Sunderbans Smiles - India

  India

Kolkata (Calcutta)

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: Dec 24, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr

Description: Your Volunteer Project will be within the Sunderbans Jungle Camp on Bali Island in the Sunderbans region of north eastern India. The Camp itself is already a successful project for a sustainable source of income for the 'poachers-turned-conservationists', along with sustainable development of the local community and conservation of the wildlife and flora of this unique eco system.

You will have the opportunity to assist in various areas of the camp such as maintaining and repairing the clay embankments (the longest man-made dyke in the world!), mangrove planting to help minimise flood damage, construction of a proposed 10-bed hospital, and assisting in general village upkeep.

About Us:
Hands Up Holidays is a founding member of the Ethical Tour Operators Group, part of Tourism Concern that is committed to sustainable tourism that benefits local communities and the environment.

Hands Up Holidays was named 'Best Responsible Travel Website' for 2008 by TravelMole.

Hands Up Holidays is a fully bonded and licensed member of ATOL, number 9675.

These volunteer adventures are for you if:

- you are interested in having a break, want to explore a destination, and also give something back to a local community.
- you value meaningful interaction with other cultures achieved through the medium of volunteering.
- you value small group or tailor-made sustainable tourism practices that directly benefit local communities.
- you do not have specific skills, but have a lot of enthusiasm and a positive attitude (OR if you do have specific skills, we will match your skills where possible)

The volunteering portion of your trip is generally 4 days out of a 14 day trip - not enough time to save the world, but sufficient to make a positive impact, rub shoulders with the local people, and have your worldview challenged.

It is our hope that after experiencing a Hands Up Holiday voluntourism trip, you will feel inspired to volunteer for a longer period somewhere (even in your home town), or become a lifelong advocate or donor for the Community Development project you got involved with.

Come and join us for your Adventure That Counts!

Highlights: Trip Highlights:

- Volunteering with the wonderful people of Bali Island in the Sunderbans, north-west India
- Calcutta city walking tour
- Game cruises and birding tours within the unique Sunderbans eco-system; potential viewing of tigers in the water
- Visiting land based tiger viewing watchtowers
- Staying in a community-owned eco-lodge at 'Sunderbans Jungle Camp'
- Evening entertainment at the rural theatre

Qualifications: None - just lot's of enthusiasm, although if you do want to teach English, a TEFL qualification is desirable.

Cost in US$: 1800.00

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Someone with plenty of enthusiasm, who wants to have an eco-vacation, and also wants to interact in a meaningful way with another culture and give back through a taste of volunteering. This taste of volunteering is typically for 4 days, and is for you if you are not 100% sure about volunteering in an other country and want to test in a context where you can still make a positive impact...and hopefully become inspired to do longer volunteering in the future. A typical Hands Up Holidays volunteer does not have specific skills, but if you do, we will do our best to match them for you to out them to use.

Age Range: 18-80

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2-12

Post Services Include:

• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Hands Up Holidays's Mission Statement: What we stand for * The dignity of every individual - every person is of equal value * We in the West can offer a lot to disadvantaged communities, and we make this happen, whilst being conscious that it is not our right to impose our value system...and we are very aware that frequently it is us who have more to learn from other communities than we can teach them * Being good stewards of the Earth and its resources, and conserving them for future generations.

Year Founded: 2004