Volunteering for Rural Assistance Nepal

Providing information is free and RAN primarily seeks to help medical volunteers who want to help at healthposts and hospitals. Training local staff is particularly useful. (Thanks go to Expedition & Wilderness Medicine who has provided a steady flow of volunteer medics). Medical students who want to complete their elective in a rural hospital are very welcome.

Medical volunteer with school
students, Deusa

Schools: In January 2008, an Italian volunteer spent six weeks at the school in Deusa, teaching English and giving teachers and children the chance to practice their English. He was the first volunteer this school has ever had. The encouragement this gave was very noticeable, and several volunteers have spent time here and at a number of schools in many other regions of Nepal.

In general, RAN does not encourage teaching volunteers as it is debatable how much value they can offer in rural schools. However as many schools are now getting computers, so sharing even the most basic understanding of computing can be very useful to staff and students.

Medical student writing
a report

Health: For medical students, doctors or nurses interested in helping at a healthpost or small rural hospital, this is very useful, not only for the patients who otherwise do not have much access to good healthcare, but also for the medical staff. The difference between convincing a critically ill patient to go to a hospital that's maybe a day's walk away can save lives. Medics are encouraged to help train the teachers of the local schools in basic first aid and students in the rudiments of hygiene.

Interested in volunteering?

Any amount of time spent volunteering can be useful, though usually the longer the better and at least three or four weeks is recommended to get the most out the time spent at a school or helping at a hospital or healthpost.

RAN does not charge any fee, but volunteers have to be self-funding, covering the costs of getting there, and food and lodging (paid directly to the family or guest-house). See Useful information

If nothing here suits you, RAN may be able to help by suggesting other projects, so feel free to enquire.

Trekking - if you are interested to do some trekking, it is easy to hire porters and guides who come from the local community that you have been working with, thus helping the local economy better than if you hire from Kathmandu. Ask for details and RAN can put you in contact with local people who can help.

Responsible volunteering - download the documents below for tips and further information about what is involved volunteering for RAN.

Annex: Some useful Nepali phrases
Annex: Useful information