Code | Name of Project | Location | Date | Type | Vols No. | Male | Female | Age |
VINWHV17-01 | World Heritage Volunteer | Vajrayogani | 4 -15 June 2017 | HERI, MANU, EDU | 16 | 8 | 8 | 18+ |
VINWHV17-02 | World Heritage Volunteer | Vajrayogani | 5 -17 Nov 2017 | HERI, MANU, EDU | 16 | 8 | 8 | 18+ |
Background/Project: Nepal is blessed with a rich cultural heritage. Culture has been called ‘the way of life for an entire society’. The statement holds particularly true in the case of Nepal where every aspect of life, food, clothing and even occupations are culturally classified. In a society so feudalistic and so fractured across class lines, cultural heritage comes as a fresh wind. The culture of Nepal includes the codes of manners, dress, language, rituals, norms of behaviour and systems of belief. The culture of Nepal is a unique combination of tradition and change. The traditions are followed as they were and new customs are created to keep pace with the changing times. The land is rich with diverse cultural groups like Tharu, Yadav, Ahir, Newars and others.
VIN is conducting this project which is the common action of CCIVS. The project will be organized in coordination with local authority of Vajrayogani and UNESCO. The project will be carried out in Vajrayogini and early settlement of sankhu.
A typical Newar settlement of Kathmandu valley, Vajrayogani, Sankhu is located around 30 km away from Kathmandu city. The devastating earthquake of 25th April and 12th May 2015 has caused huge damage in the settlement and caused unrecoverable loss of people and heritage. Sankhu/Vajrayogani has been inscribed in the tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites, both for the richness of its traditional Newar and Rana style houses and its urban planning which is organized along two main axes, the way to the Vajrayogini temple area and the ancestral trade route to Tibet. These two parallel streets define a North-South oriented network of successive squares and most of the public, religious and commercial activities are concentrated here. The Vajrayogini hillock and Sali Nadi river banks are the other heritage significant areas of the city.
In addition, a network of water canals connected to a series of ponds and hitis distributed along the two main axes testify to the urban engineering knowledge of Newar civilization. It must also be considered as major constituent elements to the heritage significance of Sankhu. As previously mentioned, the heritage value of Sankhu mainly lies in its collection of traditional houses.
Due to severe destruction, many inhabitants were forced to leave the core city to find shelter in safe places. Thus, many temporary structures have been constructed on the fringe of the settlement. There is a huge threat that these areas may become their permanent residence. This has also created problem of waste management in the area. This is urgent to carry out those kinds of activities as there is garbage thrown everywhere. The site is waiting for renovation. It is important to raise the awareness to the local community about its importance and protection.
Objectives: This project aims to conserve, promote and protect Vajrayogini and Sankhu area which is badly affected from the 2015 earthquake.
The specific objectives are: To educate and raise the awareness among the people about the importance of Sankhu and temple area. To clean the area and educate people not to throw the garbage everywhere.
To help for renovation and reconstruction in the area.
Work: Construction, Painting, Clean-up, Awareness raising
Location:
Vajrayogini and early settlment of sankhu which is located around 30 km away from Kathmandu city.
Placement Support Process: Each volunteer is greeted and received by VIN local staff from the airport and dropped to local host family. The first day is the arrival day. The second day volunteers will receive a full day orientation at VIN office in Kathmandu. The placement orientation will cover, cultural tips, survival phrases on Nepali language, health tips, and project activities preparation and about VIN. Then actual workcamp starts on from the day third. You will be always guided by a Nepali camp leader and VIN supervisors will visit you time to time for follow up support. Should you have any concerns on the workcamp, you may always call us for immediate help. During or after the workcamp, our staff will take you a half day sight-seeing to cultural heritage sites. On the last day of the workcamp, you will submit a detailed work report, fill up an exit form and sit with VIN executives for exit interview and feedback session.
Accommodation: The volunteers will stay with the host family/hostel identified by VIN. The living facilities are simple and basic. Male and female Volunteers will share the same living area with separate rooms. There will be 2-4 persons in one room. Volunteers are required to sleep on the simple beds. Please bring your sleeping bag.
Language: Basic English should be spoken among participants
Participation Fee: The participation fee 230 Euros (+30 Euro for transportation) is to be paid on your arrivals at VIN Office or upon booking the placement by PayPal or bank transfer.
The Participation Fee Covers:
Food and Accommodation: Nepali Standard at a local host family – 3 meals a day
Transportation: Airport pick -up and pick up and drop to the working community site
A half day guided sight-seeing for the world heritage site of Kathmandu
Materials for the work-camp, community development projects support
Local volunteer support cost
VIN T-shirt and certificate of participation
24 hours emergency support
VIN admin cost,
What’s excluded?
Airfare, VISA, Travel medical insurance, return airport transfer, entrance fees on the world heritage sights, Personal travel and weekend activities expenses etc.
Meeting point: VIN staff will pick each volunteer from the airport. The volunteers are requested to send their flight details to VIN on time so that we can send our staff with your name card and VIN’s Logo.
If you want to come earlier and explore the country more, you may find pre-paid taxi at the airport or VIN may help you on that. You also can come VIN office, Balaju on the first day at the latest 12.00 midday.
Airport : Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu
Leisure Activities: Either before or after your workcamp, there exists the option to undertake a short VIN-organized tour to one of Nepal’s nearby attractions.
(The detail info sheet and acceptance letter will be sent from VIN after we receive your Complete Volunteer Exchange Form (VEF) from the sending organization)