Action Volunteer Alliance | Actively Connecting To International Organizations Now!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know you are legitimate?

We are a not-for-profit federal incorporation. Our file # is 441429-2 which was given under the seal of office of the Minister of Industry. Action Volunteer Alliance is also a Registered Charity with the Canada Revenue Agency effective December 4 2008. Our Business Number is 85312 4592 RR0001. We are also listed on idealist.org and goabroad.com. Organizations have to apply to both of these websites and prove they are legitimate before they are accepted.

Q. Do I have to be Canadian?

A. No, volunteers from all over the world are welcome!

Q. What kind of volunteer work is available?

A. There is an English teaching program, an Orphanage program and a Building program. Please read our programs page for details.

Q. Is Nepal safe?

A. Nepal is quite safe. They have had political problems in the past but there has been peace in Nepal for quite some time now and it is expected to stay that way.

Q. What is the climate like in Nepal?

A. There is a dry season from October to May, and a wet season from June to September. In summer, (May to September) Kathmandu Valley may get very hot, often above 30 degrees. The winter (October to April) will be quite warm during the day, often reaching 20 degrees, but the nights may get as cold as 0 degrees.

Q. Will I have time to travel and see Nepal?

A. You can take as much time off as you wish to travel. We strongly recommend you plan at least 2 or 3 weeks to see the country aside from the time you will be volunteering. There are always lots of other volunteers who are also going to travel and it is quite safe to travel alone as long as you take the appropriate precautions, as you would do in any other country.

Q. When is the best time to travel in Nepal?

A. October to November is the beginning of the dry season. Everything is green and Nepal is most beautiful at this time. This is the high tourist season. December to January is also a very good time, although it can get cold. February to April is the end of the dry season. This is also a great time to be in Nepal. The weather can get quite hot at this time. May and early June is very hot while you wait for monsoon to arrive. Mid June to September is monsoon season. It won’t rain all day, but it will rain every day. The clouds will obscure the mountains so you are unlikely to get but a glimpse of the Himalaya’s. Also, during monsoon, the roads are muddy and covered with leeches, there are also many landslides. If you like festivals, August and September are full of them.

Q. What are the minimum requirements/qualifications to be accepted?

A. There are not exact qualifications for these programs. You don't need a degree or foreign languages. We would like to see you as an overall person to make sure this is the right program for you. We believe everyone has something to offer and we would like to utilize all efforts made.

Q. Do I need to speak Nepali?

A. No, when you get to Nepal you will have a week of language and culture classes. (Which can be disregarded if you are on a short term stay.) There you will receive 15 hours of language training. If you wish to continue with your language classes they can be arranged for you at an extra cost.

Q. When can I start my Volunteer experience?

A. Training starts in Nepal on the 1st and 15th of every month. If you are a short term volunteer or wish to skip the training it can be arranged for you to start whenever you would like.

Q. Are there any times of year I cannot volunteer?

A. You can volunteer at any time in Nepal. The English Teaching program is interupted several times a year for festivals. You have the choice of using this time to do a bit of travelling and take part in the festivities or you can join another project until school resumes.

Q. How much down time will I have?

A. That is flexible. If you are teaching you may teach as many classes as you want in most cases. If you are in the orphanage program, you will most likely not have any children during the day, as they will be in school. The building projects usually end early afternoon. If you are interested you may possibly work on more than one project, or you may be involved in extra programs. You also may want to continue your Nepali classes during the afternoons.

Q. How will I be able to communicate with my family and friends back home?

A. You will not be placed very far from the city and you will have access to the internet and phone in the city. Depending on your placement you may have access to the post and maybe to the internet and phone services. The post in Nepal is not totally dependable. Your host family may have a phone in the house. You will not be able to call home on it but your family may be allowed to phone you on it. This is NOT something that every house will have.

Q. How should I dress in Nepal?

A. You should dress conservatively in Nepal. You will want to wear light clothing so you are not too hot but it should cover you. Women need to keep their shoulders and legs covered at all times. This is Nepali culture and you don’t want to offend anyone. There is a lot of shopping in Nepal and you will most likely find that buying their clothing works the best. It is very light (and cheap) and covers you up. It is also a good idea to bring clothes that will dry quickly.

Q. What are the living conditions like?

A. You will be placed with a local family. This has lots of benefits! Mostly you will get to experience real Nepali culture. You will have your own room in the house with a lock on your door to ensure privacy. You will find Nepali people to be very kind and gracious hosts. You will get more details in the info pack once you are accepted into the program.

Q. Will I get to choose where I am placed?

A. You will be placed just outside of Kathmandu City, in the Kathmandu valley. When you arrive in Nepal our coordinators there will discuss your expectations with you and they will place you where they feel you will be most useful and comfortable.

Q. Can I change my placement if I am not happy?

A. If you wish to change from one program to another once you are in the country it is should not be a problem.

If you are not comfortable in your home placement we may be able to arrange a move for you but there must be a good reason for it. You have to remember the family you are living with are counting on the money from your rent to help out with their bills.

Q. How will I get to my placement once I am in Nepal?

A. You will be picked up at the Kathmandu airport when you arrive in Nepal by one of our representatives. They will be holding a sign reading NEVHO, which is the name of our partner organization.

Q. Do I need a visa?

A. Yes you do. You can obtain a visa from a Nepali Embassy or Consulate, but it is easiest to pick one up at the airport in Nepal when you arrive. Your passport must have at least 6 month’s validity. A single entry valid for 60 days is $30 US. (This is subject to change)

Q. What vaccinations do I need?

A. We recommend that you speak with your local travel clinic at least 6 weeks before travel. Some immunizations take more than one shot while some cannot be taken together. These need to be discussed with a doctor, but vaccinations to consider are:

Diphtheria & Tetanus

Hepatitis A &B

Japanese B Encephalitis

Malaria Medication

Meningococcal Meningitis

Polio

Rabies

Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Q. Can I purchase supplies in Nepal?

A. You may be able to purchase some supplies in Nepal. You can find most everyday items without a problem, including toilet paper. You may have trouble finding some supplies though so you are better off to bring things you will definitely need like a mosquito net. It is good for the Nepali economy when you purchase things there, please keep this in mind.

Q. Should I bring a gift for my host family?

A. It is nice if you bring something small from your culture for your family. It is always appreciated but it is certainly not expected. You may find you are quite close with your host family by the time you leave the country and wish you had something to give them.

Q. When and how do I pay?

A. You will pay your application fee of $275.00 US once you have been accepted. You will bring the rest of the fee with you. Unfortunately, it is quite expensive to wire money so to keep our cost down you will pay our partner organization upon arrival. However, you do not have to carry cash. You can bring traveller's cheques and cash them once you have arrived.

Q. Where does my money go?

A. Please have a look at our cost page where this is explained in detail.

Q. Do I pay for and organize my own flight?

A. Yes you do have to pay for your own flight and organize it.

Q. Do I need to provide my own traveller’s insurance?

A. Yes. We suggest you look into travellers insurance before buying your plane ticket. You may purchase health insurance with your ticket but it is very often not great coverage. We will need the information from your insurance before you leave for Nepal.

Q. Can I bring my family with me?

A. Yes, of course you can. If you have younger children they can accompany you to school if you are teaching or help out at the orphanage with you. If your children are old enough they can also help out during building projects. There are no babysitter’s available so your children will need to be watched by you while you are volunteering. There will be an extra cost for them to stay with a host family.

Q. Do you offer group rates?

A. Yes, please contact us directly for inquiries.

Q. How much extra money will I need?

A. This will depend on you. Your food and shelter is provided from the day you start volunteering until the last day of your program. However, you will most likely want to do some shopping and will probably go into the city during your day's off. For this we recommend bringing $25.00 CDN per week.

Also, if you want to do some travelling aside from your program, which is strongly recommended, you will need extra money. We recommend you purchase a “lonely planet” book, it will give you full details of what kind of cost’s you will run into. Nepal is very inexpensive but it is better to have too much money than too little. Don’t forget, you will also have to pay for your visa ($30 US) when you get to Nepal and pay your airport tax (1700 rupee's) upon departure.

Q. What should I bring with me?

A. We will send you a list of things to pack when you have been accepted into the program.

Contact Us

If you have any other questions please e-mail us at info@actionvolunteeralliance.com. We will respond within 48 hours.