Delhi is a city that makes you feel like time traveling is possible. As the capital city of India, Delhi offers everything from traditional areas and most stunning temples to modern buildings such as skyscrapers and glamorous malls. It is referred to as a city that is continuously reborn and in constant change without losing its traditional characteristics. Are you interested in experiencing the city yourself and become a part of this amazing place while at the same time doing something for the greater good? Keep on reading and you will see that Delhi is the perfect volunteering place for you!

There are a number of myths and interesting facts about the city of Delhi that you will learn about in the following:

• City name: It is not quite sure where the city got its name from. One myth is that Delhi derives from the name Dhillu or Dilu, a king who is said to have built a city at this location 50 BC and named it after himself. Another legend says that Delhi got its name from the word Dilli which means ‘gateway’.
• Green City: Did you know that Delhi is one of the greenest cities in the world? It is almost impossible to imagine but its landmass is covered with up to 20% by forests and parks. In total, the city has about 20.000 small, medium and big public parks and gardens. Pretty impressive for a metropolis that is home to almost 19 million people.
• Language: Delhi has a great variety of languages reaching from the city’s official language Hindi to English of which almost all inhabitants of Delhi are familiar with. So you do not need to worry about communicating with the locals during your time volunteering in Delhi.
• Toilet Museum: Yes, you have just read the words Toilet and Museum. Next to many fascinating museums, housing artifacts and other kinds of treasures about the country’s history, Delhi also has a museum dedicated to something rather mundane, namely the toilet. Not that it is a must to go there, but it’s more than funny to know that there is a place that holds on to examples of every kind of toilet existing.
• Spices: Khari Baoli is a street located in an older part of Delhi and, since the 17th century, is home to Asia’s biggest spice market where you can buy all kinds of spices, herbs, dried fruits, but also products such as rice and tea. It’s a great place to wander around, to try different dishes and to get an idea of the Indian cuisine.

Even though India has made rapid economic advances in the last years, around 28% of the whole population still lives below the poverty line. One of the major reasons for poverty is the country’s high population growth rate. Therefore, volunteers are needed in different fields that we will introduce to you in the following.

Teaching English in Delhi

Even though India places a major emphasis on education, the country’s education system is continuously in progress. Especially in the slum areas, children are rather sent out on the streets to earn money than being able to go to school. In order to make it possible for these children to visit a school and get the knowledge they deserve, organizations provide free education, school supplies, food, and uniforms. Of course, they depend on a lot of helping hands by volunteers in order to achieve their goals. If you are thinking about becoming a volunteer in the field of teaching, your tasks could be the following:

• Teaching basic English to the children (if you want, other subjects are also highly welcomed)
• Carrying out the daily assembly (e.g. dancing, rhymes)
• Preparing lessons
• Engaging with the children in after-school activities

In order to become an English teacher in Delhi you do not need to be a native speaker of English, but an intermediate level is preferable. Helping others also has a major influence on you. Not only will you get an insight on the amazing work of non-profit organizations, but you will also be able to gain a greater knowledge on the country’s issues of education, human rights, abuse, and poverty.

Medical Training in Delhi

Even though India’s healthcare system has improved over the last decades, the majority of the population still experiences health issues. This results on the one hand from the lack of awareness and on the other hand, and primarily from the fact that most Indians are not able to afford medical treatment. Thus, free medical camps and free treatment in hospitals are of great importance and helping hands are always needed. Depending on your interest and of course knowledge, daily tasks can include the following:

• Undertaking basic hands-on involvement (e.g. taking patient measurements, checking vital signs, treating minor wounds under supervision)
• Supporting the pharmacy room
• Supporting the doctors (e.g. carrying out blood pressure, blood sugar, give injections)
• Engaging with children and families of patients

Please keep in mind that you do not necessarily need to be a medical or nursing student. If you are generally interested in health and medicine related topics you are more than welcome to join and gain important experiences. If you think that volunteering in this field is the right thing for you, don’t worry about language barriers. The language spoken in the hospitals and medical camps is English, which you should speak on an intermediate level. During your time volunteering, you will gain knowledge in different fields such as nursing, physiotherapy or general rehabilitation and treatment processes, just to name a few. The local team will support you constantly during your stay and, based on your knowledge and medical experience, your tasks will be chosen.

Women Empowerment

India is a fundamentally male-dominated society where women have limited rights and opportunities in the fields of education and employment. Thus, most women have subordinated lives and need support to gain knowledge in different fields and to become more independent. As a volunteer in the field of women empowerment, you will help in different tasks and be part of an amazing team that teaches women different skills and encourages them to become more independent and confident. Of course, your daily to-do’s vary and depend on the project you will be working for, but the following list gives you an overview of the different tasks that you might be doing as a volunteer:

• Teaching women vocational skills (e.g. dressmaking, craft design)
• Teaching English or computer lessons
• Giving business advice
• Taking care of the children whilst their mothers are at a class

If you are thinking of becoming a volunteer in the field of women empowerment you do not need to be a native speaker of English. Most often, the women attending these projects are not able to speak English themselves and can understand little or none. Thus it is sufficient if your English skills are basic, too.

Working at an Orphanage

In India 17% of all children are orphans. Resulting from poverty and missing resources many families are not able to take care of their children. Thus, it is of high importance that these children have safe places, where they receive the support they need. There are different orphanages for you to volunteer at and every institution is more than thankful for your help. The children are usually between 7 and 15 years old, depending on the orphanage you will be working at. As a volunteer, you will have different tasks during your stay such as:

• Looking after and playing with the children
• Helping the children with homework
• Teaching English and other skills

Before you decide to volunteer at an orphanage, make sure you are prepared for your task and understand what to expect. While working with orphans might sound noble at first, it is important to realize that more than 80% of children living in orphanages are not orphans. They are separated from their families because they are poor, disabled, from an ethnic minority or because they are suffering from other exclusion factors.

Many of these children have experienced violence or abuse and are traumatized. For this reason, it is essential that volunteers MUST have appropriate skills. If not, you could be putting yourself and the children at risk. Therefore, if you wish to work at an orphanage, you should meet at least one of the following requirements:

• experience in working with traumatized children
• training as a child caretaker
• training as a psychologist
• training as a social worker

Even though volunteering takes a lot of your time, you will have some time for yourself and be able to explore Delhi. The city has a lot to offer - from traditional temples to modern buildings and shopping malls that you can visit during your free time. Use your weekends to stroll around the markets and explore the food that the Indian cuisine has to offer.

You have probably already heard of the Taj Mahal, which is widely considered to be the most beautiful building in the world. Even though it is one of the most touristic attractions in Delhi it is worth a visit and you should not miss it during your time in India. There is so much to see, but among the many options these are some of places that you should consider visiting as well:

• The Lotus Temple
• Hauz Khas Complex
• Lodi Gardens
• Akshardham Temple
• India Gate

Before you start to pack your bags for the most exciting time of your life, there are a few things you should inform yourself about. To make sure that you have nothing to worry about during your time volunteering, keep on reading and you will find some important information and tips about Delhi.

Best travel season

Delhi has an extreme climate as it gets very hot in the summer and cold during the winter season. The best time to visit Delhi is between October and March with a temperature between 25 and 35 degrees.

Safety & precautions

It is always advised to be cautious, no matter what destination you travel to. Even though Delhi is a great place to visit, you should be aware of certain situations and take a few precautions:

• There has been an increase in handbag snatching in Delhi. Make sure to keep a photocopy of your passport and do not take a lot of cash with you.
• Beware of scammers.
• You must be able to identify yourself at all times!
• Delhi has certain days of the year where alcohol is prohibited - January 26, October 2 and August 15, are always prohibited days.
• Make sure to check which dates are the additional ones.
• Keep in mind that the legal drinking age in Delhi is 25!

Culture & religion

Delhi is culturally diverse. Even though almost 85% of the inhabitants are Hindu, religions such as the Islam, Christianity or the Aryan culture are accepted as well. When you plan to visit religious buildings, such as temples, make sure to behave appropriately as taking off shoes and covering the head and body might be mandatory.

Health advice

Before you start volunteering, make sure you have the right vaccinations. These should be checked ideally 4-6 weeks before your trips. The US-based health protection agency CDC recommends getting the following vaccines before traveling to Delhi: Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Also make sure to think of the following points:

• Eat and drink safely: Don't eat undercooked food, avoid eating street food and don't drink water from the tap!
• Also, wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• Plan for how you will get health care during your stay. Get a travel insurance and bring medicine with you, especially if you need special medication.
• Prevent bug bites: You might want to cover exposed skin, use an insect repellent, and use a bed net.

As you will have noticed by now, there are many different projects that expect different skills and abilities from their volunteers. While you can find out the specific requirements for each project on their program page, here are some general requirements that apply to most projects in Delhi:

• You need to be at least 18 years old for most of the volunteer projects. When in doubt, we advise you get in contact with the local project manager, as in some projects you can also volunteer when you're 16 years old. There’s no age limit upwards: just check the 50+ icon on the program pages.
• You need to have at least basic English skills to join a volunteer project in Delhi. Please note that some teaching projects might ask for more advanced skills though.
• Depending on the project you're interested in, you might need to provide a criminal background check and a health declaration before volunteering.
• You are more than welcome to bring your friends or family to work for the social project. Just contact the project manager and ask them for the available opportunities.