FRIENDSHIP FOUNDATION NEPAL (FNN)
CHITWAN INTERNATIONAL WORK CAMP 2014
CODE MONTH DATE LOCATION TYPE OF WORK NO. REMARKS
FFN07 June 01-14 Chitwan physical/renovation 15 CHT-03
FFN-20 Sep 01-14 Chitwan Agriculture/physical/renovation 15 CHT04
FFN-24 Oct 01-14 Chitwan physical/renovation 15 CHT-05
FFN-28 November 16-30 Chitwan Physical/painting the school 15 CHT-06
Type of work: Agriculture/physical work/construction
3. Location: Bhorle village of Chitwan district, about 130 KM south west from Kathmandu in center part of Nepal. Bhorle is a popular work camp destination for international volunteers. We are working there since 1995 and hundreds of volunteers already joined international workcamp in Bholre. Major attraction of Bholre is their reach Gurung culture, friendly behavior of local people to volunteers and their active participation in cultural exchange day. More then that, Bhorle is located on the foot of two high mountains and closed to Trisuli river famous for rafting (you can see rafting boats from camp house ! ) Chitwan is the main destination for the jungle adventures and wild life in the world. One horned rhino, Bengal tiger, ghadials (long/short snout) crocodiles, species of birds and others, are the main attraction of Chitwan district. 4. work: There are varieties of works in Bhorle work camp 1. Physical work to build more facilities in camp house i.e new rooms, painting, gardening etc. 2. Educational activities in local primary school i.e. teaching English, sport, music etc. 3. Environmental awareness activities with local women’s group (how to keep their village beautiful by keeping clean, using toilet, not throwing plastic or paper everywhere, volunteers are welcome to present their new ideas ! 4.Local people wanted to set up health center and computer room for the school so we need to help them to collect the stone and sand from the river . 5. Food and Accommodation: FFN has camp house in Bhorle. Food and accommodation will be arranged there. This is like ‘a camp type’s accommodation’ floor only, campers need to bring their own sleeping bag and mattress. The camp house can accommodate 15-30 people. There. A shower (cold water) will be available at the camp house, but not the standard you are used to in your country. Nepalese daily food is Dal Bhat, like Dal (soup of lentil or beans), Bhat (cooked rice), Tarkari (cooked vegetable), is provided. This is the staple diet of the Nepalese and it is eaten everyday. The camp leader will try to offer some different foods but if you would like to enjoy your native meals please bring food from your own country. Volunteers will help to prepare meals in turns. 6. Meeting Point: Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN) office or Pilgrims Guest House. We are sorry to mention that we can't pick up all volunteers at the airport due to entrance difficulties at the arrival of Tribhuvan International airport in Kathmandu. If volunteer stay at least one day in hotel encounter Nepal they are agreed to pick up to our volunteers in nominal cost (Rs 100, Euro10). Therefore volunteers are requested to send their arrival information to us in time so that we can ask hotel encounter Nepal to pick up you. Please care your luggage and pay only above mentioned amount for pick up and transportation to hotel encounter Nepal, do not pay to hotel extra for your pick up at the airport. If you have reserved any hotel please let us know. Please check latest information before you leave your country at our website: www.theffn.org 7. Where to stay: Thamel is quite popular place in Kathmandu for travelers. There are several economy hotel or guest houses in Thamel. Most of volunteers stay at Hotel encounter Nepal in Thamel before or after the work camp. We have made an agreement with Hotel Encounter Nepal that they will pick up all FFN volunteers according to your arrival information at airport and offer economy single room from 10 Euro 50 euro it is depen on your choice. We can help them to reserve their room in Hotel Encounter Nepal or other economy hotels. Please send us your full arrival information; arrival date and time, airlines name, flight number etc. 8. What to Bring: seasonal clothes, sleeping bag, working gloves, trekking shoes, mosquito-net, music cassettes, reading materials or photographs and BEST MOTIVATION! . 9. How to travel: All volunteers travel together from Kathmandu to camp site (Bhorle). FFN manage group traveling to get work camp place. Therefore volunteer need to be one day before the camp date. If volunteer come late, he or she will travel alone but FFN will help to catch right transportation. A public bus takes about 5 hour to get Bhorle. Insurance: FFN will not provide any kind of INSURANCE to volunteers, even during the project period. Please have the necessary insurance to cover your needs. But we assure you that we will make our best effort to create safe working environment. 10. Camp Fee: Euro 200. We collect the camp fee in orientation day. Therefore volunteers are requested to pay their camp fee in Nepalese currency according to the change rate. All major international currencies or travelers’ cheque and cash are acceptable in Nepalese banks. We request volunteer to read volunteer guideline and contract paper carefully before paying camp fee. If you do not get it please ask your camp leader or FFN staff who will be at the meeting. 11. Orientation Day: The orientation meeting will be held One day before the project start 1:00 PM at the FFN office in Thamel. All volunteers are requested to participate in orientation meeting. We explain in details volunteer about organization, project and travelling arrangements. The orientation is also important because sometime work and place of work camp can be changed due to local situation. Normally orientation meeting we organize one day before the camp date. Please check latest information before you leave your country at our website: www.theffn.org 12. Extra Activities. 1) Trekking of Sinchang Gadhi (about 1500mt.), 2) Jungle Safari in Chitwan National Park (about 30km). Cost of Chitwan National Park: Euro 160 for two night three days programme including food and accommodation in a tourist resort.. 3) Rafting in Himalayan river one or two days it is depend on your budget it is not comfortable free choice. 13. Education programme: There is small school run by the government but there are very small number of student so all the time we try to attract the local children through the volunteers moment right now most of the volunteers will have chance to teach and play with them if volunteers could brings pencils ,pen books and text books are highly welcome for them. 14. Culture Exchange programme : This is the main programme for the volunteers who really like to see and experience about it we may organized both kinds of culture exchange from the volunteers side and also local people side. 15. How to find Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN) Office: FFN is located in Thamel, near Amrit, Campus in front of Pilgrim Guest House on Main Street. You can see our signboard, please note the building where Adventure Trekking International is located on ground floor, our office in on 2nd floor.
BANEPA INTERNATIONAL WORK CAMP 2014
CODE MONTH DATE LOCATION TYPE OF WORK NO. REMARKS
FFN-10 June 16-30 Banepa Forest conservation 15 BNP-03
FFN-15 July 16-30 Banepa Forest conservation 15 BNP-04
FFN-20 August 16-25 Banepa Forest conservation 15 BNP-05
FFN-24 September 16-30 Banepa Forest conservation 15 BNP-06
FFN-26 oct 16-30 Banepa Forest conservation 15 BNP-07
Future plans: Water tank, two classrooms, toilet and more has been done so far We have been operating in Banepa since 2001 aiming to improve the basic infrastructural, agricultural, sanitary and health conditions of the village and its inhabitants. So far we have made a community house, fire lines, water drains and much more, but many things still need to be done. We therefore engage in many different types of work in Banepa. Volunteers aren’t expected to partake in each individual task, and will solely invest their energy in their strongsuits. Main tasks: The main project is our environmental and agricultural program in association with Shree Saradadevi Community Forest Consumer's Group. Together with the community you will help plantation, maintenance of forest, making fire lines, removing unnecessary grass, and other like chores in the local forest. We maintain and dig water drains to prevent the road from flooding during the monsoon. The volunteer will also be involved in seasonal agricultural work to assist local farmers in planting and harvesting crops. We are also currently constructing a community house for the locals. In collaboration with skilled constructors, we carry bricks and sand and survey their construction. In the nearby school, we are planning to construct a toilet and two more classrooms. You may also work at the school to assist in construction or painting of the school. We will explain details about the objectives and activities of the work camp project during the orientation meeting. Additional tasks: We arrange health orientation meetings with the village inhabitants where we stress the importance of hygiene, sanitation, and health. Location: Kavre, Banepa is situated at 1800 meters of altitude and located about 30 KM east from Kathmandu. This is a beautiful town surrounded by green hills and panoramic views of the Himalayan range from the window of the camp house. Banepa is one and half-hour journey by local bus from Kathmandu and then half an hour walk to reach the camp house situated in the middle of the mountain. Food and Accommodation: We stay in a camp house where we all stay together. The house has got three rooms, two sleeping rooms and a kitchen. A (cold) shower will be available at the camp house, but not to the standard of your respective country. You will be served Dal Bhat (a soup of lentil or beans with boiled rice) and Tarkari (cooked vegetables) by the camp leader. This is the staple diet of the Nepalese and most Nepalese people eat it every day. The camp leader will also try to offer some different foods but if you would like to enjoy your native meals, please bring necessary materials. We all take part in the daily routines, so the volunteers will help to prepare meals in turn. During your stay, the local villagers who really appreciates your help and company always invites our volunteers for dinner at their house and even for you to stay in their house one night. This is a highlight and a golden opportunity to experience true Nepali village life. Culture Exchange and Home Stay programme: The Banepa community will arrange a Home Stay program. On this day, they will invite you to the village, serve you food, and introduce you to the Nepalese culture. This is a unique experience to meet and interact with the local people. After the event, it is also possible to stay with a local family for the night. Meeting Point and Orientation Day: We meet at the Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN) office (just next to Pilgrims Guest House in Thamel) at 1PM the day before the project starts for an orientation meeting. All volunteers are requested to participate in the orientation meeting. Here we will give detailed information about our organization, the project, traveling arrangements and Nepalese culture. Any updates on the work and work camp due to sudden political changes will also be stipulated here. Therefore, we will ask that you stay updated before you leave your country at our website: www.theffn.org, or at your local embassy. Where to stay before the project: Thamel is a popular place in Kathmandu for travelers, as it is home to several economy hotels and guesthouses. Most of our volunteers stay at Hotel Encounter Nepal in Thamel before the work camp. We are unfortunately not able to pick up all volunteers from the airport due to entrance difficulties at the arrival of Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. However, we have made an agreement with the hotel that they will pick up all FFN volunteers from the airport according to your arrival information and offer you a decent economy single room for 10 euro. You are also able to upgrade your room for an extra charge. We can help you to reserve your room in Hotel Encounter Nepal or in any other economy hotels if you prefer to stay anywhere else; Moreover please send us your full arrival information promptly. Work camp leader: Nabin (hotlink) Maheswor (hotlink) What to Bring: Seasonal clothes, sleeping bag, working gloves, comfortable footwear, mosquito-net, music player, reading materials or photographs and most of all: GOOD MOTIVATION! And if our volunteers could bring pencils, pens, books and text-books for the local kids, it would be highly appreciated. These can be bought for a reasonable price in Kathmandu before departure. How to travel: All volunteers travel together from Kathmandu to the camp site in Banepa. It normally takes a bit more than an hour by public bus. It will be arranged and managed by the FFN. Should anything prevent the volunteer from arriving to Kathmandu before departure for the project, please let us know and we will arrange your transportation accordingly. Insurance: FFN will NOT provide any kind of INSURANCE to volunteers during the project period. Please have the necessary insurance to cover your needs BEFORE you arrive. We can assure you that we will make our best effort to create a safe working environment. Camp Fee: 200 euros. This fee covers the cost of administration, work, food, and accommodation which includes two-way transportation for the volunteer. It also includes a donation to the local community, pocket money for the work camp leader, and contribution to our emergency fund. The camp fee is collected on orientation day. Please pay the camp fee in Nepalese currency according to the current exchange rate. All major international currencies or travelers' cheques and cash are acceptable in Nepalese banks. We ask that all volunteers read the volunteer guideline and contract carefully before paying the camp fee. If you have not received this, please ask your camp leader or the FFN staff who will be at the meeting. Extra Activities: There are many ways to explore the surrounding area during your free day. You can visit the many temples in Panauti City which is listed as one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Or visit Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel and many other surrounding places. Another opportunity is to take a two day trekking trip to Namobuddha and Nagarkot. It will approximately cost around 50 euros including food and accommodation, but will of course be done after the workcamp. How to find Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN) Office: FFN is located in Thamel, near Amrit Campus and next to the Pilgrim Guest House on Main Street. You can see our signboard on the left side of the street if you head north. Our Office is in on the 2nd floor.
PHUTUNG INTERNATIONAL WORK CAMP 2014
CODE MONTH DATE LOCATION TYPE OF WORK NO. REMARKS
FFN-31 Decmber 16-30 Phutung Agriculture 15 PHU-01
Standard information: We have been operating in Kavresthali since 2012. It is a very poor village where many different types of work have to be done. We mainly focus on agricultural, social and educational work. It is for those interested in rural village life and everything it includes: farming, traditional culture with very scarce resources, and a life dependent on crops and domestic animals. Work: Volunteers will be working to establish an organic agriculture farm in Kavresthali village nearby Kathmandu. The work will depend upon the season but will include planting and harvesting different crops. Volunteers will also work to maintain the farm area by cleaning, weeding and watering. This also means caring for the animals (goats, cows, and chickens). Staying in Kavresthali is a good opportunity to interact with the local community. We continually stress the importance of sharing one’s personal ideas and values with the locals, as the locals love hearing directly from you. We therefore organize an agricultural workshop and give the villagers advice on ways to improve their agricultural practice; in particular working with the local women's group. If you have any skill sets that might be useful for the locals, please share your ideas as they are very much appreciated. We also organize workshops about women’s rights and women’s issues in rural Nepal. We believe that women of the village benefit a lot from knowing about women’s issues in other countries. The volunteers will share their knowledge with the local people to help the development of the village, as well as to improve the equality and ethical prospects of the villagers.
We also arrange a cultural exchange and home stay program with typical Nepali family for our volunteers to experience the rich and unique culture for one day in rural Nepal. Teaching in such subjects as English, Math, or Computer Knowledge is also invaluable in the local school; we normally teach two hours every morning. Volunteers aren’t expected to partake in each individual task, and will solely invest their energy in their strongsuits. Location: The workcamp will take place in Kavresthali village of Kathmandu district, 8km from the center of Kathmandu. The volunteers will be staying in a typical Nepali village where most people work as farmers. The local people are friendly and welcoming. If you walk 10-15 minutes from the camphouse, you can reach a small town where amenities such as banks, shops, post office and internet cafes are available. Food and Accommodation: Volunteers will stay together at our newly made camp house. It has got basic toilet and shower facilities. Sleeping mats are provided but volunteers will need to bring a sleeping bag. A (cold) shower will be available at the camp house, but not to the standard of your respective country. You will be served Dal Bhat (a soup of lentil or beans with boiled rice) and Tarkari (cooked vegetables) by the camp leader. This is the staple diet of the Nepalese and most Nepalese people eat it every day. The camp leader will also try to offer some different foods but if you would like to enjoy your native meals, please bring necessary materials. We all take part in the daily routines, so the volunteers will help to prepare meals in turn. Culture Exchange and Home Stay programme: The Kavresthali community will arrange a Home Stay program. On this day, they will invite you to the village, serve you food, and introduce you to the Nepalese culture. This is a unique experience to meet and interact with the local people. After the event, it is also possible to stay with a local family for the night. Meeting Point and Orientation Day: We meet at the Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN) office (just next to Pilgrims Guest House in Thamel) at 1PM the day before the project starts for an orientation meeting. All volunteers are requested to participate in the orientation meeting. Here we will give detailed information about our organization, the project, traveling arrangements and Nepalese culture. Any updates on the work and work camp due to sudden political changes will also be stipulated here. Therefore, we will ask that you stay updated before you leave your country at our website: www.theffn.org, or at your local embassy. Where to stay before the project: Thamel is a popular place in Kathmandu for travelers, as it is home to several economy hotels and guesthouses. Most of our volunteers stay at Hotel Encounter Nepal in Thamel before the work camp. We are unfortunately not able to pick up all volunteers from the airport due to entrance difficulties at the arrival of Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. However, we have made an agreement with the hotel that they will pick up all FFN volunteers from the airport according to your arrival information and offer you a decent economy single room for 10 euro. You are also able to upgrade your room for an extra charge. We can help you to reserve your room in Hotel Encounter Nepal or in any other economy hotels if you prefer to stay anywhere else; Moreover please send us your full arrival information promptly. WORK CAMP LEADER: NABIN MASESHWOR What to Bring: Seasonal clothes, sleeping bag, working gloves, comfortable footwear, mosquito-net, music player, reading materials or photographs and most of all: GOOD MOTIVATION! And if our volunteers could bring pencils, pens, books and text-books for the local kids, it would be highly appreciated. These can be bought for a reasonable price in Kathmandu before departure. How to travel: All volunteers travel together from Kathmandu to camp site in Kavrethali by public bus. It normalle takes about 30 minutes to get to Kavrethali. It will be arranged and managed by the FFN. Should anything prevent the volunteer from arriving to Kathmandu before departure for the project, please let us know and we will arrange your transportation accordingly. Insurance: FFN will NOT provide any kind of INSURANCE to volunteers during the project period. Please have the necessary insurance to cover your needs BEFORE you arrive. We can assure you that we will make our best effort to create a safe working environment. Camp Fee: 200 euros. This fee covers the cost of administration, work, food, and accommodation which includes two-way transportation for the volunteer. It also includes a donation to the local community, pocket money for the work camp leader, and contribution to our emergency fund. The camp fee is collected on orientation day. Please pay the camp fee in Nepalese currency according to the current exchange rate. All major international currencies or travelers' cheques and cash are acceptable in Nepalese banks. We ask that all volunteers read the volunteer guideline and contract carefully before paying the camp fee. If you have not received this, please ask your camp leader or the FFN staff who will be at the meeting. Extra Activities: On your free day, you can do a one day trek of Kakani (1900+ Mt.) and Shivapuri National Park, sight seeing of Kathmandu valley, visiting Osho Meditation Center (Tapoban) etc. The workcamp village is situated close to Kathmandu and in their free time volunteers will be able to visit a number of UNESCO world heritage sites including the Buddhist temples at Swayumbhunath and Boudnath. A visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square and one of the biggest Hindu temples at Pashupatinath will provide volunteers with a fascinating insight into religious life in Nepal. Nepal also has many important religious and local festivals during the year, and depending on the date of the project it may be possible to participate in the celebration. How to find Friendship Foundation Nepal (FFN) Office: FFN is located in Thamel, near Amrit Campus and next to the Pilgrim Guest House on Main Street. You can see our signboard on the left side of the street if you head north. Our office is in on the 2nd floor.