Travel and volunteer in India for a truly meaningful experience. India has ample opportunities for volunteering programs. According to international statistics, more than 65% of the population is below the poverty line. Volunteers can spend most of their time caring for children in orphanages in Delhi and Dharamshala, teaching English to schoolchildren in Delhi and in South India. But the best way to volunteer in India is to associate with a program for children with disabilities.
Special needs or disabilities can mean any form of retardation. In a developing country such as India, it can also mean that children who suffer from milder forms of disability remain undiagnosed or ignored when funds or support are not available for their rehabilitation. The most disturbing are the cases when children suffer more severely. Often parents are forced to send young children to psychiatric institutions.
This really reduces the work for volunteers who care for children in special schools. Often, children are those who have no one who could take care of them, remaining their parents and families as an inability to meet their special needs. Children with special needs and physical problems require special attention from carers and volunteers. In a country like India, where there is a shortage of full-time teachers, there is an even more acute shortage of caregivers with proper training. Special schools established in remote areas, such as Palampur, suffer from a lack of funds and a shortage of staff more than their urban counterparts.
Volunteers with nursing experience or training in caring for children with special needs are particularly welcome. Those who do not have any education, but love to work with children, can also help in a special school. Children in school need help even with such basic tasks as bathing, dressing and eating. Teaching them to read and write, and communication can effectively be difficult on the outside, but very rewarding experience. Volunteers can positively influence the lives of these children by interacting with them. It is best to use non-traditional learning tools to get their attention and engage them in a productive classroom session.
Most children do not like to be tied up for long periods of time, and since volunteers can participate in them outside the classroom. Music is a popular way to engage them in entertainment and learning their basic language skills. Volunteers working with these children can act as a link with the community for these children. The program for children with disabilities is one of the most profitable programs that greatly benefit the little beginners.
