Community Development Placements

Nepal - Community Development, exciting new placements available: Kathmandu, Chitwan villages & Pokhara. Includes MSc or MA rural development dissertation opportunities and experience.

Recent visits have resulted in a range of volunteering opportunities opening up which are described below.

• Immersive language learning ​​​​​​- studying Nepali at the Children's home with Pastor David and his wife Maria allows for an immersive language learning experience. Help out with daily life and the wider church network. Language learning Volunteers with an interest in agriculture could assist local Katmandu Christians on their ‘city farm’ plots. Separate volunteer accommodation
• Community Development - post graduate rural development dissertation opportunities with a major NGO partner based in Pokhara. Includes project management experience.
• Teaching.  Volunteers interested in assisting local teachers could spend time at the nearby secondary school in Katmandu and at the Chitwan community primary school.
• Chitwan.  Through our partner, join the village community, learn about traditional farming, enjoy some jungle treks, help in the village school and experience the genuine hospitality of the local people.

These placement opportunities have all been further developed by the Christians Abroad Nepal Field Officer with our Nepal partners.

Our placements are generally offered all year round – but perhaps avoiding the monsoon months of July and August. Home-stay accommodation is basic but perfectly adequate and hospitality is exceptionally warm.

Volunteers can be of any age from eighteen years upward, and work programs are based on whatever skills and interests the volunteer can offer. Volunteers can go alone, with a friend or even in a small group.

Christians Abroad offers a support package for all our placements which consists of managing the practical arrangements such as flights, insurance and visas and has a preparation course to help volunteers get the most out of their time abroad.

The overall cost is made up of travel to the placement, any vaccinations deemed necessary, a charge for accommodation and the Christians Abroad administration charge plus personal spending money. Most placements will be around £2500.

Application forms are available to download on the ‘Volunteering’ Page of this website.

Christianity is a minority faith in Nepal which has a majority Hindu population. There are also smaller populations of Buddhists and Christians, both Protestant and Catholic.  Participation in the twice daily devotions in the home is not obligatory but volunteers should be sympathetic to the Christian faith.

There is no malaria in Kathmandu but during the monsoon time in country areas of Nepal a volunteer would need malaria medicine.

Good internet access is available at the Katmandu Children's Home and there are internet cafes around the city.  There is limited internet access in the Himalayan foothills and Chitwan jungle communities.

Kathmandu is rich in cultural history. Sightseeing would be funded by the volunteers themselves.

A recent volunteer writes: "David Prasain and his wife Mariyah are very generous people and they are working very hard to provide for the children and they´re doing it with a smile on their face. I think of the experience every day and it has changed me in an extremely positive way as my understanding for poverty and charity has been broadened to an extent of which only few things are capable of doing."

Please note the summary Document can be downloaded and feel free to contact Christians Abroad for further information and to devise placement opportunities that would best suit your volunteer vocational requirements.