Fighting Inequality in India
Globe Aware's India program is based in Jaipur. Maharaja Jai Singh II, a Kachhwaha Rajput, who ruled from 1699-1744, founded Jaipur, "The Pink City". Built in 1727 Jaipur was the first planned city of India and the King took great interest in its design. The title of "The Pink City" is in reference to its distinctly colored buildings, which were originally painted that color to imitate the red sandstone architecture of Mughal cities. Jaipur has grown into the commercial center for most of the rural regions of the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan and is that state's largest city. It is a place with a rich cultural history. During your strolls through the city you may come across typical Rajasthani men and women wearing turbans and colorful ghagra-choli.
VOLUNTEER WORK PROJECTS IN JAIPUR
Many children, below the poverty line or considered different, are often neglected in Indian society. Parents of these children are usually daily wage earners like rickshaw drivers, laborers, etc, and are unable to provide their children with what they need. Schools also have few resources due to a lack of funds and teachers. Covid has hit this population even harder, drying up already limited job opportunities, access to education, and pausing beneficial building renovations of schools. We are thrilled to be back in India, making a difference!
As a volunteer, you will provide a much-needed hand in building and renovating important facilities for different age groups, and you will also have the opportunity to interact by teaching basic courses, games, sports, and arts and crafts. With your assistance, these kids are able to catch up with their peers and receive opportunities they would not otherwise have. Projects are currently split into small and big based on the number of volunteers needed. Projects may be chosen based on the immediate need of the community.
Solo/Small Groups & Families
AIDS/HIV Care Home for Children
The home is a residential facility for around 30 girls, aged 3 to 17 years old, diagnosed with AIDS/HIV. Some have also lost a parent or both due to AIDS/HIV. The home requires volunteers who can help build furniture for the computer room so that the children can have comfortable access to online learning and other educational resources.
Special Needs Adult and Kids Center
This center currently assists 12-20 adults and children affected by disabilities such as ADHD, Autism, and Muscular Dystrophy. The center also receives limited support from private funding institutions and previous volunteers. We are looking to create a sustainable learning environment by renovating classrooms and building sensory equipment.
Government Schools and Daycare Centers
We are working with government schools in India to improve the quality of education and the infrastructure itself to stop drop-out rates. The government schools are unable to provide desks and benches for the kids to even be able to sit and write. Classrooms are in poor condition with broken walls and blackboards. Schools also need girls' toilets to be built to provide a safe space and encourage female students to attend.
The Day Care Center (DCC) projects provide daycare to the daily wage-earning population who are "Below the Poverty Line" (BPL). The children who attend a DCC are usually between the ages of 1 to 5 years old, with 10-50 kids per center. The DCCs are in poor conditions without any furniture and equipment to fulfill the needs of a child’s overall development.
Big Group Projects - will require groups of over 20
Sensory Garden for Special Needs School
You will be volunteering at a day school for 50-100 special needs children affected with mental and physical disabilities such as ADHD, Autism, Muscular Dystrophy, Locomotor Disability, Cerebral Palsy, and Multiple Sclerosis. The school is looking to develop a sensory garden for the kids to enhance their ability to sense sound, touch, feel, smell, and vision.
Rural Village Water Harvesting Development
Rajasthan is a desert state in India and always faces drought and famines. We are working to educate and empower the small villages having low-income earning populations to develop a water harvesting structure to save rainwater. The income of the village population is below $5/day and they can't afford to establish water harvesting structures in their homes/huts. You will be building and installing the water harvesting structures in the village, and also create innovative ways to reduce kitchen water waste.
Low-Cost Eco-Friendly House Development
We are working in the rural communities in India to build low-cost eco-friendly houses. We are helping houses safely withstand extreme weather conditions, from incessant rains to raging dust storms with solar panels that can provide free electricity to them. You also may possibly be building a solar panel system to fulfill their daily need for electricity.
Food and Lodging
Volunteers can choose between staying with a local Indian family in a homestay or lodging at one of the modest hotels near our program site. Please note that homestays can accommodate a maximum of two volunteers; groups larger than this will be placed in a hotel. All accommodations include running hot water, flushing Western-style toilets, and electricity. While not luxurious, they are more than sufficient to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience. We house volunteers two to a hotel room unless you decide to pay a single supplement of $200 per week.
Indian cuisine is rich in spices and diverse flavors. North Indian dishes, particularly those from Rajasthan, often feature various types of roti or flatbreads. You'll also find an array of delightful seasonal fruits and tempting street food, though it's best to enjoy street food with caution. Vegetarian options are abundant and cater to a wide range of preferences. Be sure to bring your own water tumbler. Water will be available at your lodging and worksite or can be purchased from local grocery stores. If you opt for a homestay, the home may also have its own filtered water system.
Leisure and Activities
Have dinner with a local family. Enjoy a Bollywood Film in the homeland of this worldwide phenomenon. Take a visit to a traditional artisan factory. Explore the city markets of Jaipur, visit the famous Amber Fort. India is a land of stunningly unique sights, sounds, and smells. Even a walk down the street can be an unforgettable experience. As you embed yourself into the local community and your work project you will have ample time to enjoy these and other cultural activities.
Arranging Your Airfare
Jaipur Airport (JAI/VIJP) is situated in the satellite town of Sanganer and offers sporadic (chartered) service to London and Dublin. Flights to Singapore and Bangkok are available via Delhi. Direct flights to Sharjah, Muscat and Dubai are also available. Jaipur also has daily domestic air links with many Indian cities such as Jodhpur, Udaipur, Aurangabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Goa, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and Indore. Globe Aware volunteers will find it simpler to fly into one of these cities and make a connecting domestic flight to Jaipur. One plus point for those flying out of Delhi is that the Delhi airport is close to the highway, so you could reach the airport without entering the city.
The most popular way to travel to Jaipur from Delhi, is by plane. There are a myriad of low budget airlines that fly daily back and forth between the two cities.
Safety and Security
Jaipur is a safe city accustomed to visitors from around the world. You may encounter youths on motorbikes claiming that Westerners are unwilling to engage with the Indian people. They might say "Why don't tourists want to talk to me", or "I am a student, I want to learn about your culture". This is occasionally a segue into a common scam in this part of India, the "gem scam." It involves the purchase of fake stones for resale, a supposed scheme to bypass Indian tax laws, or a host of other machinations. As a general rule, do not accept tea from strangers, but in addition be wary of any who invite you to talk in secluded areas. For your own sake, you will want to stay out of the precious gem business in Jaipur. There have been reports of smugglers trying to entice travelers to assist in smuggling items. Under no circumstances accept - smuggling is a major criminal act. In all these cases, exercise general caution and never fear to ask your coordinator for assistance or clarification of a given situation.
PLEASE NOTE:
Possession of satellite phones and other GPS devices is strictly prohibited in India and may lead to detention, fines, or arrest. American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India have encountered multiple cases involving U.S. citizens traveling to or within India with satellite phones or GPS devices, resulting in detention and significant fines upon entry, exit, or during their visit.
