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Am I eligible to be a SHAKE HANDS volunteer
in India?
If you are
enthusiastic, and motivated to learn and help the needy people,
especially children and women, you are perfect and exactly what we are
looking for. You do not need specific skills and past experience. We
organize sufficient in-house
orientation programs for all selected volunteers to enable
them to work effectively with target groups.
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How
safe is it to volunteer in
India ?
Overall India is a
very peaceful country and people are very friendly and
supportive. We ensure all possible measures regarding safety
and security of the volunteers while working with
us.
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When can
I start volunteering in India?
Volunteers can start as per your own
suitable time, according to Program
Dates. But they should get
themselves registered at least 30 days before they
arrive in India.
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Should I
pay for volunteering in
India?
SHAKE HANDS tries to
keep costs as low as possible, a difficult task in itself.
SHAKE HANDS volunteering programs are absolutely the most
affordable in India. Volunteers have to pay for their food and
accommodation, training, sponsoring Indian children, the costs
for their Indian counterparts, and travel, all of which is
included in the overall fee. SHAKE HANDS is associated with a
non-government organization (AEDS) and is always working hard
to raise funds through various activities and fundraisers, and
by trying to coordinate programs AEDS. Thus, we charge our
volunteers a nominal amount for raising the funds needed to
carry out all of our many projects. Program cost depending
heavily upon the program and the length of stay. Certain
programs follow a stricter schedule and include a good deal of
traveling, trekking, safaris and other activities. These
programs are thus slightly more expensive, in order for SHAKE
HANDS to provide for all travel arrangements and
accommodations. The starting range of programs is 2 weeks,
depending upon the availability of the volunteers.
Apart from the fees,
other costs that are to be met by the volunteers are:
Flight costs
Visa
Immunizations
Travel Insurance
(Also you will need a weekly budget of up
to US $20 to cater for all your other expenses like bottled
water, personal items, beverages and
entertainment)
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What is the
program
duration?
SHAKE HANDS provides programs from starting
with 4 weeks. Program could be extending in multiple weeks.
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Do I need
to speak English to become a
volunteer?
Yes, it will be
helpful if you speak English, but it is perfectly acceptable
if you speak English as your second language. When you arrive
in India you will be placed into an orientation program that
includes an intensive language course on basic India phrases
that you may need while volunteering.
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What are
the accommodation arrangements
when volunteering?
In India you are
provided with accommodations that are covered under volunteer
program fee. During the orientation, you will stay at Jaipur.
This orientation may also include Jaipur sightseeing for
certain programs. When volunteering, you are placed in a
volunteer’s home in the work area where you will be working.
Please do not expect a luxurious placement with a cozy
accommodation. Break fast, Lunch & Dinner in Indian style
is provided to you while volunteering, as well as mineral
water for certain program location. We offer accommodations
from the first day of the program to the last. For the
volunteers who arrive earlier or who want to stay longer, it
will not be possible for us to offer accommodations,
though we can help those volunteers find a quality,
inexpensive place to stay.
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Do I
need travel
insurance?
As with any overseas
traveling, health insurance is recommended. Please obtain
necessary health and travel insurance before come to India.
Talk to your travel agent about this or search on the internet
to see what offers are available, and make sure you look into
the details of the policy. Find out if it covers airfare in
case of a medical emergency. We also suggest that volunteers
consult a physician or an international travel clinic for
recommendations on immunizations, and you should carry with
you small first aid kit. India offers basic medical services
and there are some places for emergency medical treatment. If
you are taking any prescription medicine, we suggest that you
bring an ample supply from your home
country.
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Should I
be single if I am thinking
about volunteering through Shake
Hands?
That is not
necessary. SHAKE HANDS organizes volunteer programs for
individuals, couples, groups, students and
families.
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Who organizes my
flights?
Definitely that will
be borne by you. You will need to organize your trip to and
from India.
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How do
I make the reservation for the
post of Volunteer with SHAKE HANDS?
Please go through
"Signup for Shake Hands” or click by this link
http://volunteersindia.org/apply.htm and follow step by step singing up process.
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Where can I obtain a
VISA?
You can apply and
obtain a visa for India from
Indian
Embassy office
at your home
country.
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Do I have
to be from a certain country to
volunteer?
We welcome volunteers
from all places from the world; you can come and volunteer
with us from any country.
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What
about Hygiene?
We always try our
best to ensure that the food and water during training and
placement is safe and clean.
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What about
medication
?
All program location
has several national and international level hospitals,
nursing homes and health clinics available.
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What
vaccinations should I consider
having prior to arrival?
This depends on
which country you are traveling from. You should always consult your
doctor before purchasing any medication, as some may not be necessary.
In addition, depending on where you are from, you may have already had
some of the required vaccinations as a child. We suggest that you
consult a travel doctor at your country before you leave. However, you
should consider the following vaccinations:
Hepatitis A & B
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Yellow fever
Rabies
Tuberculosis
Malaria
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Can I
schedule my own volunteer
service for the dates that interest
me?
SHAKE HANDS is
very flexible on when volunteers can start with the program, and it’s
possible to start any day of the year. It just depends on your
availability. But pick up and drop will be provided on given fixed .
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Will I
have access to communication
mediums such as e-mail, telephones and the post
office?
This all depends on
your placement. Almost all placements will have access to a
Post Office. If you are in a city, there are many places in
which you can use a phone or have access to
e-mail.
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Can I
come with a friend or can I be
placed near other volunteers?
SHAKE
HANDS welcomes individuals, couples, family, small and
large groups, students and experts, as well as senior and
young professionals to make a great contribution and bring
changes by getting involved in our volunteer
program.
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What
types of clothes are allowed to
wear? Should I wear specific types of
clothes?
We advise all
volunteers to wear decent cloth especially female volunteers
not to wear very short and tight cloths. Indian dress modestly
covers most of the body; it is the Indian
tradition.
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Visa:
You can get the
tourist visa at the Indian embassy in your country. A
non-tourist visa is difficult to obtain and is twice as
expensive as the tourist visa. It is the responsibility of
volunteers to manage their own tickets and visa.
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Traveling:
India
is a cheap place for shopping and traveling, but if you are planning
to travel in India before or
after your volunteer program, you will need extra money. You may
change your major currencies and travelers checks in Jaipur/Delhi/Bangalore
and at the airports
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Will
there be anyone at the airport
to receive me?
Yes, you will
be received at the airport by our representative on your arrival.
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