Volunteering in Nepal
 

I am planning to volunteer in Nepal for 3-4 weeks.
Has anyone done such volunteer work in Nepal before?
How about an agency called Alliance Nepal with the website www.volunteerworkinnepal.org?

Can anyone tell me the current political situation in Nepal? Is it safe to travel there yet?

Appreciate all the helps?
Thanks

Do a search on the Lonely Planet website for Volunteering in Nepal you will find much more information than on Fodor's.

Research well any agency you consider. I'm sorry to say there are lots of scams out there.

Nepal has been politically unstable for decades now. If you travel to Nepal, you may be inconvenienced by a strike (where all transport stops), but if you behave sensibly, you are unlikely to be in any personal danger. There are plenty of trip reports here on Nepal. Go to the drop down menu at the top of the page and choose Nepal to bring up all the Nepal posts.

The Thorntree is an excellent source of info on Nepal volunteering.

Also, be aware of what conditions are like in Nepal. As a volunteer you won't be staying at a hotel that can provide hot water, electricity, etc 24 hours a day. How many comforts from home are you willing to do without when you volunteer in Nepal?

As for the political situation, it's anybody's guess as to what will happen, the country isn't politically stable.

Just's comment on the infrastructure in Nepal is true. Even in the best hotels in Kathmandu, you will experience numerous power cuts during the day. More expensive hotels have their own generators, so the power will come back on in a couple of minutes, but most people in Kathmandu simply plan around the power cuts.

I have done volunteer work both short and long term in various places around the world (although never in Nepal). You need to check out these "volunteer" organisations VERY carefully as many are just glorified travel agencies which provide little or no real benefit to the communities they purport to serve. Volunteering for a short period arguably provides little benefit apart , possibly, from the cash introduced by volunteers into the local economy which you could do anyway just by visiting. Building projects etc. can often take work away from teh local population