after you have left the country. In addition, when you are in Nepal we expect you to follow the local laws and regulations. Friends for Asia (Nepal) will not be responsible for assisting you if local laws are not adhered to and if penalties are enforced.

We also ask you to remember when working with children that you are a role model and it is necessary to conduct yourself appropriately at all times when in their company. This includes being aware of your actions, your speech and personal hygiene. It will also be necessary for you to follow the same rules outlined for the children in each home.

 Each program within Nepal will have specific volunteer responsibilities. All placements are based on volunteers taking initiative and being pro active about their work. Although Friends for Asia (Nepal) will provide the foundation for the projects that volunteers will take part in, volunteers are expected to bring their own knowledge and skills with them in order for the program to be successful. There will need to be a discussion with Friends for Asia (Nepal) staff if you wish to set up a new initiative or project to ensure it is appropriate, beneficial to the community and sustainable.

In the teaching program it is likely that you will be the sole volunteer in the classroom so confidence in the classroom is vital. Classes cannot run when you are not available so if you are sick or unable to make it to a class for some reason you will need to ensure that you let staff know. Make sure you allow them sufficient time to find a replacement teacher for the lesson.

Emergency Contact/Arrival and Departure Details

We require all volunteers to provide us with:
Arrival/departure details
Emergency contact information
Information related to your medical history relevant to this trip.

We require this so that everyone is well informed and prepared in the event of an emergency. It is essential to have this information as you may be in a situation where you cannot speak for yourself. You will be requested to provide the following:

1) Your arrival and departure details: flight dates, times, airline, flight numbers or overland details if applicable

2) An emergency contact person at home, phone number and email address for them

3) Your insurance carrier while traveling (to be given to medical personnel in the event you are unable to)

4) Allergies (to medication particularly)

5) Medication you plan to be taking while traveling

6) any special dietary requirements you have that need to be passed on to the partner (i.e. vegetarian)

You will be asked to submit this out before you start the program.

Additionally, all volunteers are required to submit a clean criminal police background check, because many of the programs Friends for Asia (Nepal) undertake or involve working closely with children. 

Volunteers will need to provide a report that states they do not have a police record. In some countries you will be able to request this report from your local police station. In those countries where police stations cannot provide this report volunteers will need to provide three written character references from reputable sources (employer, Justice of the Peace, landlord, Minister of your local church, teacher, etc). Please contact Friends for Asia (Nepal) if unsure of acceptable sources. Volunteers must provide the documentation to Friends for Asia (Nepal) no less than 2 weeks prior to your intended program start date. Friends for Asia, Volunteers must provide Friends for Asia (Nepal) the original documents on the first day of training.

If arriving in Nepal before training is due to start check with your travel agent about booking additional accommodation in Kathmandu. Alternatively, you may like Friends for Asia (Nepal) to book a room in the guesthouse used for training, please contact Friends for Asia (Nepal) directly to arrange this. Volunteers are financially responsible for any accommodation before training begins.

Training begins on the first day of each month however; there may be a change to the starting date during the Dashain and Tihar festivals around September/November. As these festivals are determined by the lunar calendar we will advise volunteers wishing to begin around this time of the year regarding training start dates.

You are expected to be available to begin training on the first scheduled day (note: strictly no exceptions to this rule). Training consists of five days and is divided into two phases as detailed below. For volunteers in a program for four weeks or less you will have the option of ending your training on the second or fifth day, this will be discussed with you when you arrive in Nepal. This is a thorough training program to prepare you for Nepali culture and to teach you enough Nepali language to function in your placement.

Please note that the following schedule may vary slightly without notice. All training materials will be disseminated during training.

Volunteer Orientation Phase One (days 1 and 2) – All volunteers will be collected from the guesthouse reception area at 10:00 AM on the first day of training and escorted to the Friends for Asia (Nepal) office HQ. On the second day you will be expected to make your own way to the office to begin training at 10:00 Am. Training includes: 

• Introduction to Friends for Asia (Nepal) programs 

• Discussion about current placements available 

• Introduction to Friends for Asia (Nepal) Code of Conduct, program rules , volunteer responsibilities and Volunteer travel Ethics 

• An introduction to Nepali culture , People & Caste System 

• Basic Nepali Language Lesson 

• Tips on personal health and safety • lunch ( Dal bhat Tarkari) 

• Sight Seeing Training ends at approximately 3.00pm during phase one, leaving you with free time in which you may wish to explore your surroundings, go shopping or meet up with current volunteers. 

Please note that training days can be exhausting, especially if you only arrive the day before it starts. If you want to do extensive sightseeing in Kathmandu we recommend that you arrive in Nepal a few days early to enable enough time to visit the area before training begins.

Accommodation on days one and two of training will be in a local guesthouse which is located in Thamel and near to the Friends for Asia (Nepal) office. All of the rooms have ‘western-style’ toilets and hot-water showers. A telephone is available in reception, a safe is available to keep valuables secure and meals are available from the dining room. Depending on availability, during training you will either have a single room or you may have to share a room with a same-sex volunteer.

During phase one of training, only morning tea and lunch will be provided, volunteers are responsible for all other meals. You will find there are many economical food options in Thamel within walking distance of your hotel.

Phase Two (days 3 to 5) – For phase two of training the volunteer will move to a local village to provide volunteer with an orientation into Nepali village life. Volunteers are placed individually into local host families, unless they specifically request to be placed with another volunteer. You will eat traditional Nepali food, observe village culture and get a general feel for local life while continuing your Nepali language and cultural lessons. You will also be offered the opportunity to attend local sights of interest with a Friends for Asia (Nepal) staff member. During this phase of training there will be plenty of time to review language lessons, practice language with the locals and adjust to the slow pace of Nepali life. * On the last day of training the volunteer will be collected from the training village and return to the guesthouse.

During training you will have the opportunity to discuss the various placements available, Friends for Asia (Nepal) will take into consideration volunteer requests and needs regarding placements but will have the final say on where volunteers are placed. Many factors are considered when assigning placements and these can be discussed further with Friends for Asia (Nepal) when in Nepal. If however, you are uncomfortable or not satisfied with your placement after some time please discuss with Friends for Asia (Nepal) staff, every effort will be made to ensure your placement experience is rewarding.