Women Empowerment

Volunteer with a Women’s Group and help overcome the extreme social and legal gender discrimination 

Real Journey Nepal strives to empower women through education, support and training.

In Nepal, especially in remote rural areas, child labour (especially of girls), domestic abuse, and sexual exploitation is prevalent. Additionally, girls are traditionally kept illiterate, increasing their financial dependency and keeping them unaware of their basic human rights. A number of laws also discriminate against women’s rights regarding inheritance, divorce and the persecution of abusers.

Since its inception, Real Journey Nepal has been implementing various projects to address the problems of women in Nepal through education, skill training, financial and legal empowerment of the women in Nepal

How do volunteers help?

There are many different options for volunteers who want to work with women’s groups in Nepal. Real Journey Nepal is affiliated with a variety of community women’s groups that are always looking for volunteers to help with skill training, legal training and English language classes. Real Journey Nepal starts by asking the local women what it is they require most and we then build the programs around that. These programs then identify local resources and use local materials for the development of skills, which contribute to sustainable resource use and economic development. Examples of skill training programs offered include sewing, weaving methods, tailoring, beautician training, paper making, shop management, animal-raising, toy-making, and other small business products training or marketing.

Real Journey Nepal also has connections with other NGOs working for the empowerment of women, which also need the help of international volunteers. This work may be training women to become journalists, paralegals or help the organization with marketing and fundraising efforts. If you have 2 months or more to spare here in Nepal you may also get involved in setting up a new women’s group in a needy community.

To develop the women’s groups, you may get involved in following volunteering activities in Nepal:

English & Computer teaching: Teaching of English language and Computer to the women is one of the most effective program taking place at the Centre. Volunteers can create and deliver comprehensive Spoken English and Computer lesson, though VSN has provided several reference books. The classes are divided into three categories- Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.

Women’s support education: Present information to the members about relevant women’s issues in Nepal or globally.

Health Education: Hold an educational program on home hygiene and family health.

Overseas marketing support: Provide marketing services in your home country for clothing, candles, or other handicraft products that can be produced by this group.

Grant Writing: Search for and apply to grant making foundations that will support the planned activities at the Women’s Resource Centre.

A market analysis for potential projects: Conduct a market analysis of skills, products or services that can be set up by the Everest Foundation Women’s Resource Centre. Take steps towards making these income-generating activities.

Do a value chain analysis for potential projects: Perform a value chain analysis for a viable industry, product or service and determine how the members can fill roles in the chain from basic production to marketing and vending

Business Training: Educate the women in financing, accounting, or business development for the enterprise in question

The founding principle of Real Journey Nepal is knowing we could get more money going to where it is needed most.

Real Journey Nepal is a locally owned and managed non-governmental, social development organization which aims to support the poorest and most vulnerable communities in Nepal. We are a small organization, with no international organizational umbrella. This means that all the volunteer fees and funding are lower than many other organizations. The fees are invested directly into Nepal. Volunteering at Real Journey Nepal is not free, as we are partly reliant on volunteers’ fees to fund our projects. We are thankful to those who have been supporting us by taking part in our programs over the years. It is these volunteers that have been enabling us to make such massive changes to the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged women and children.

Fees May 2023

Please Note: – A Reservation Fee of euro 100 is charged on top of the program fee.

Cost Includes

  • Airport pick up and drop off
  • Food and accommodation from the moment of landing at the airport to the final day of your placement
  • In-depth cultural and language training
  • Guided sightseeing in Kathmandu
  • Fully trained host families
  • 24hr availability of VSN Nepal staff for emergencies
  • Assistance with visas and pre-departure support
  • Fundraising support
  • Support in booking any further travel in Nepal

Cost Excludes

  • Visa fee
  • Vaccinations
  • Travel Insurance
  • Sundries such as personal items, extra beverages and entertainment. A weekly budget of up to 25 should be sufficient to cater for our all your other expenses like a bottle of water, daily snacks, personal items and beverages etc.
  • Domestic flight costs
  • Transportation costs for the volunteers who want to work outside the Kathmandu Valley
  • Entrance fees to the main cultural and Heritage sites, Museums and Others.
  • If you wish to work for more than one location, then you are required to pay €40 extra to cover our extra logistic work and transportation costs.
  • Construction materials when you do any construction work, for example, paints, brushes etc.
What is the volunteer program duration?

Real Journey Nepal provides programs from two weeks to ten months.

How soon can I start volunteering in Nepal?

You can start as soon as you like, but it is far better if you confirm that you are coming at least two weeks before you arrive in Nepal. This allows us time to prepare necessary accommodations, training and placement.

Can I schedule my own volunteer service for the dates that interest me?

Real Journey Nepal is very flexible on when volunteers can start the program, and it’s possible to start any day of the year. It just depends on your availability.

Can I volunteer in Nepal with a friend or be placed near other volunteers?

Real Journey Nepal welcomes individuals, couples, families, small and large groups, students and experts, as well as senior and young professionals. We have placed 15 health volunteers in one village before and often get requests from smaller groups too. We will do everything we can to place people together if that is what you would like. For groups of 4 or more, please contact us directly to discuss options.

Do you work with schools and societies abroad?

We are always looking to develop ongoing relationships with organizations and schools abroad. The chance to set up cultural exchanges is a great way of developing understanding from both sides. If you are interested then please contact Us by email directly.

What personality characteristics are Real Journey Nepal looking for?

If you are enthusiastic, initiative taking and motivated to help needy people, especially school children, youth and women, you are perfect and exactly what we are looking for.

Do I need specific skills and past experience to volunteer in Nepal?

No, but if you do have some then we can find a placement that will put them to good use. For legal experience we can get you advising women on their legal rights, for subject specific teaching we can get you teaching direct or teaching teachers, or for health expertise we have a range of placements to suit your level. We also organize sufficient in-country training programs for all selected volunteers to enable them to work effectively with target groups.

Are Real Journey Nepal’s programs only for international volunteers?

No, not at all. We recruit local Nepali people to work alongside our overseas volunteers as their counterparts. This gives them a chance to work with foreign/English speaking people and gives them valuable exposure to other cultures.

Do I need to speak English to become a volunteer in Nepal?

It is important that you speak some English, but it is perfectly acceptable if you speak English as your second language. When you arrive in Nepal you will be placed into a training program that includes an intensive language course on basic Nepali phrases that you may need while volunteering which will also help you settle in.

Do I have to be from a certain country to volunteer in Nepal?

No, you can come and volunteer with us from any country. The majority of our volunteers come from the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. In the year 2007, we had volunteers from more than 21 different countries.

Why do I need to pay to volunteer in Nepal?

Real Journey Nepal tries to keep costs as low as possible. Real Journey volunteering programs in Nepal are the most affordable in Nepal. Volunteers have to pay for their food and accommodation, training, sponsoring Nepali children, the costs for their Nepali counterparts, and travel; all of which is included in the overall fee. For a detailed look at what your money pays for please look at our What’s Included page.

How do I pay for my volunteer placement?

Once you receive your confirmation, you can secure your place. You do this by transferring a reservation fee of 100 euro to our bank account. If you book multiple programs for a longer term we might ask more. As soon as your reservation fee has been received by Real Journey Nepal, we will provide you with all the information and support you need to prepare for your upcoming volunteer program.
As we have to do all the administration jobs to secure your placement and also we need regular funding to run our projects , this Reservation Fee is a non-refundable fee which also covers processing your application and pre-departure support.

The payment of remaining fees is to be made once you arrive at the Real Journey Nepal office and can be paid in cash in Nepali rupees, American Dollars, Pounds Sterling or Euros.

What happens if I leave the volunteer placement early, can I get my money back?

Once the volunteer makes their decision and pays for the program fee, upon receipt of invoice, Real Journey Nepal Volunteer Program does not refund any program fee under any circumstances. However, if the volunteer has unavoidable circumstances (such as illness, death in the family, etc) they may request to leave the program, and Real Journey Nepal will consider returning 25% of the host family cost (if the volunteer is registered for more than 30 days program). No refund will be made for programs lasting less than 30 days, or if the volunteer chooses to leave the program on their own.

Do I need travel insurance?

As with any overseas traveling, health insurance is recommended. Please obtain necessary health and travel insurance before coming to Nepal. Make sure you look into the details of the policy. Find out if it covers airfare in case of a medical emergency.

Who organizes my flights to Nepal?

You do. You will need to organize your trip to and from Nepal.

Do I need a Visa to volunteer in Nepal?

You will need a tourist Visa for your visit to Nepal. These can be obtained for 15 days up to 3 months on entry and extended to a maximum of 150 days within a year whilst you are here. The current fee $30 USD for the first fifteen, $50 USD per month and $125 for 90 days.

Visa Extension

3 USD per Day(minimum 15 days)

Up to date information can be found at:https://www.immigration.gov.np/post/visa-fee-and-documents-1 

Where can I obtain a VISA?

Most of our volunteers obtain visa upon arrival at the Kathmandu airport, which is very easy. You just need to bring a passport, passport size photo with you and payment as per the above and also issued as an entry visa by Diplomatic Missions abroad.

Where do I fly to and how long will it take to get to my host site?

Kathmandu has the international airport in Nepal, so all international flights arrive and depart from there. Our representative will meet you at the airport. On your first day you will be staying near the Real Journey Nepal HQ in a suburb called Pepsi-Cola in Eastern Kathmandu. This is only about 15 min drive from the airport.

Will there be anyone at the airport to receive me?

Our Real Journey Nepal’s representative will be there to meet and pick you up on arrival.

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