If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our
overseas coordinators. All of our Co-ordinators have experience of
volunteering in Nepal with INFO Nepal.
Australian Coordinators
Steve Glynn
steveglynn@dodo.com.au
Phone : 0412 966 969
Steve volunteered with us in 2006 for two months. Steve also sponsoring
some of our Children in Dhulikhel where he was placed for
his placement. Stev tough in Dhulikhel School with our local
Co-ordinator Rajesh Shrestha. Steve is planing to come back
to Nepal again.
Marina came
to Nepal in March 2006 for two weeks of Teacher
Training. She was doing a TEFL Training among 21
teachers from Dhulikhel. Marina was here with
her 4 year old daughter.
Jeroen joined INFO Nepal in
November 2003 in the Health and Sanitation
Program in Chitwan. Within two weeks he became
very famous as the foreign doctor and patients
started to visit him at his host family. He is
also sponsoring Naresh, one of our Happy Home
Children. In 2004 he came back with his
girlfriend and stayed in Chitwan for 2 weeks,
helping his host family.
Marika joined INFO Nepal in
March of 2006. She has an interest in
International Aid & Development work, and felt
that volunteering was a great way to explore
this. Marika used her business and operational
experience to improve INFO Nepal’s appeal and to
create some key partnerships. She looks forward
to completing her Masters in International
Development in 2008.
Andres joined
INFO Nepal in December 2005. In his 3 months
here, he developed an income generating program,
selling Nepali made handicrafts and goods in
South America.
Nuno joined
INFO Nepal in March 2004 for 3 months. He was
placed in Dhading in school to teach English. He
is a very good web page developer as well as
photo shooter.
Stefan joined INFO Nepal in
August 2005. He was working with Asim on several
new projects which will help to make the work of
INFO even more effective in the future.
Cornelie joined us in November
2002. She was placed in Chitwan for two months
to teach in our Children Library in Ganganagar.
During her placement she also got involved in
giving informal education to landless and lower
cast people who live on the bank of the river.
It was a great success that among 24 children
she taught, 10 joined school after two month.
Every year since then Cornelie has been coming
back to Nepal, July 2005 was her 4th visit.
Mark joined INFO Nepal in
November 2005. Mark’s placement was in Goljung
where he opened a library! Mark had a great time
bathing in the natural hot spring, discovering
the beautiful sites and teaching the local
children.
Marina came
to Nepal in March 2006 for two weeks of Teacher
Training. She was doing a TEFL Training among 21
teachers from Dhulikhel. Marina was here with
her 4 year old daughter.
Spela joined INFO Nepal for three
months on her second time visit of
Nepal and 3rd time she volunteered
for two months.At the first tiume
spela was placed in Chitwan
Ganganagar Library and did some
painting in Sitamai Temple and the
Library and second time Spela was
placed in Everest resion for 6 weeks.
Jana joined INFO Nepal in Oct 2005
for four months. Jana was here with
her two friends and they were placed
in Goljung,Langtang to establish a
new Library. We are very happy with
their work in Goljung.
Edward Lim works in a training
company in Singapore and
he organizes inspirational and life
changing workshops on life skills
and healthy ways of living.
Naureen came to us in September
2004 for one month. She was placed in Godawari,
Kathmandu, teaching English at a local school.
Although she found it a bit challenging at
first, she quickly won over the kids with her
outgoing and friendly nature.
Ryan Batters :
rdb2114@columbia.edu :
Ryan came on
2006 begening and stay helping at the office
till August 2007. During his time Ryan has
worked with 120 volunteers to place them and
assist them to adjust in a new culture. If you
contact to Ryan you will know 100 volunteer's
different story from him.
Well where can I start, this has
been the most amazing and unique experience of my life. When I
first arrived in Kathmandu. I was incredibly nervous but those
nerves soon went away after meeting other volunteers. I had so
much fun meeting everyone else in my group and sightseeing. We
spent a few days getting used to the culture and the food,
learning Nepali was really helpful with my placement. The
training village was a major cultural shock on the first night
and I barely slept but the next few days went by too quickly. I
really enjoyed hiking up to see what Pashupati called 'heaven'
and it really was. The views were spectacular and what amazed me
even more was how a single rock kept five volunteers and three
kids amused for almost two hours. Life at the training village
was difficult at times, (we didn’t shower for two days) but it’s
the families that make your stay memorable.
"Dimple"
I was very eager to participate
in the daily routine of village life. Sardah showed me how to
properly harvest millet, cut grass, carry water from the local
tap and well, plant saag, and even distribute manure in the
fields (although I didn’t know that was what I was doing
initially). With limited language skills on both sides, we
communicated mostly through gestures, simple words, and much
laughter. During the time I stayed there, I felt we had become
quite close despite our different native tongues. I even learned
that Sardah had the same birthday as my sister in the United
States! By the end, I felt we had truly become family.
Michelle, USA
The children there were absolutely
little angels from heaven. They just loved the library and us
unconditionally from day one. The most enjoyable time was at
the library in the mornings and evenings. I had brought some
English teaching books and was glad I did as I used those for
all my lessons the whole three weeks. The youngest kids were
brilliant in that they had excellent memories of spelling and
the name of objects. The middle class was the most difficult as
they had the least understanding. And the oldest class was
great because we could do more complex things with them (nouns,
verbs, questions, synonyms, etc) and they were able to get a
basic understanding of it. They were all eager to learn and
classes went really smoothly until the last few days and then it
was all about drawing and playing. We dedicated one hour a day
to play time where they could actually play with balls, jump
ropes, board games and draw. They loved this time and it was a
great release for them at the end of the day. I learned so much
from them about appreciating the simple things as well as Nepali
“love” where actually a lot of hitting is involved, but it was
our inside joke.
Karina Puikkonen- USA -
November-December 2006
I have made
friends for life in Nepal and I will never forget this
experience, Thank You to Asim and everyone working for INFO
Nepal. If anyone is looking for a unique, challenging and
rewarding experience then look no further. I am making plans to
return to Nepal as soon as possible.
Jenny Taylor, March 2007
As for ourselves, our
accommodations were quite comfortable and the dahl baat was
excellent. Since we only spent about 3 hours a day working with
the kids, we had plenty of free time to explore the local area
which was beautiful. It was about a ten minute walk down to the
river where we could swim and go hiking in the country. In 20
minutes we could take the local bus into Lakeside and swim in
the lake or go shopping for whatever we wanted. It was really a
great place to be and the overall experience was wonderful. We
would do it again and we recommend it to others. Thank you INFO
Nepal for a great time.
Hans Swenson and Elise
Chalmer
As
soon as I arrived, I was instantly made to feel part of the
family. By the end of the fist night, I was giggling away with
my new sisters and joined in teasing my very poetic and
sensitive new brother. Three days went too quickly and I found
myself looking for excuses to stay! After a four day trekking
detour, I found myself heading to Thulakhet, a small village
near Pokhara. Here I was intending to work in a health clinic
but high rainfall made the rivers flooded and isolated the
health centre. It turned out for the best, as I was able to
teach at the Resource Centre and the local primary school. I
never thought I would have the patience or creativity for
teaching but I loved it! I felt so lucky to be working with the
most inspiring children, they were all so eager to learn but
also to teach me about the ways of Nepal. They taught me about
Nepali culture, language, dances, and songs. I honestly had not
expected to have such great 'craic'!
Well where can I start, this has
been the most amazing and unique experience of my life. When I
first arrived in Kathmandu. I was incredibly nervous but those
nerves soon went away after meeting other volunteers. I had so
much fun meeting everyone else in my group and sightseeing. We
spent a few days getting used to the culture and the food,
learning Nepali was really helpful with my placement. The
training village was a major cultural shock on the first night
and I barely slept but the next few days went by too quickly. I
really enjoyed hiking up to see what Pashupati called 'heaven'
and it really was. The views were spectacular and what amazed me
even more was how a single rock kept five volunteers and three
kids amused for almost two hours. Life at the training village
was difficult at times, (we didn’t shower for two days) but it’s
the families that make your stay memorable.
The children there were absolutely
little angels from heaven. They just loved the library and us
unconditionally from day one. The most enjoyable time was at
the library in the mornings and evenings. I had brought some
English teaching books and was glad I did as I used those for
all my lessons the whole three weeks. The youngest kids were
brilliant in that they had excellent memories of spelling and
the name of objects. The middle class was the most difficult as
they had the least understanding. And the oldest class was
great because we could do more complex things with them (nouns,
verbs, questions, synonyms, etc) and they were able to get a
basic understanding of it. They were all eager to learn and
classes went really smoothly until the last few days and then it
was all about drawing and playing. We dedicated one hour a day
to play time where they could actually play with balls, jump
ropes, board games and draw. They loved this time and it was a
great release for them at the end of the day. I learned so much
from them about appreciating the simple things as well as Nepali
“love” where actually a lot of hitting is involved, but it was
our inside joke. 
I have made
friends for life in Nepal and I will never forget this
experience, Thank You to Asim and everyone working for INFO
Nepal. If anyone is looking for a unique, challenging and
rewarding experience then look no further. I am making plans to
return to Nepal as soon as possible. 
As for ourselves, our
accommodations were quite comfortable and the dahl baat was
excellent. Since we only spent about 3 hours a day working with
the kids, we had plenty of free time to explore the local area
which was beautiful. It was about a ten minute walk down to the
river where we could swim and go hiking in the country. In 20
minutes we could take the local bus into Lakeside and swim in
the lake or go shopping for whatever we wanted. It was really a
great place to be and the overall experience was wonderful. We
would do it again and we recommend it to others. Thank you INFO
Nepal for a great time.