Hi! My name is Kym. I’m from Australia and I’m on an extended sabbatical. I visited India for the first time in 2008 and ever since then I have longed to return to this incredible country. In my first visit I saw some amazing sights in the north, the Taj Mahal, Varanasi’s bathing and cremation ghats and the Amber Fort to name a few. But what captured my heart the most was the amazing kids I met along the way. Although many looked poor and rather dirty, there was so much joy bursting out of these children that they freely shared as they came running to greet me or they waved at me giggling and shouting “take my photo.” This time, instead of having the usual “tourist” experience of India, passing from place to place and seeing the sights, I wanted the opportunity to settle in one place, connect with the people especially children and try and be of service where and how I could.
After extensive search and consideration, I decided to volunteer with India Volunteer Care (the sister organisation of Prime Trust). These days there are so many organisations that offer volunteer arrangements. Some are not-for-profits and some appear to profiting from the time you voluntary provide in service of others. Most offer full-board arrangements and projects selected prior to coming to India. That is where India Volunteer Care (IVC) and Prime Trust are different. They are non-profit, sister organisations that work closely together as IVC volunteers work on Prime Trust projects. The small establishment fee that you pay (only 10,000 rupees) goes directly to the organisation along with the rent that you pay for your room to help fund Prime Trust's projects. Food is not provided so you can cook for yourself in the kitchen or go to one of the many Indian or Western Restaurants in town at a price that suits you. IVC is very flexible. You don’t have to select your project until you arrive. This allows you to settle in, go and visit the projects that are of interest to you and then make your decision. You can even get involved in more than one project if you have the time and your schedule allows for it.
The other personal reason I selected IVC is that I love to be out of a big city and where possible near the sea. Many of the other organisations are based in the bigger cities such as Delhi but IVC and Prime Trust are based in Pondicherry. Pondy, as it is affectionately know, is big but not too big although it is still crowded and busy and chaotic as most towns are in India especially in the early morning and evenings. Pondicherry has a long rocky beach called the Promenade on the Bay of Bengal. It’s a great place to check out at night as many of the locals come to walk or sit on the rocks and watch the sea. There are also many other beaches north and south of Pondicherry where it is possible to swim if you are careful of rips and undertows and you can even learn to surf with the local surf school. I have found that Pondicherry has a more laid back vibe than the North and I really love being here.
Before I came to Pondicherry, I had thought that I would volunteer with women and children. But as I have learned from my travels and life in general, not everything turns out as you plan or think it will. After looking at some different projects, I have just started volunteering at the boy’s orphanage that is run by IVC’s sister non-profit organisation called Prime Educational and Social Trust (known as Prime Trust). The orphanage houses 14 very spirited boys aged 4 to 16. This is where I feel that I can be of most service at the moment and where my help is most needed with a particular focus on improving their English.
I am very excited about this opportunity to work with them over the next 6 weeks and I hope to keep you updated about my adventures with the boys and in Pondicherry as well.
The Promenade in the late afternoon
Boys at The Mother Home orphanage, practising their English writing
That's me wearing sunglasses, cruising the mangroves at Pichavaram with Anja and Nicolas, two of my fellow volunteers
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