Sankalp Volunteer Society India

I accompanied my 29 year old daughter to Jaipur to do a 2 week volunteer program with Sankalp and I must say it was a rewarding and educational experience. I had some reservations due to my age and I feared the "culture shock" a little, but these were quickly dispelled once I listened to Amita's detailed and carefully prepared orientation which covered Indian history, culture, religion as well as information about Sankalp, the actual programs and the city of Jaipur, and once I met the other volunteers. It was a joy to be in such a diverse group of people, young and old, from all over the world. We had so many outings together to discover the many sights of Jaipur, in the colourful and historical state of Rajasthan, and we shared lively discussions and meals together. The house is in a safe area, watched over by a security guard 24/7, and living conditions are spartan but adequate, with a private bath in every bedroom (2 bunk beds can accommodate 4 people in each room, although not all were full). Living the local lifestyle meant getting used to no chairs, only floor cushions with low tables in the common room when dining or relaxing, sometimes spotty wifi and frequent short power and water outages, but really these were all minor problems and everyone made the best of it. My advice is, don't bring too much, keep your packing light--there isn't a lot of room (dressers, shelves, etc) to put stuff. You won't use everything you think you need.

There are strict house rules enforced (9 pm curfew and 11 pm lights out) which I appreciated as it is important to maintain control over such a diverse group's comings and goings. Everyone was pretty good about cleaning up after themselves (wash your own dishes and cups) and keeping the small kitchen in fairly good order. Puni, the young cook, is fantastic at making a variety of vegetarian Indian meals. Food is plentiful and tasty, and there is always a roti or naan type bread, rice and one or 2 vegetable dishes in tasty sauces, Breakfast is on your own; there is a small kettle and a 2 slice toaster, and most people run to the grocery store close by to stock up on cereal, toast, snacks, milk etc.
Pranay and Amita who run the show here are always available to receive comments and requests and they really try their best to be accommodating. They try hard to make sure you have a good experience.
They arrange drivers who are trustworthy and very skilled at navigating the chaotic driving on the crazy busy and noisy roads here, which are shared by cars, motorbikes, bicycles, autorickshaws, cows, pedestrians and more!!
As for the teaching, I was lucky enough to do 1 week at the street kids program and 1 week at the government school. There is such a need at both of those places --facilities are non existent; only a few chalkboards and pencils and notebooks to work with, but the kids are keen and many are quick to learn. So many come from appalling living conditions and it is so nice to see them coming willingly to the school, hand in hand with their siblings wearing little uniforms provided by Sankalp. Those volunteers who stay a month or more probably get the most out of the experience, but even for me, after 2 weeks, it was difficult to walk away from those smiling faces and eager eyes. Their level of English is not that good, so there is a language barrier that prevents most volunteers from adequately explaining lessons quickly and efficiently, so patience is definitely a virtue!

I for one, can definitely recommend the experience, and I would suggest trying to couple it with some neat exploratory travel throughout India if possible, after or before the volunteering. It is a positive and eye opening experience!