Care for Orphans in India

Some of the children were found abandoned in churches or temples and others are surrendered by their parents. The children are all in desperate need of tender loving care ... and this is where you come in!

Volunteers normally work at the orphanage in the mornings when it is at its busiest and the additional help that you provide is really appreciated. You can take your lunch with you and eat with the staff and finish after the babies are fed at 2.00 pm. You can choose to work longer hours but it is very exhausting and challenging work and you may appreciate the afternoon off to relax and unwind.

Your work load and responsibilities will depend on your abilities and attitude to your work and you'll assume more responsibilities as you grow in confidence and as the staff's confidence in you grows. Your work will be very hands-on as you will be dealing with all of the children - be prepared to get very grubby! Responsibilities include:

* Organising and facilitating games for the children
* Teaching the older children nursery rhymes
* Teaching basic English and Maths
* Feeding the older children
* Changing nappies
* Bottle feed the babies
* Helping the staff wash and dress the older children

Playing games may seem irrelevant on the surface, but it helps to build up team spirit and skills, leadership skills, dexterity and quick thinking, and a healthy competitive spirit. It also gives them a more developed ability to interact with their peers. By playing games with the children you also encourage confidence building. It also encourages children to use English in an informal way, and even with the younger children it gives them exposure to the language at an early age.

For many of the older children, you are able to integrate education into games and also help with homework etc. Where children are not taught at the orphanage you will help these on their return from school in the afternoon.

This is a great project if you love working with babies and young children and want some hands on experience! The main care centre is a home for victims of female infanticide and abandoned children. There are around 20 children at the orphanage. Their mission is to help them first to survive and then to ensure the right of the child to a family. There are around 20 children at the orphanage, but this number changes frequently as new children are brought in or are adopted.

Breakfast and dinner will be provided and prepared for you by the family and is mainly local fare, allowing you to taste a varied selection of delicious south Indian dishes and exotic fruits. You will need to make provision for your own lunch.Vegetarian food is plentiful.

ACCOMMODATION: For a complete Indian experience we'll arrange for you to stay with a wonderful host family. All of our hosts are very welcoming and not only will be made to feel part of the family you’ll also gain a great insight into Indian culture and customs. Many of our volunteers remain friends with their host families long after they leave India.

You may share a room with one other volunteer; and you may have an en-suite Western-style bathroom. Most of the showers in our host accommodation are cold water only – however your hosts will boil water for you. All of our host family houses are close together and just a few minutes’ walk away from internet cafes, banks and snack shops and just a short auto ride into the centre of town. Our staff in Madurai also live close-by.

English