Why Teaching in Nepal?

Nepal is a country of great natural beauty, stunning Buddhist and Hindu temples, a rich culture and a dynamic history. Sandwiched between China to the North and India to the South, Nepal has a population made up of a range of different ethnic groups amongst which up to 100 different dialects are spoken. Despite all Nepal has to offer, it still remains one of the poorest countries in the world and is heavily dependant on foreign aid. There is also a lack of education for all of Nepal's many children. In this context, Projects Abroad decided to start sending willing volunteers to Nepal to help with English teaching.

Volunteering in Nepal

Projects Abroad first set up teaching projects in Nepal in 1999. They now send volunteers to 16 different schools, mainly in the outskirts of Kathmandu. Nepal has the fewest English speakers in the world, and with an ever expanding tourist industry a knowledge of English is becoming increasingly important. Volunteers are able to offer some of the poorest children in the world the opportunity to learn English from a native speaker, which can potentially improve their prospects in life.

Why do voluntary Teaching?

Voluntary teaching is beneficial to everyone involved. Firstly, it provides our volunteers with the opportunity to work in an environment culturally different from their own. This provides volunteers with an experience that is unique to Nepal and they will return home with a far greater understanding of the way in which millions of the world's population think and act. They will more importantly have an understanding and appreciation for Nepalese youth culture and during their teaching classes will gain an insight into the way in which their students think, live and interact. Teaching will ultimately equip them with fuller and better cross-cultural understanding.

Secondly our volunteers are providing an important skill for the students they teach, that of conversational English. Having a native English speaker is a massive advantage and very helpful to the schools in which they teach. Both students and staff members alike wholly appreciate the language skills and enthusiasm our teaching volunteers bring to their classes. The students also use the opportunity of having a foreign teacher to learn about the customs and practices of the West.

We hope our teaching programme will provide an opportunity for two different cultures to learn from each other. In the 21st Century the importance of greater cultural and linguistic exchange cannot be underestimated. We hope to provide new language skills for the students in the schools in which we place volunteers and also for the volunteers themselves to learn and gain knowledge from the classes in which they teach.