Volunteering in Sri Lanka

Volunteering is a great way to see a country, meet new people and give back to the local community.

After my first visit to Sri Lanka in 2014, I felt a strong urge to gain a better understanding of the country and its people.  As a country that had faced 26 years of destructive civil war, finally ending in 2009, a tsunami that decimated much of the south and east coast in 2004 and more recently the horrendous terror attack of April 19^th 2019, Sri Lanka is a country with a long history of struggle.

As a tourist, in 2014, my heart was captured by the friendliness of the people, the beautiful saree clad women with shy but genuine smiles and the twinkles of mischief as children ran alongside the tuk tuk waving. Yet I could also see the poverty that surrounded me and could only imagine the challenges that brought with it.

The following year, I made the decision to return to Sri Lanka by myself and volunteer with Volunteer Sri Lanka (VSL). This was an incredibly positive experience which helped me gain a deeper understanding of the problems faced by those living in difficult conditions in Sri Lanka.

I chose VSL for two key reasons, one they have a range of different type of projects and secondly compared to many volunteer projects VSL is significantly cheaper.

About the Projects

The volunteer projects include working with children with special needs, visiting the elderly, building and restoring, supporting learning in a teaching hospital, supporting in an orphanage, teaching English to street kids, and teaching in a protected girls’ home.

I spent the majority of my stay teaching English in the Senehasa custodial home for girls. This is a home where girls from the age of 11-18 are placed for the own protection following violent or sexual abuse in the home. The girls live and receive education in the home, with government paid academic and vocational teachers; volunteers provide additional lessons of 3 hours a day in English and maths, mixed with creativity and art.

Working with the Senahasa girls was an emotionally enriching experience for me and as a teacher, one of my most rewarding teaching experiences. The girls are amazing – loving, funny and generally hardworking. I had the pleasure at times of working with a small group who were working towards their English GCSE and I was so proud of their studiousness and drive to succeed, whilst living in such challenging surroundings. I really hope these young ladies, are able to follow their career dreams and thrive.

Another project, that supports the Senahasa girls in finding a vocation after leaving is the Bakery Project. Here, Janaka De Silva, Project Manager had turned part of his home into a small bakery where groups of girls are taught by a professional baker on how to bake bread, pastries and cakes – as volunteers we got to sample their delights twice a week. Projects like this are great, they enable vulnerable girls to learn a skill and with the support of VSL to move on after the age of 18 and find work.

I had such a positive first experience, that I returned the following year with my son. He worked on a range of projects including visiting the elders in a care home and working with children who had special needs.

The year after that one of my friends also visited and helped paint a school!

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided in the grounds of Janaka’s home, in the small village of Hirimbura, a few kms from the centre of Galle. Accommodation is basic but clean, with an ensuite bathroom. As a more mature lady I requested a private room (and got one, much to my relief).

Hirimbura is a small traditional village, with a selection of ramshackle shops including a seamstress where some of us delighted in choosing pieces of material off a large pile on the floor and having skirts, dressers or trousers made for a few rupees.

A bus regularly passes through the village into Galle.

Food

Three homecooked meals a day are provided by VSL, including an ample and delicious evening meal with desert.

The atmosphere and meeting new people.

VSL was my first experience of volunteering abroad and of course I was a little nervous as to what I would find and how I would fit in. Being in my 40s and a bit of an introvert I figured it might be difficult as I expected that the other volunteers would be much younger!

However, my worries soon dissipated as I was warmly welcomed by Janaka and his family on arrival. Then within hours, as I was chatting away to existing and other newly arrived volunteers and it quickly began to feel like ‘home’. My worry about being an ‘oldy’ vanished quickly – yes older volunteers were in the minority, but this didn’t matter at all!

I met some lovely people during my time at VSL. Working as a volunteer creates close bonds and shared experiences, that can form into lifelong friendships.

As for my 18 year old son, he had an awesome time meeting people from all over the world and winning multiple card games!

Days off and activities

There’s plenty of opportunity to make the most of the surrounding area at weekends and on Poya days, these are full moon days and in the Buddhist calendar, they mean a bank holiday!!

Nearby attractions include the fabulous Galle Fort, where I would pop for a coffee or tea after work most days and local beaches such as Unawatuna and Mirissa. Some of the volunteers had surf lessons at the local Jungle beach.

Cricket! I’m not a cricket fan at all but being close to the international cricket ground in Galle provided a fun afternoon in the sun watching Sri Lanka vs Australia. I couldn’t tell you anything about the game, but it was a great atmosphere!!

You can also use VSL as a starting base to visit other areas of the country after your volunteering, such as Yala National Park, the Hill Country or the cultural triangle. Alternatively, you could treat yourself to an ayurvedic retreat.

Support

Being a small volunteer organisation (though it’s getting bigger year by year) and staying in and around Janaka De Silva’s family home means that you feel well supported from the minute you are accepted as a volunteer to the moment you leave.

I’m not sure if Janaka sleeps, but as well as managing the projects from early morning to late at night, he’s also there to sort out any problems should they arise.

What’s more he is a man of stories and inspiration. I thoroughly enjoyed evenings spent listening to his ventures and philosophies.

When to go: the summer months get very busy, I’d recommend if you can, visiting at other times of year to get the most out of your visit.

Solo woman traveller tip: volunteering is a great for solo travellers, I met lots of solo women travellers during my time at VSL.

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