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Keeping an ‘I’ on Culture

Keeping an ‘I’ on Culture

What does culture mean to you? How much are you governed by your culture in everyday life? How do your cultural ties or cultural expectations affect you in your everyday life?  The Youth Development Programme (YDP) of FSL-India wants to explore exactly that. Cultural relativity is key! In a country that is constantly evolving and changing, understanding the self in relation to culture, and understanding the self’s culture in relation to India, and the rest of the world is an…

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What does volunteering mean to you?

What does volunteering mean to you?

“Founded on the values of solidarity and mutual trust, volunteerism transcends all cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries. By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose.”                                                                                                                 – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, A movement that was born 93 years ago,…

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Winter camps

Winter camps

As winter sets in at Bangalore, we, at FSL, begin the new season with a series of winter camps. Planned for long-term volunteers who are involved in teaching, these camps are conducted during school holidays. Take a look at what we did recently: Makkala Mitra Sparsha Trust Our winter camp in Bangalore took place at the Sparsha Trust from 7th to 18th October. Sparsha Trust works to ensure children are not deprived of their constitutional rights and are provided a…

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Indian experiences of a volunteer

Indian experiences of a volunteer

Joining us from Poland for close to 7 months, Anna Pacześ, one of our long-term volunteers writes about what it was like to work with physically and mentally challenged children in Arani, Tamil Nadu. She gives an insider’s perpective to what volunteering in India is all about, talking of her own personal journey through the months, from first impressions to final goodbyes. We hope you visit us again Anna! ‘May: Here I am!  My dream came true – I’m in…

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Work camps in September

Work camps in September

FSL’s work camps usually last between 2 to 3 weeks and are held across India in some of the most historically significant and culturally vibrant parts of the country. The month of September saw 4 work camps being held across 3 Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Take a look at just some of the things we got up to in our work camps.

Preparing you for volunteering

Preparing you for volunteering

In October we welcomed a fresh and eager batch of 20 mid- to long-term volunteers (MLTV). Usually lasting anywhere from 1 month to 1 year, these engagements involve volunteers working with our local partners in social development projects across two Southern Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as well as in the Union Territory of Pondicherry. As an MLTV volunteer, you will arrive in India at one of our offices either at: Kundapur, Udupi District, State of Karnataka or…

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FSL’s support for long-term volunteers

FSL’s support for long-term volunteers

Months away from home, in a country not of your own, among people and cultures unfamiliar to you can be challenging, if not difficult to handle. But the rewards are worth it: the intercultural exchange and self-exploration it facilitates can be life changing. In fact the voluntary sector works to not only bring about this change at an individual level, but also to bridge cultural gaps that strengthen solidarity among nations. At FSL, it is this very transformation that we…

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Conserving Sea Turtles

Conserving Sea Turtles

In the year 2011-12, nearly 720 hatchlings* of the Olive Ridley sea turtle were released through sea turtle conservation initiatives mobilized by FSL India. For close to 8 years, our volunteers, local community members and conservation organizations in the area have been working together on the coastline of Udupi District, in the State of Karnataka, which forms the sporadic nesting grounds of these turtles. It is one of FSL’s oldest home based, self-funded projects. While there has been much progress,…

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Summer camps

Summer camps

On school days Shanthi (meaning peace in Hindi) Ashram is bustling with the sound of children going about their day-to-day activities. Located in Vijayadka village, Mangalore (State of Karnataka)* and home to some 65 students who reside there, the ashram works to provide children from disadvantaged backgrounds with a safe, nurturing environment that enables their education and future development.  The summer holidays in April provided an excellent opportunity for the ashram community to work on child-friendly infrastructural improvements. A group…

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Teaching in the Thar Desert

Teaching in the Thar Desert

The picturesque city of Jodhpur, the second largest in the Indian state of Rajasthan, is known for its historical forts and palaces. One of our work camps (which last between 2 to 3 weeks) is set in Jodhpur, against the backdrop of the great Indian Thar desert. Our volunteer, Anna Novikova, writes about her experiences in the work camp. ‘Dear readers,  I say it again: India is a fabulous country! The end of August I have spent two weeks volunteering…

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