Navchetan Andhjan Mandal School | Bhuj, Gujarat, India

The Navchetan Andhjan Mandal School is a centre for disabled children where the focus is on teaching the students both academic and vocational skills. The centre provides boarding facilities for many of its students. The school is an inclusive and enabling environment, catering for students with a wide range of physical and mental impairments and is seen as a refuge for disabled children in the local and wider community. The school therefore plays an important role in providing a platform for students in a developing Indian society that, in part, still grapples with the realities of disabilities.

There is currently one trip to this school each year, at the end of June. During the trip, volunteers live in guest rooms on the school campus, with all meals provided at the school. Volunteers get the opportunity to run their own classes with the students on a variety of subjects outside of their usual curriculum. They are also able to spend time outside of school hours running sports, arts and crafts, dance and musical sessions with the students.

Aside from their time in the schools, volunteers will be able to experience the local community, including an eye opening visit to an old people’s home supported by CARE in nearby Bachau.

To find out more about the school, Click Here.

Click Here to read blog posts from past Project CARE volunteers who have been to  Navchetan Andhjan Mandal School Bhuj volunteers. 

Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association School | Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India

The Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association School is a school located in a remote part of the Himalayan mountains and is the only school in this area to provide both educational and residential facilities. The children attending the school are often incredibly deprived and some travel up to 7 days through mountainous terrains to reach the school at the start of each school term.

The school is English speaking and volunteers are encouraged to support the existing curriculum by presenting lessons in more atypical and creative ways. There is also scope for volunteers to present bespoke classes on areas not covered by their existing curriculum such as geography and politics. Volunteers often also run fun and varied extracurricular classes, such as sports, arts and crafts and dance sessions.

Volunteers stay at a guesthouse which is a short walk from the school during their stay, where all meals are provided.

To find out more about the school, Click Here.

Auro Technical School | Pajwenda, Tororo, Uganda

In November 2019, four members of the Project CARE committee (Darpit, Riya, Shiv and Meera) spent time volunteering at Auro Technical School, a vocational college located in Pajwenda, a rural part of eastern Uganda, near Tororo town. The college gives local young adults an opportunity to access invaluable vocational training, and currently provides courses to over 140 students in hairdressing, tailoring, bricklaying and carpentry.
Following their visit, the Project CARE team raised concerns about the college’s kitchen and toilets, as these facilities were in extremely poor condition and requiring urgent renovation. CARE has subsequently funded the Auro Technical School to enable it to reconstruct these facilities to meet local standards and help transform the sanitation levels for the students. The construction work is underway.
Project CARE aims to start group volunteering trips to the Auro Technical School in the near future.

To find out more about this school Click Here