FAQ

Here you will find all the necessary information regarding the requirements and qualifications for working at Chay Ya.

Since we are of the opinion that we can achieve more sustainable development work with a longer stay, we only rarely accept applications for less than 6 weeks. Whether you stay 6 weeks, 2 or maybe even 6 months depends on your availability, the project(s) and the season. However, always keep in mind that the journey to your respective project in Nepal can take quite a lot of time. Therefore it is better to plan a few extra days.

The organization of your volunteer assignment at Chay-ya is free of charge, we only ask you for a compensation of our effort in the form of a volunteer contribution.

Due to various circumstances, such as the area of work, the location and the season, we can only give you a rough estimate of the required budget. The return flight can cost you between 400€ and 700€ (from Vienna to Kathmandu, 2018) depending on the season and the connection. The money you need for accommodation and meals depends very much on the region you will be living in. Generally, we try to keep the costs as low as possible, but you should never forget that too many places have to transport things by hand / on foot to the village, and therefore cost more.
The cost of accommodation and meals are determined by the host family or hostess and simply cover what you need and consume. The payment will be made directly between you and the local people, so you can see exactly how much you are paying for what and to whom.
In general, it can be said that Nepal is a very cheap country and you will need a fraction of what you need in Europe. However, it is advisable to expect a little more and to have a reserve.
Of course you should not forget that a large part of your expenses will simply be related to what activities you want to do, what you do, consume or buy in your spare time.

Each village and each project will bring different circumstances, which will also be reflected in the accommodation. In all cases we try to place you in a host family or similar, so that you are culturally and socially integrated into the life in Nepal. This place can be anything from a room shared with the whole family, a room of your own or a room shared with another volunteer. We try to respect your preferences, but in some cases you will simply have to make arrangements with the local volunteer. Wherever you will be accommodated, you will have to be prepared for compromises and should be prepared for rural and simple circumstances. Most Nepalis do not have showers in their homes and wash at public fountains or with buckets. Fortunately, toilets are now widespread throughout most of the country. Find out more about the living conditions and customs in Nepal here.

We demand that you have insurance, at least for the basic things. In our Get Ready! guide you will learn useful information about vaccinations and health precautions. You should be aware that Austria does not have a health agreement with Nepal and that in case of emergency all costs have to be paid by yourself. There are many different insurances which offer good travel health and travel accident insurances and can save you a lot of money in case of emergency.

We are a relatively small NGO, which guarantees personal contact with each of our volunteers. We are not a mass processing company, we try to respond to the individual needs and characters of our volunteers, and we make no profit out of it. Chay Ya is a team of enthusiastic, passionate young people who are all fascinated and touched by the culture, difficulties and beauties of Nepal. Our projects guarantee you a close cooperation with the population, offer help where it is needed most and everything without charging you a cent for it.

Nepal is known for its extreme sports, especially hiking and mountaineering in the Himalayas.
There are several nature reserves and national parks throughout Nepal, all offering the opportunity for short or long hikes or guided trekking tours. Alone, as a couple or in a group. Apart from hiking, Nepal offers whitewater rafting, ziplining, hot air ballooning, an exciting nightlife in Kathmandu, and much more on the adventure map. There’s plenty of information on the Internet on how and where to spend your free time. There you will find suggestions, prices and often also instructions and routes. If possible, we will also be happy to give you recommendations for activities in the vicinity of your project site. In the experience reports of our volunteers you can read how they spent their free time.

You alone determine the date of your volunteer work. We can only give you a recommendation regarding the weather or projects. As for the weather, the best months are usually September to November (depending on the area also December) and March to May (from January to February it is too cold in most (not all) project regions and from June to August it is monsoon time).

The Nepalese calendar is full of holidays, festivals and vacations and with almost 100% certainty you will experience one or the other religious/national festival. Predicting these days, however, is a small difficulty, as almost all festivals are aligned with the lunar calendar and are known at least one year in advance. More than festivals, your voluntary service will probably be put on ice by sudden strikes one or two days. Have a look at this information and get an insight into the variety and number of Nepal’s festivals. Whether you want to avoid certain celebrations or be present at others is up to you.

After your volunteer work in Nepal we would like to receive your feedback in the form of a report. This helps not only future volunteers, but also us as an organisation to develop and improve ourselves in the field of volunteering. You can also keep up to date with our newsletters and lectures in Austria, or Chay Ya has aroused your interest and you would like to work within the organisation on a long-term basis.
Apart from that, from time to time, you should agree to let future volunteers contact you to benefit from your recommendations and experiences.

This simply depends on how many volunteers are applying for the same project at the time. In many cases, however, you will be alone at your location, in others you may be two or even three. In general, however, we welcome it if you apply for a project in pairs and decide, as experience has shown that an exchange with a trusted person in the rather harsh everyday conditions of our projects can greatly contribute to the emotional health and success of the assignment.

You will find yourself in the heart of Nepal’s culture, sleeping as Nepalis do, eating the same dishes, learning sentences and words of the language and experiencing its customs and traditions up close. You may even find yourself in a traditional Nepalese garb one day. Chay Ya’s projects are local and in most cases you will spend your volunteer time with a Nepalese host family.

Hygiene standards in Nepal are generally very low and a good health system is not yet established. For these reasons we strongly recommend that you take precautions, consult a tropical doctor and inform yourself about any vaccinations. Apart from that, you should at least have insurance for the basic things that will cover you in case of emergency in Nepal. In general, it is also recommended to have a small first-aid kit with you, medication you may need daily, and others to keep you afloat until you arrive at the nearest health post/hospital. Detailed information can be found in the Get Ready! guide and in the Nepal Overview section.

Most of the volunteers come from Austria, but we welcome volunteers from all over the world.

A printable packing list can be found here, as well as further useful information for the preparation can be read here.

Here you can learn more about the duties and responsibilities of Chay Ya before, during and after your stay in Nepal.

Here you will find all the information about the tasks and duties of your host.

If the former volunteers have agreed to pass on their contact details, yes. Just write us about it. Otherwise you can find the reports of the former volunteers here.

Volunteers with Chay Ya work 5 days a week. The hours per day depend strongly on your area of work. However, in most cases you will work from 8/9 in the morning to 4/5 in the afternoon, with one hour lunch break. These hours can vary greatly from project to project and in some cases also depend on the weather (e.g. if you are working on the construction site). However, your working hours will be clearly communicated with you before you start.

Rice, rice and rice again. No matter where you go, there will be no way around rice, it will be a big part of your diet. Nepalese cuisine is in many cases vegetarian with some exceptions (festivals and in some regions meat/fish is eaten). There are some dishes that are eaten all over Nepal (with slight variations), including Dal Bhat, Chowmein and Momos. Here you will get a better impression of Nepal’s cuisine.

Since 2016, there is the possibility of an online visa, which, theoretically, should save time on arrival in Kathmandu. It should be noted, however, that there are not enough reports to verify its usefulness. The safe and simple option is still to apply for a visa upon arrival in Nepal at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. For this you simply need to fill out the application form, have two passport photos and the corresponding amount in USD ready. More information about the procedure in Kathmandu can be found here.

Yes, upon completion of your work, we will provide you with a report on your volunteer work, activities, achievements and personal strengths, as well as a summary of the work you have done.

After completing your volunteer work, we need a report from you about this time. Some of them are for internal purposes, to evaluate your time and the quality of your volunteering here in Nepal, to improve us and to have a clear picture of what you have done in your project.
These reports are the experience report, in English and German, summarizing your ups and downs, successes and difficulties, the things you learned and experienced.

The Summary Report, in English, which should be written for each project individually. This report shows some pictures, explains how you prepared for the project, how your work looked like, which challenges you had to overcome and which successes you could experience in the end. It also shows what you did in your spare time. This report will primarily help future volunteers who will go to the same project to better tune in, prepare, collect ideas and get a better understanding of the circumstances/processes. (In some cases, such as teaching, we would appreciate it very much if you could keep records of your lessons.)

A Pro & Contra list, in English, where we can see at a glance where we can improve, where many volunteers may have difficulties, but also what you liked most. These points can/should address both personal and work/organisational specific issues.

Apart from that, we would be happy if you could share some of your pictures with us and we could spread them on our homepage/facebook page or use them for lectures.

If you agree, we will store your contact details and forward them to future volunteers, should they be asked to do so.

For your application and questions before volunteering, please contact our volunteer coordinator. She will assist you during your preparations, communicate with Nepal and provide all necessary information. During your stay in Nepal you will continue to be in contact with her, she will check regularly and help you with any problems you may have.
In Nepal itself, you will be involved in the organization, the staff of Chay Ya will be there for you in case of emergency and take care of any problems.
Apart from that, you should communicate any difficulties/concerns with your local host, who is the first and closest contact in Nepal.