from 1,220€

Excellent 4.8rating (5)

Ecological Farming Supporter

location
8 - 8 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Volunteer and expand your gardening knowledge
  • Help bringing economic investment, awareness, development as well as outreach to people in the farming community
  • Help establish brand new and sustainable smallholder cooperatives and partnerships
  • Work towards inspiring others to practice environmentally best farming practices
  • Relax in one of many riverside hammocks while watching the jungle life swing and sing around you

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Volunteers support in the maintainance and running of an ecological farming project based here in Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra!

Food is in our family, it is in our culture, it connects us to nature. But do we know where our food is grown, how it is grown and by whom? The answer is Eco-Farming.

Our program with the EcoFarm is important because it helps bring economic investment, awareness, development and outreach to people ...

About the program

Food is in our family, it is in our culture, it connects us to nature. But do we know where our food is grown, how it is grown and by whom? The answer is Eco-Farming.

Our program with the EcoFarm is important because it helps bring economic investment, awareness, development and outreach to people in the farming community and the greater communities. Volunteers help farmers, by bringing outside knowledge, such as permaculture, and volunteers take away local knowledge. Volunteering with local people and projects nurtures a positive relationship between nationalities and an example of how volunteers can support and increase local economy. 

What is Eco-Farming?

Ecological Farming or more commonly known as Eco-Farming is a way of cultivating agriculture that places an emphasis on both the health of the environment and the health of its consumers. Long before conventional and modern agriculture practices had been put into place, people had farmed in an eco-friendly way. Besides producing healthy and safe-to-consume agriculture products, ecological farming also provides other benefits, such as minimized environmental pollution and contamination through agricultural activities, and maintenance of soil productivity and fertility in the long term. All of which add up to improved sustainable use of natural resources and of the environment.

Volunteers will assist with the day to day running and maintenance of a working ecological farm , PPLH Bohorok, here in North Sumatra. 

Details

Volunteers stay at our Hub in Gotong Royong. You share dormitories with our volunteers on the other programs. Lunch will be provided. Volunteers will work on the farm for around 3 -5 hours a day, then return to the Trust Hub.  The days are dynamic and work can range from general gardening, feeding the animals, picking fruit, recycling, composting and helping to bring local children to the farm and showing them around and conducting tours for international visitors. Volunteers will work in collaboration with the staff at PPLH on projects and jobs with the rest of the local staff.   Our volunteers love being at the farm and enjoy the peace and calm away from the busy life in Bukit Lawang. 

Preferable Skills

To have some gardening knowledge

To be able to work alone

To work on ones own initiative

To work within the local community

Willing to learn basic Bahasa Indonesian

We have five placement dates throughout the year. Each placement is around 60 days, however some volunteers opt to join us for a second placement! 


Typical day

Volunteering at the Trust is no gap year holiday, our volunteers typically work from 08:00 to 18:00 on week days, and occasionally on weekends for training events and action days. We maintain an ethos of hard work and selfless commitment and all of our volunteers are here to serve the local ...

Typical day

Volunteering at the Trust is no gap year holiday, our volunteers typically work from 08:00 to 18:00 on week days, and occasionally on weekends for training events and action days. We maintain an ethos of hard work and selfless commitment and all of our volunteers are here to serve the local community. However, that doesn’t stop us having a life changing experience whilst we are at it! 

A typical day starts at 07:00 with breakfast. On Mondays we have a Hub meeting where all of the staff and volunteers come together to plan the week ahead. Our Eco Farming volunteers spend most of the time at the farm and then come back to eat lunch together at The Trust Hub and to rest before their afternoon of farming. When you are not at the Eco Farm, you can join the free fitness sessions here at the Trust or take on your own projects doing renovations or other community work here at The Hub. We also send out volunteers to help out at the local Trashbank, turning plastic into new products and supporting the efforts of rubbish processing and collection.   Weekends are your own, however occasionally, for example on events such as volunteer induction, phase review and volunteer debrief, you may also find that the Trust has arranged some incredible activities for you. On weekends when you are not trekking in the jungle or rafting down rivers you will have a great opportunity to immerse yourself in Sumatran culture and cuisine, with a range of guest houses, restaurants and even one bar Bukit Lawang has plenty to offer!


Free-time activities

Literally meaning "door to the hills", Bukit Lawang is a small village situated 90 kilometers northwest of Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra, Indonesia.

The village is on the edge of the magnificent Gunung Leuser National Park, which is one of the richest tropical-rainforest ecosystems in the ...

Free-time activities

Literally meaning "door to the hills", Bukit Lawang is a small village situated 90 kilometers northwest of Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra, Indonesia.

The village is on the edge of the magnificent Gunung Leuser National Park, which is one of the richest tropical-rainforest ecosystems in the word, and home to the rare Sumatran orang-utans, as well as the Sumatran tiger, rhino and elephant, although sightings of these are very rare. The people here live basically and the river is still the focal point of village life here, running through the heart of it, where the people wash clothes, fish and the children play all day. 

It's very easy to while away a few days lounging in the many riverside hammocks, splashing about in the river, tubing and watching the jungle life swing and sing around you. The forests surrounding Bukit Lawang are part of the vast Gunung Leuser National Park which is an area of dense rainforest. The park as a whole is home to eight species of primate plus tigers, rhinos, elephants and leopards. However, aside from orangutans and various other primates, you are very unlikely to see any other large mammals here.

At the weekend there are innumerable places located nearby that are must see!

 

Batu Katak - A lovely village on the river and near waterfalls.

 

Tangkahan - Has an elephant camp where visitors can bathe elephants in the river. We support bathing them, and the projects but we do not support riding the elephants and hope you will share that belief with us.

 

Batu Rongring - A village off the beaten path where trekking awaits!

 

Berestagi - For long weekends or traveling before or after volunteers can visit this lovely town in the mountains and go trekking. It is a bit colder here and that makes it a popular place among locals and tourists!

Lake Toba - A beautiful island (Samosir) in the middle of the lake is home to waterfalls, hot springs, beaches, and more.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

Interest in agriculture and sustainable farming solutions, environmentally conscious, use social media, website design,

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 18:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Bukit Lawang Trust

We ask all of our volunteers to fundraise before coming out to Sumatra a minimum of £1000 GBP for the 8 weeks. Alternatively, some people choose to just pay this fee if they have no time to fundraise beforehand. We ask for a non-refundable deposit of £150 on booking your place in order to reserve your space and to cover registration costs.    In addition to this, you will need to pay for the cost of your volunteer visa, which is £280 and lasts 60 days.  

 

This fee covers:

  • Accommodation - shared dorm room

  • Lunchtime meals cooked by our hub chef Mon-Fri

  • Transport to and from Medan airport to the Trust.

  • Free Jungle FIIT exercise classes three times per week at the Trust Hub.

  • Our staff will provide all of the training you need to teach our programs, and support you throughout your volunteering journey. 

  • An overnight, 2 day jungle trekking experience with experienced local guides

  • Orientation challenges

  • A workshop with a local business- e.g basket weaving, carving, fabric printing, soap making, cookery

  • A phase review team building weekend

  • Indonesian language lessons by our Indonesian Programme Coordinators

  • Transport to and from the Eco farm for every session (20 mins by motorbike).

Airport Pickup at Kuala Namu International Airport

We provide pick up from Kuala Namu International Airport in Medan to our Hub in Gotong Royong where you will be staying. This is approximately a four hour drive in good weather, from the City Centre to the edge of the Gunung Leuser National Park where we work! Our Volunteer recruitment team also provide support in arranging your flights and making sure you are in the right place at the right time to meet our pick up! 

Accommodation

Our volunteers on the Ecological Farming Program stay in one of our dorm rooms within the Trust and many volunteers choose to enjoy their weekends in one of the outstanding guesthouses here in Bukit Lawang. Each volunteer is given a key to their dorm, and the front door to the Trust. We have 4 bathrooms: 2 Western style and 2 Indonesian style. We also have a shared kitchen with cooking facilities. 

Food & Beverages

Lunch is included in your volunteer fees, and in the evenings we either eat out or we hold cooking nights at the Trust. At the weekends, most volunteers prefer to eat in the village or along the river at one of the guesthouses for dinner.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Kuala Namu International Airport (KNO) in Kuala Namu. We assist you to find cheap flights to Indonesia. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Indonesia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Indonesia you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Indonesia. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

In 2023 we have 5 volunteer intakes during the year as follows:

Elephant Cycle: Friday 7th July - Sunday 3rd September

Leopard Cycle: Friday 8th September - Sunday 5th of November

Rhino Cycle: Friday 10th November - Sunday 17th December

 

The dates for 2024 are likely to be as follows but may change slightly depending on public holidays and events:

Orangutan Cycle: Friday 12th January - Sunday 10th of March 

Tiger Cycle: Friday 19th of April - Sunday 16th June 

Elephant Cycle: Friday 28th June - Sunday 25th August

Leopard Cycle: Friday 30th August - Sunday 27th October 

Rhino Cycle: Friday 1st November - Sunday 15th December (6 weeks only)

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

8 weeks 1,220€
Average fees 152€/week

Program fees

152€ per week 8 - 8 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

8 - 8 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Bukit Lawang Trust during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Bukit Lawang Trust

Excellent 4.8 rating (5 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2004

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Volunteer Coordinator

Spoken languages: English

About the project

We provide free english classes for children throughout the Bukit Lawang area. We also promote sustainable eco farming and wildlife monitoring!

Meet your organization

BUKIT LAWANG TRUST was founded after the devastating flood wiped out the village of Bukit Lawang.

In November 2003 in the late evening, the massive flood hit the village and killed many people. Described by witnesses as a tidal wave, the water was over 10 meters high, as it came crashing down the hills, wiping out everything in its path.  

Founder and Trustee Rebecca Coley had been visiting the village a couple of months earlier and was contacted and asked to help. Rebecca set about raising funds and went back with her family to buy rice and distribute basic staple foods to feed the families who were living in the bus station, initially providing villagers with water carriers, purifying tablets, sleeping mats, rice and educational materials.

Since the charity was set up and registered in 2004, we set up a small temporary health clinic, renting and refurbishing a building, and employing locals to renovate and employing a doctor, nurse, and a midwife. The clinic was run from this small house for two years, seeing more than thirty patients a day, for free. At that time the health clinic offered free health care to any families affected by the flood.

Bukit Lawang Trust then partnered with Jersey Overseas Aid and they agreed to match fund the building of a community centre. Sixteen volunteers worked hard raising funds and came from Jersey to Indonesia to build the new community building with the locals in March 2007. The new community centre is now a permanent home for the Trust.

The administrator, doctor, nurse and mid-wife moved into the new clinic downstairs in the building in December 2007, and the clinic opened its doors in January 2008.

The Clinic served the community until December 2011 when the clinic closed due to the fact the area had positively rehabilitated, and the need for the clinic diminished. More clinics had opened in the area, and the decision was made for the centre to focus on Education, opening its doors as a dedicated Education Centre in January 2012. 

Since that time the Education Centre has seen hundreds of children come through its doors for free english lessons and extra lessons such as arts and crafts, maths, computer lessons and traditional dance.

We run a free kindergarten every morning and have helped children to learn to read and write at all ages. We believe in education being the best route out of poverty and to the opportunity for a better life for the future.

The main ethos of the Trust is that education is the best route out of poverty and so we just offer the opportunity for young people to learn English and increase their knowledge of the world and the environment through our lessons.

Bukit Lawang Trust is also very focused on Conservation and wishes to empower and enable the local community to protect and look after the Gunung Leuseur National Park as it is right on their doorstep and the rare endangered Sumatran orangutans are under serious threat from the plans for further deforestation, new roads and more palm oil plantations. WE hope through education the locals will find alternative sources of income to palm oil and work together to protect the Gunung Leuser National Park.

Mission: To enhance the health and education of the community of the village of Bukit Lawang and the people of Bohorok region, North Sumatra, Indonesia. To engage in Environmental and wildlife projects  in connection with the endangered wildlife of the Gunung Leuseur ecosystem.

The ethos of the Trust is to empower people, so that the community is involved in every aspect of our projects.  

The Bukit Lawang Trust Centre is a dedicated Education Centre offering free English lessons for young people and adults, a free mother and toddler learning group at the kindergarten, and a library. We run extra lessons in maths, science and arts and crafts and we have a strong emphasis on conservation education. 

We opened the Richard Cann Reading Room in 2016 - a learning resource room dedicated to Conservation Education. Richard sadly lost his life in 2014 whilst visiting Bukit Lawang. This is his legacy and the Centre will be home to a space for learning and advancement in conservation for the community and visiting public and conservationists.

Bukit Lawang Trust also works with partners and like minded organizations to help bring them volunteers, do outreach, and support other groups as best we can. 

We have two full time managers, a staff of about 8 local people, and at any one time can have up to almost ten volunteers. Our goals are to teach and educate people in the community and partner with other organizations to address conservation and environmental projects.

We are looking for people who share our passion for social projects, who wish to give back and help communities that are less fortunate. We want volunteers who love children, the environment, love new experiences, and building relationships with the local community!

We are a Non profit charitable organization run by volunteers and local staff. You should choose use because we invest in the community in the short term by hiring people and in the long term by providing education and more.

5 reviews · rating4.8

Luka Quade rating5

2019 at Ecological Farming Supporter

Thanks Bukit Lawang Trust (BLT) for this amazing time! I was volunteering at Ernas Ecofarm (there's the choice to volunteer at the BLT, working with kids, or at Ernas Ecofarm, gardening) and I don't regret my choice. She taught me many interesting things about gardening and she gave us (some other ...
alexandre lesbaches rating4.6

2018 at Ecological Farming Supporter

Great time and experience achieved in bukit lawang. Erna and her family are very welcoming and always look after you. I had an amazing 3 weeks stay with her and the other volunteer from the English ...
Emily Marushko rating4.4

2018 at Ecological Farming Supporter

Erna is a hard working local woman who doesn't subscribe to convention, and it's an inspiration to work alongside her. Erna founded and continues to run the EcoFarm. She envisions an environmentally sustainable farm that feeds and educates the community. Our role as volunteers is to help achieve ...
I’ve been a volunteer at the trust for the last three months and I can honestly say it was the best time of my life! To be fair I’m only eighteen, therefore still young and got called „the baby“ many times here at the trust! But thats what shows how loving and caring everyone here is. The ...
Mateusz Sidoruk rating5

2018 at Conservation Teacher : Youth Rangers

I had so much fun at Stay Wild, from doing the work itself like teaching English, treating local dogs and trekking which I think was the most fun and challenging but also the project was offering different activities like camping out in the cast forest overnight which was also an awesome experience. ..

Location

Asia > South East Asia > Indonesia > Bukit Lawang

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