Volunteering in Sri Lanka
VOLUNTEERING IN SRI LANKA: CULTURE, CONSERVATION AND THE BEACHES
This Volunteer Program is launched by Conscious Journeys in partnership with Volunteer in the world and four Sri Lankan partners: the sea turtle research centre of Ahungalle, the South Gate College in Ambalangoda, the SUBADRARAMAYA temple in Kosgoda and Balapitiya base hospital.
This is an experiential program aiming at promoting a cultural exchange while exploring Sri lanka. The purpose is to engage students and professionals from around the world to learn about local lifestyle of Sri Lanka, and simulteneously providing local communities with the chance of interacting with international volunteers and exchanging with them experiences, knowledge and skills.
The following are the 4 main areas of work among which you can choose to work for a minimum of a week:
- turtle conservation,
- children education,
- temple renovation and meditation,
- health care assistance.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Live in a beach front guest house in Kosgoda village in South Sri Lanka,
- Volunteer at Ahugalle research center for feeding and cleaning the wounded turtles and their nest and equipments, helping with the release of newborn turtles into the ocean (approximatly 100 realease per week, depending on the weather and season) and beach cleaning from plastic and general garbage,
- Support local established English School in Galle of Sri Lanka by providing basic English education to young students,
- Perform physical labour while learning about Buddhism on the Sri Lanka and culture,
- Sharing your skills with disabled or hospitalized people,
- Swimming, scuba diving or sun bathing during the afternoons and in the weekends.
TRIP ESSENTIALS:
Category: volunteer program
Programs: 1) turtle conservation, 2) children education, 3) temple renovation, 4) health care assistance
Duration: 7 or 14 days
Accomodation: beach guesthouse
When to go: the best time to follow this program is from October to March.
Pices: from € 420 per person
ACCOMMODATION IN GUESTHOUSE ON THE BEACH
INCLUDES:
- Accommodation: in a shared common room in a guest house on the beach
- Meals: 3 meals per day
- Transfers: pick up and drop from Colombo airport
- 24/7 assistance and support of one coordinator
- Free wi-fi connection
- Private access to the beach
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
All the four activities will be carried out from Monday to Friday (according to weather condition and number of participants). The programs requires dedication and support. For education program a good English knowledge is require while for turtle conservation and temple renovation program good health conditions with basics of English is sufficient. For participating in the Health care program you need to be a doctor, a nurse or medical students with a sufficient English knowledge.
The following is a tentative daily schedule:
7,30: breakfast
9 -12: morning activities
12-13: lunch break
14-18: free time
18,30: dinner
For a minimum of 1 week you can select 1 of the 4 activities (if you have more time you can choose more than 1…):
the four thematic areas of volunteering in sri lanka
TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM
This conservation program is located in the South of Sri Lankan on the beach of Ahungalle and it is certified by the Sri Lankan government as the only disabled turtle conservation project in the country. The program focuses on rehabilitation of wounded turtles whether by humans, garbage or trash. Several turtles in the coasts of Sri Lanka are found hurt and without the ability to survive on their own. There are 7 species of turtles that live in the world and out of that, 5 species of turtles live in the Indian Ocean. The program breeds and cares for 4 different species of turtles that live in the Indian Ocean: Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Green and Olive Ridley. The center host around 30 disabled turtles living in the centre and in a separate centre we hatch hundreds of turtle eggs to be released to the ocean when born. You will be engaged into practical and direct conservation activities, taking care of the turtles, enhancing awareness among fishermen and the communities regarding turtle conservation and increasing the number of turtles in the ocean by releasing baby hatchlings into the sea.
Location: Kosgoda/Ahungalla, Sri Lanka
Responsibilities: Assist with veterinary doctors carry out turtle treatments, cleaning turtle tanks, assist in the process of baby turtles joining the sea, and sea turtle egg conservation night patrol.
CHILDREN EDUCATION PROGRAM
The English teaching program helps to support local established English School in the area of the city of Galle by providing basic English education to the students between 6 and 16 years old. Additional subject like maths, science, physical education, music and Art can also be taught to the students, according to volunteers’ interests and skills.
Through this project, you will have the chance to explore the education system and its challenges in a developing country like Sri Lanka. As a volunteer teacher, you will work with local school teachers and administrators to provide your services to an underprivileged and an under-resourced school in Sri Lanka. You will be able to gain knowledge about various health, social, and other educational issues and how the local communities are uniting to find solutions to these challenges.
Location: South Gate College, Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka
Number of Students: 120
Number of Teachers: 15
Responsibilities: Assisting teachers in day-to-day activities of the school
Extra activities: Teaching English, music, dancing, and arts. (If you want, extra classes can be arranged in the afternoons)
TEMPLE RENOVATION AND MEDITATION
Temple are esteemed in Srilanka, and must be kept in good repair and presented well. Local community members help by cooking for the monks at the temple, but assistance from the volunteers are need with general painting and repair. Perform physical labour while learning about Buddhism on the srilnka and culture.
To join this project, volunteers need to acknowledge that there will be a considerable amount of physical labor involved, such as lifting weights, bending, picking up heavy objects, etc. Most of the construction and renovation support will be at historic and religious sites. This project will provide the volunteers to get an insight into the history of Sri Lanka and how religion has played a big role in shaping the culture we see today. As religious places have culturally accepted moral and ethical regulations, volunteers are expected to be respectful of the local regulations and procedures in places of faith.
Location: Kosgoda
Responsibilities: Support religious and historical site staff with construction and renovation projects.
HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE
Sharing your skills with disabled, wouded people. Sri Lankan medical programs can deliver you the lots of
precious memories and plenty of life changing experience.
This project is open to students and professionals in the titles of Doctors, medical students and nurses. This project will allow volunteers to get a first-hand experience on the local issues and challenges when it comes to medicine and health care. They will also be able to learn the differentcultural, economical, and educational challenges that are intertwined into the challenges set forth in the health care industry in Sri Lanka.
Location: TBD
Responsibilities: Assist local doctors, nurses in prescribing and distributing medicine, with patient care.
