Volunteer in Delhi, India

Delhi, the capital of India and the second largest city in the nation, is the center of India’s richest history in terms of history and culture. The formerly ancient, now cosmopolitan, city has a number of attractions for tourists including visiting ancient forts, places of worship, and of course lots of shopping. Even though India is rapidly developing, over a quarter of its citizens still live in poverty and thus volunteers are needed in the nation, and Delhi in particular.

Orphanage Work: Due to poverty in the nation, many children in India are orphans. There are many nongovernmental organizations that run shelter homes and orphanages for these children and they are always in need of volunteers. As a volunteer, you will teach children, organize activities with them, and help them with their daily routine.

Teach English: Poor and disadvantaged children in India don’t really have access to a proper education, particularly learning English. There is a definite need for native English speakers to teach in schools in the Delhi are. As a volunteer, you will mainly be teaching elementary and middle school children.

Healthcare: India doesn’t have a very good healthcare system, and the poor have extremely limited access to quality healthcare, if any at all. There are many organizations that work on providing healthcare for the poor. As a volunteer, you will work with doctors and nurses to treat and take care of patients, and you will also help in educating the patients about preventing various conditions, HIV/AIDS in particular.

• Know Before You Go: India has a strict social hierarchy due to the ancient Hindu caste system which has existed in the nation for thousands of years and is still present today, even though it is technically illegal. Indians are thus very conscious of social status and hierarchy related to others. Indians also do not like saying “no” to anyone, whether it be verbally or nonverbally. They try their best to please and not disappoint others, and this behavior should thus not be considered dishonest.
• How Volunteering Here Will Help Your Future: India, along with China, is one of the world’s rising superpowers. It is expected to surpass China in population in a few decades and its economy will soon be one of the biggest in the world. With its emergence as a leading power, it will be beneficial to volunteer in India as you get to learn much more about the nation and its rich culture, which will be very beneficial to your future.

Health and Safety of Volunteers in Delhi:

As a volunteer in India, you are recommended to be vaccinated for Hepatitis A & B and Typhoid. If you plan on staying in the nation for more than a month, and plan to visit rural areas, it is also recommended that you get vaccinated for Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis. For more information, visit MD Travel Health.

Delhi is a safe city for tourists and volunteers to visit. It is necessary to take the proper precautions however. Like in most large cities, petty crime is the most common that visitors will encounter. Don’t wear flashy, expensive jewelry and avoid carrying large, valuable cameras in crowded areas.