Conservation - INDIA Volunteer stories - Victoria Ridley

Victoria Ridley

Conservation in India


Even now, several months on, I still have vivid memories of the hustle and bustle that greeted me, as I emerged from Trivandrum airport at 4am. It was hot, humid, chaotic but exciting. The smiling face of a member of the Projects Abroad India team was a very welcome sight. This was India, and it was going to be home for the next month.

After a six-hour drive, a breakfast stop, that included the first opportunity to try eating with your right hand, as is customary in India, we arrived at the Projects Abroad office in Sivakasi. A welcome rest and shower were had, before an induction began, a local SIM card purchased and money exchanged. Now I was all set to go!

The following day, Ponraj, who supervises all volunteers on the Conservation & Environment project, met me bright and early and we travelled to the village of Ullar. As we passed through small towns and villages, Ponraj explained more about India, where I was going and what the plans were for my month's stay.

As we arrived in Ullar, Ponraj introduced me to my host family and I met my fellow volunteer, Nicky. Simple, but clean, I soon settled in to my new surroundings and it wasn't long before we headed a few doors down to the house of Lakshmi and Durai for breakfast. Throughout my stay, Lakshmi ensured that I was well fed with traditional, vegetarian Indian cuisine and had a constant supply of clean drinking water.

Work on the farm was extremely varied and despite only being there a month, Ponraj organised plenty of activities. Each morning, Nicky and I would rise early, to water the plants before breakfast. Some days we worked on the farm, planting and weeding, transplanting saplings in the nursery, decorating the new information centre and even attempted a bit of digging to extend the India shaped pond. Ponraj chatted to us, telling us about the plants and their traditional medicinal uses.

Former volunteers have worked to produce educational games and activities for local children, and Ponraj arranged frequent visits to primary schools, for us to use these. There were plenty of opportunities during our long lunch break to get creative and come up with some games of our own!

Throughout the village of Ullar, previous volunteers have helped plant tress in communal areas and established kitchen gardens with local families. From time to time, we went to help water the trees and provided compost for the gardens. Adults and children alike were always keen to stop and chat, even if their English was basic. Many a time, Nicky and I got stopped for hours, roped into a quick game and urged to take "just one photo!"

As the volunteer workday drew to an end, there was still plenty happening. From helping Lakshmi cook dinner, to playing with local children or being the 'guest celebrity' at any village event, be it a birthday party, coming of age ceremony or opening of a Catholic Missionary, volunteers are always involved in Ullar. Ponraj also provided plenty of reading material, if you fancied learning more about sustainable agriculture or brushing up your knowledge on herbal therapies.

It wasn't all hard work though, and during my month's stay, Ponraj provided plenty of opportunities for volunteers to extend their knowledge and learn. We visited a local farmer, who had been farming organically for over 15 years. It was apparent that organic farming is becoming an increasingly debated topic in India, as it is in the West.

We also spent a night at the CCD, a centre for rural development, near Madurai, where there were opportunities to learn a lot more about medicinal plants, their uses and observe a processing unit. The CCD has also instigated many rural development projects, including Self Help Groups for women. As a Geography and Biology graduate, it was fascinating to see sustainable development practices and projects that, up until now, I had only experienced through textbook case studies.

At the weekends, there was plenty of opportunity to go off and do your own thing, including joining the twice monthly Projects Abroad social event. This was a great way to meet other volunteers and see some of the sights of Southern India. One very positive aspect about Projects Abroad, is the ability for volunteers to join any project at any time. This means that there are always new people to get to know and nothing stays the same for long!

My month on the Conservation & Environment project at the Model Farm flew by far too quickly. Ullar was a wonderful place; everyone so friendly and welcoming. Life there was simple, but people seemed to be happy and contented. The volunteer work was fascinating and varied, and during the month I felt that I learnt a lot, as well as making a positive impact. This was a great project, and a real example of sustainable development.

Victoria Ridley

Back to Volunteer Stories