Women’s Empowerment in India
Quick Overview
Gender inequality is one of the biggest problems that continues to haunt, hinder and disable modern society across all parts of India today. Although gender inequality is a key issue in a number of countries, it is especially prominent in India where women have a disadvantage in many areas of life from education and employment to healthcare and social status. It is quite common in poor and disadvantaged communities to be forced into early marriages, and domestic abuse and violence are accepted due to lack of support available.
Our women’s empowerment volunteer program is focused on skill building, women’s education and confidence building. Through the skills they learn, women will develop confidence, a new identity, ability to get jobs or earn higher income, and secure a better future for themselves. Many of the women who attend our program are housewives who did not get a chance to complete their education due to early marriage and conservative families. Some have been drop outs after primary education and are hugely dependant on their families. Most of the women want to learn English to be able to get jobs or just connect with those outside their community or even be able to teach their children English.
What’s Involved
Our women’s empowerment program in India is based in Kochi (or Cochin), Kerala, South India which has been voted in top 10 cities to visit in 2020 by the Lonely Planet. Our women’s empowerment program focuses on English education as a form of empowerment. The women who you will meet are local women who are excited to learn English and any life skills. By learning English they can engage in helping their children with school homework, communicate better with those outside their community, feel more confident and secure better paid jobs.
Our women’s empowerment coordinator will be there to guide and assist you with planning and preparing your sessions daily which are usually three to four hours long. We do not impose a strong structure/curriculum to your daily work and encourage flexibility in contemporary topics being taught. Whilst you do not need any specific skills (other than English skills) to join this program, we welcome anyone with a teaching background, those who can assist in creating curriculums or can enhance spoken English for our ladies groups. Through this program we want to you the opportunity to deepen connections with local communities and also to enrich the community through the exchange of cultures.
All The Details
Cochin, India
| 2019 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 |
| 14th September | 4th January | 21st March | 13th June | 12th September | 12th December |
| 21st September | 11th January | 28th March | 20th June | 19th September | 19th December |
| 28th September | 18th January | 4th April | 27th June | 26th September | 26th December |
| 5th October | 25th January | 11th April | 4th July | 3rd October | |
| 12th October | 1st February | 18th April | 11th July | 10th October | |
| 19th October | 8th February | 25th April | 18th July | 17th October | |
| 26th October | 15th February | 2nd May | 25th July | 24th October | |
| 2nd November | 22nd February | 9th May | 1st August | 31st October | |
| 9th November | 29th February | 16th May | 8th August | 7th November | |
| 16th November | 7th March | 23rd May | 15th August | 14th November | |
| 23rd November | 14th March | 30thMay | 22nd August | 21st November | |
| 30th November | 6th June | 29th August | 28th November | ||
| 7th December | 5th September | 5th December | |||
| 14th December | |||||
| 21st December |
For 2021 please select any Saturday start date of each month
| NUMBER OF WEEKS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Program Fee USD $ | $720.00 | $870.00 | $1,020.00 | $1,170.00 | $1,320.00 | $1,470.00 | $1,620.00 | $1,770.00 | $1,920.00 | $2,070.00 | $2,220.00 | $2,370.00 |
What’s Included?
Price Includes
- Pre-departure guide – to prepare you for your trip
- Pick-up and drop from the nearest airport or train station
- Shared Rooms
- Experienced bilingual local staff
- Breakfast and Lunch/dinner- home cooked Indian food
- Location /culture orientation
- Project introduction – most of your training is on the role itself.
- 24 hour support
- Project travel costs
- Guaranteed project placement
Whats Not Included in your program fee :
- Flights to the program destination
- Medical and travel insurance
- Visa costs
- Vaccinations
- Personal shopping and gratuities
- Local excursions
- Project materials that you personally need
Local Team
Geetha Raj: Kerala Program Manager
Geetha is the backbone of our programs in Kerala. Her friendliness, generosity and warmth towards every volunteer will leave you feeling extra special. Having worked as local journalist for almost 10 years, Geetha grew a passion for community development work and is very forward thinking. She is instrumental for our Kerala program development. A born leader, Geetha will give you the direction you will need to succeed as a volunteer. Her team will look after all your needs from the time you enter Kerala to the time you leave. In her spare time Geetha loves taking our volunteers to the temples to get a taste of Keralan culture.
Getting There
- For Kerala the nearest airport for this program is Cochin International Airport (COK)
- We recommend you apply for Tourist Visas before you arrive.
- Travel Insurance is compulsory on this program.
- We recommend you visit your local travel clinic to find out what vaccines you should take.
Typical Schedule
Arrival Weekend: After getting picked up from the airport you will be brought to the volunteers house where you will be staying. Depending on the time of your arrival, our local team will be there to greet you and welcome you to India. After giving you some time to rest from a long flight, we will cover important training and orientation which include a volunteer house tour, culture orientation, a short walk around your neighbourhood of Fort Kochi and project related briefing.
Monday to Friday:
- 8.30am to 9.30 am Breakfast time
- 9.45 am Get ready for your volunteer placement
- 10 am to 12.30 pm Volunteering with your womens group
- 1pm to 2 pm Lunch time and time
- 2 pm to 3.30 pm Volunteering with your womens group
- 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm Coordinator meeting to discuss lesson plans for the next day
- 6 pm to 7 pm Dinner time
Friday and Weekends: On Friday afternoon we do not conduct sessions giving you some time to explore the area or go for excursions around Kerala.
What Happens When I Arrive?
Arrangements for our volunteers
The volunteer house and where you will be living is in the area of Fort Kochi in Kochi (or Cochin as it called also) in the state of Kerala (Southern India). This is an idyllic, safe, and friendly location with a truly tropical and laid back vibe. We are surrounded by greenery filled lanes, beautiful colonial era mansions, artsy cafes, local shopping and lots of culture.
Your accommodation will be in our volunteer house. The house is a wonderful new built with a gorgeous rooftop, lounge area, dining area and ample space to relax and unwind. Our office is also on the ground floor so we are always around incase you need us.You will be given a room to share with other volunteers. If you need private rooms we can arrange this at an additional cost.
Your meals will be cooked by our chef who prepares this fresh everyday. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are Keralan meals made with locally available ingredients. South Indian specialities like masala dosa, puttu, and idlis will certainly be on the menu as will rice or chappati and a curry for lunch /dinner. Western meals are not cooked at home by our chef but if you require this there are a lot of restaurants and cafes in the neighbourhood and within walking distance that serve this. Transport to the projects will be in tuktuks which is a great way to get around in Kochi. Your airport pick up and drop from the airport will be by AC car.
Weekends in Kerala:
If you’re volunteering in Kerala, we highly recommend you to explore Kerala on the weekend. You’ll love the famous backwaters experience where you can stay on a traditional houseboat and meander through waterways lined by coconut trees. Besides this you will also find the Munnar Tea Plantations, Varkala Beach and Marari Beach great to travel to. Our local team can help book your excursions in country or you can always get in touch with prior to arrival to book these experiences
Volunteers Love Us!
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‘My experience in India was absolutely fantastic. Having never done anything like this before, Volunteering Journeys made sure I settled in well and supported me throughout my time. Being placed with an amazing family gave me the chance to experience Indian culture first hand. I was part of the Disabled Childcare Programs for two weeks. Although short, I felt the time I spent was so valuable for the children. If this is something that you are interested in I would 100% recommend it. The memories, friendships and experiences you will develop will be ones that you will never forget.’
Fiona Kirk
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‘The teaching experience was second to none. I was overwhelmed by the respect and politeness all the children have, which made it some much easier to work with them, even with the language barrier. The amazing thing about the schools I visited was that all the children are like little sponges, they absorb everything you say, teach and do! It’s quite outstanding how much they gain from just a small conversation in the playground or in the class room.
So in general if you are questioning whether you want to volunteer and you don’t know what company to go with, it has the be Volunteering Journeys. You will be well looked after, gain an immense experience and make friends for life!!!’
Jemima Kershberg
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‘I took a short sabbatical from work in November 2013 and decided to come to India. I was helping at a small school in Fort Kochi, teaching English, Maths, Science and the odd nursery rhyme. The school where I volunteered had amazing teachers and the kids were great. Ridhi and the team organised everything brilliantly – from cycling tours to the backwaters, to hosting me with a family that made my stay feel like home. If you’re going to volunteer in India then I highly recommend Volunteering Journeys’
Glyn Owen
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“J’ai passé deux mois formidables à Kochi en travaillant comme volontaire avec Volunteering Journeys. Deux mois de ma vie que je n’oublierais jamais. J’ai rencontré des gens incroyables et participé à des projets qui me tenaient vraiment à coeur. J’ai pu voir l’aboutissement de mes efforts et le sourire sur le visage des enfants. Une expérience magique que je recommande à tous. Merci Rainbow”
Laura Prigogine
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‘I spent 3 wonderful weeks with the Volunteering Journeys team in Kerala, it marked the beginning of almost 2 months adventuring through India, and I can say without a doubt it was one of my favourite experiences of my time spent in incredible India! From the moment my plane landed and I was greeted by a friendly face and whisked away to a wonderful home, the local staff were incredibly welcoming, helpful, supportive and great fun to be around!
I spent my time volunteering in 2 local schools, assisting with English studies. The enthusiasm and joy with which the children approach their days will ensure you never want to leave!I cannot recommend Volunteering Journeys highly enough, it was such a joyful introduction to India – it’s culture, people and crazy beautiful way of life. You will leave with some fond memories and firm friendships’
Katie Parsons
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‘I volunteered by teaching English both at a school and at an all girls’ orphanage for two months. It has been the best experience of my life so far. I really got to know the children I was teaching and seeing the children’s English improve over my time was an incredible feeling. From being introduced to yoga to tasting delicious flavoursome Indian cuisine and living in “God’s own country”, has left me eager to return. I have made friends across the World who made my time spent in Kerala unforgettable. I highly recommend volunteering with Volunteering Journeys; Kerala is beautiful and you will gain fun memories.’
Elidith Cameron
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‘I spent two weeks running an art workshop which was absolutely fantastic. The children were so enthusiastic and bustled about with paste and paint, putting together the most amazing creations. They were not used to producing collaborative work and were thrilled when their individual efforts achieved a glorious whole. Their personalities really shone through and I became very fond of them in the short time I was with them. Thank you to Volunteering Journeys for enabling me to have such a wonderful experience!’
Jane Daniell
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‘There is some kind of magic that happens when you’re in India. The climate, the people, the warm welcome, the happiness in every person, the culture, it’s simply inspiring. On top of that having a group of friendly, thoughtful organizers guiding me through the program made my time volunteering with Volunteering Journeys one of the most memorable moments in my life.
If anyone reading this is considering becoming a volunteer, don’t hesitate, become a volunteer. It will be the most rewarding experience and adventure of your life. I assure you that you will have a vital impact on the community, the place and the children. I would recommend Volunteering Journeys without hesitation. Well organized and hassle free adventure. You get help and guidance with everything you need. Kerala was my destination. Safe, beautiful and very friendly. Just do it and have an adventure of your life!’
Harminder Athwal
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“Volunteering at the schools was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Once again the friendships you create are irreplaceable. Admittedly, the first few days were scary, in the sense that my partner and I were only 18 & 20 yrs old and we were teaching women and children a language that was not their first. However the persistence and willingness of Indians is not to be tested. Each of our students put in 100% and naturally we became very personal with everyone and these women and children taught us much more. We came out of this experience with more than we had ever anticipated. It can’t be put into words just how much we learnt from volunteering. Ever aspect of our lives and mindset has changed.”
Aimee Chirio
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‘I think it was quite an eye opening experience to kind of see how people live and enjoy their lives very differently to what we do probably in UK. Even though comparatively they didn’t have as much, the children still came to school with a smile on their face and they were really keen to learn. They were ever so happy and always had a smile on their face regardless of the circumstances that they are living in, and I think that was an amazing experience for us to take back. We have comparatively much more wealth in the UK and we have much more available at our fingertips. Yet we were quite not so happy’
Andrew Davies
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‘We decided to volunteer as part of our family vacation. It was the perfect balance: making a contribution but not being asked to do too much, with Volunteering Journeys staff with us every step of the way to help, support, clarify, etc. I was also impressed that they didn’t feed us a line about how we were changing the world in a week; I knew going in that *we* would be the ones most changed, and the staff’s perspective’s was the same: we were making an impact by showing we cared and sharing experiences, which hopefully meant something to a lot of people.’
Bob Macauley & Family
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