Have you been wanting to travel Asia for a long time or are you already an Asia expert? Either way, becoming a volunteer in Asia could make your next trip even more special and educational. To make it easier – or maybe harder – to decide on a country to go to, here’s an overview on the top 6 countries to volunteer in Asia.
You’ll learn about some of the issues you can help to tackle as a volunteer in Asia and maybe even some facts you didn’t know yet. Once you’ve found the one or a few countries you’re interested in, you can move on to the country specific guides. These include volunteer programs, the best time to volunteer, reviews and all the guidance you need. But first, let’s find out a little bit about our top 6…
Volunteer in Thailand
Did you know that the word “Thailand” means “Land of the free”? This is not just a pretty nice meaning for a country’s name, but also interesting regarding the fact that Thailand has been the only country in South-East Asia that hasn’t been colonized by Europeans. These two facts might not actually be related – but it could help you remember one or two cool facts about Thailand, whether you’re interested in travelling it or becoming a volunteer in Asia.
Areas of interest in Thailand
What Thailand is known for today by most people is most likely its nature and wildlife. What else would you want than being able to hop from island to island and seeing animals like elephants roaming free in the wild. Well, that’s what a lot of people thought and what has – sadly – led to a tourism industry evolving around elephants. Now that is surely a complex topic and can (without pointing fingers) only be stopped by stopping the demand. As a volunteer in Asia you can support a social project dedicated to animal care and help to establish responsible tourism.
Volunteer in India
What fascinates most people about India is probably its cultural diversity. Being such a huge country, the traditions and habits vary a lot from region to region. The same goes for the food. Chettinad chicken or Tandoori chicken, anyone? But there are traditions that unite India too. You’ve probably heard that cows are considered sacred and wander the streets freely. But did you also know that dancing is one of India’s most highly developed arts and was an integral part of worship in the inner shrines of the temples?
Areas of interest in India
India’s population is estimated to be around 1.27 billion and, sadly, its government stated that around 22 % of these people live in poverty. This makes it obvious why there are so many nonprofit organizations trying to tackle some of the most urgent issues and supporting a sustainable change. If you decide to become a volunteer in Asia and help in India yourself, there are many different options for you. One way is to become a volunteer teacher and supporting the local schools to enable them to teach more children.
Volunteer in Nepal
For being such a small country Nepal holds a lot of records and shows that it’s not small at all in many ways. For example, there has been no known case of a religious or ethnic motivated riot or clash in Nepal. And then there’s a long list of records that are not really an achievement of the people, but should be named anyway. The Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world and – who could have guessed – is located in Nepal. But what’s less known is that Nepal is also home to the highest lake on earth, the Tilicho lake, and the deepest lake in the Himalayas, the Shey Phoksundo lake.
Areas of interest in Nepal
So how can you help in Nepal as a volunteer? One of the main issues the country faces is the gap between rural communities and cities. This gap becomes visible for example in education. Although the overall literacy rate is increasing and showing that there’s a positive development, access to good education is still an issue in many rural communities. These communities often lack good access to health services too, which makes diseases more prevalent in Nepal than any other South Asian country. As a volunteer in Asia you can help one of the local communities in Nepal in various ways and – just as you do so – get to know true Nepal from a close range.
Volunteer in Cambodia
Cambodia – or, the Kingdom of Cambodia – as you know the country today wasn’t always called this way. Its name actually changed every time a new government was installed. Now if you decide to volunteer in Asia and Cambodia is your country of choice, this is something you should definitely know. During the republican years Cambodia was called Khmer Republic, under the Khmer Rouge regime its name changed to Democratic Kampuchea and it was called People’s Republic of Kampuchea with the Salvation Front.
Areas of interest in Cambodia
As much as it is important to know something about the history of the country you’re volunteering in, it’s just as important to familiarize yourself with the current situation. You’d want to know how you can use the skills you have to best benefit the social projects in Cambodia. One way to do that is in health care, whether you’re a professional or medical student. Cambodia’s population density varies from region to region – some provinces isolated, especially in the mountainous areas, and lack good health care.
Volunteer in Vietnam
If you decide to volunteer in Asia and Vietnam is your country of choice, you can expect to get to know a really interesting culture. Vietnam, or originally Viet Nam, has been influenced by Chinese, Japanese, French and American colonial influences. Central to the Vietnamese culture have traditionally been the values of harmony, family, community and humanity. Only one aspect of Vietnam’s culture are the various art forms that have developed. Water puppetry is a popular example for these and dates back to the 11th century.
Areas of interest in Vietnam
Apart from its culture, you’ll also experience Vietnam’s nature as a volunteer in Asia. You’ll see mountainous terrain, forests, wetlands, and long coastlines that are all home to a great variety of wildlife. Unfortunately, the country also faces issues concerning its nature and the environment. Land and forest degradation, the loss of biodiversity and water pollution are only some of the problems that need to be solved. As a volunteer in Vietnam you can support a social project that’s dedicated to environmental conservation.
Volunteer in Indonesia
Indonesia is a big country. Just to give you an idea: It takes around 12 hours to get from border to border by plane. So it’s no surprise that there are many different types of regions with a great variety of nature and wildlife. You probably know that there are lots of monkeys, but Indonesia is also home to tigers, elephants, tree kangaroos and many more. And the jungles along the rivers is what the orangutans call their home. Doesn’t that sound like an animal paradise?
Areas of interest in Indonesia
It surely does! But there are also some problems Indonesia and many social projects within the country have to deal with. One of the biggest issues is the large-scale deforestation that does not only lead to habitat loss for the animals but also causes wildfires, making the problem even worse. These fires do not just threaten the global climate, but also endangered animals like the orangutans. As a wildlife volunteer in Asia you can help a social project in Indonesia to protect orangutans from threats such as habitat loss, poaching and illegal pet trade.
How to find Volunteer Opportunities in Asia
Ready to start planning? Find and compare volunteer programs in Asia and find your very own volunteer opportunity on Volunteer World. This platform is all about making volunteering in Asia simple and transparent. Featuring more than 800 volunteer programs in 80+ countries, Volunteer World is a one-stop resource for volunteer opportunities abroad.
