REAL SRI LANKA EXPERIENCE

A childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka can make a vital contribution to brighten up the daily lives of children from challenging backgrounds. From supporting educational development and encouraging a positive lifestyle, you can play a key role in making a positive impact on the local community. The projects we work with provide important early years education for these children. The more help and encouragement they can get from volunteers, the better and brighter their future.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM

In Sri Lanka, children can attend preschools from 3-5 years old. However, many of the government run preschools can lack basic resources and be overcrowded with just one or two teachers to look after high numbers of young children. Subsequently, children can miss important building blocks in their early development years. For the reason that exposure to engaging stimulation from a young age plays a crucial role in preparing children for school and learning early socio-emotional skills.

 

The presence of a volunteer at a local preschool gives young children the unique opportunity to be exposed to the English Language from a young age. In turn, it builds their confidence and can be their foundation for learning English in the future. Something which can improve the opportunities and prospects for these children later on in life.

 

If you volunteer in Sri Lanka with children, you’ll find it is a highly rewarding experience and one that people from all backgrounds can get involved in. You can support these preschools to ensure the kids get a positive start to their education and development. Sharing your time, skills, and affection as a childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka will be of great support to the local preschool teachers. Finally, there are also a range of animal volunteering abroad projects in Sri Lanka you can support.

 

CHILDCARE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Urban Council Preschools – Each childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka has the opportunity to support a network of preschools in Ambalangoda. Specifically, PMGY supports up to 8 preschools in the local community. The background of each preschool can vary. For instance, some preschools are without cost for children to attend and others can have administration fees for children to join. Regardless, the children attending the school are usually coming from challenging backgrounds and low income families.

 

You’ll be providing much-needed help to the local community and working parents, who otherwise would not be able to afford quality care for their young children. One example of a preschool that the local team fully funds and supports is Sun Rise Preschool & Day Care Centre. This is usually the project site where volunteers will lead holiday camps and activities during the school holiday periods.

 

These preschools enable a safe environment for children aged 1-4 years old to enjoy early years education and development. Subsequently, this allows parents to work and earn an income, generally in local cinnamon or garment factories, in order to provide for their families. At the preschool, the childcare volunteers will be supporting the preschool with basic education. In addition to assisting local teachers, volunteers will get creative by leading dance and exercise classes, teaching poems, distributing snacks, and helping with arts and craft activities.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL CHILDCARE DAY

Your main role as a childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka is to help encourage and care for these children, providing them with the opportunity to boost their confidence and to help maximise their potential. You will volunteer in Sri Lanka from Monday-Friday. The morning sessions at the preschool usually runs from 9am-11:30am. However, some preschools have slightly earlier start times and end times should you wish to extend your project commitments. The afternoon community education sessions are also available to support with additional community education projects. The placement locations take around 30 minutes to reach by tuk-tuk or private minibus.

 

Your time on the childcare volunteer abroad program is allocated for teaching the children English and enhancing early years educational development. You will get the opportunity to assist a local teacher in running preschool activities. Your role as a childcare volunteer is crucial to help maintain a safe environment and an engaging, educational session for the children. You will assist in delivering sessions on arts and crafts, singing and dancing, games and basic English teaching. This can help the children build key competencies and life skills at an early age through a creative medium.

 

We encourage participants on the Sri Lanka volunteer program to use engaging educational activities to hold the children’s attention, as well as inspire their learning. Be creative, use exciting ways to learn new vocabulary and introduce interesting topics in a fun way. You could use alphabet props in a matching game, create topical posters, or even find items in the preschool to create a counting activity. In addition, your volunteer work in Sri Lanka will involve some light housekeeping such as meal preparation and sanitary assistance to the young children at the preschool.

 

Working with this age group is not as structured as teaching older children. In other words, their language can be improved simply through play and interaction. As a result, just a few words or phrases will stand them in good stead for learning English in the future. Our local team are on hand to support you with any ideas or activities you wish to perform whilst you volunteer in Sri Lanka. If you volunteer with children in Sri Lanka, you’ll need to prepare activities for this accordingly.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Resources – On the childcare project in Sri Lanka, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their childcare volunteering experience in Sri Lanka.

 

Placement Settings – PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

 

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

Being a dog in Sri Lanka is a tough life. One of the first things you’ll notice as a Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteer is the vast number of strays wandering the beaches and streets. Lack of food, shelter and care can dramatically reduce the lifespan of a street dog, as well as the rising problem of rabies in Sri Lanka. Help protect and care for these wonderful canines and improve the animal-human relationship in the community.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE DOG RESCUE PROGRAM

The rising number of street dogs across Sri Lanka poses many risks and challenges, including poor treatment, terrible injuries, malnutrition, untreated diseases and the concern of human deaths caused by rabies. This fear leads to poor treatment of stray dogs and poor awareness of how the local community can help.

 

Rabies is a fatal disease which is transmitted by various animals, but in Sri Lanka, it is most prevalent amongst dogs. This viral infection is spread via the saliva of a rabid animal; hence it can be passed on through a bite or contact with an open wound. Unfortunately, rabies will continue to exist until there are further efforts to eliminate it. There are a large number of dog bite cases in Sri Lanka, which is a cause for concern for tourists and locals alike. In addition, this creates huge bills for Government hospitals treating the victims.

 

The Sri Lankan Government have recently adopted more humane methods to control the population and spread of rabies, focusing now on neutering and vaccinating stray dogs. As a result, there has been a significant drop in the number of human rabies deaths and incidents. Our mission is to continue these efforts in the local community with the help of volunteer work in Sri Lanka.

 

By offering vaccinations and neutering it helps to manage the population of stray dogs and reduce the risk of diseases, especially rabies. Many female strays produce multiple litters each year, many of which are dumped at temples or on the roadside. These puppies have a low chance of survival, as they are at high risk of contracting diseases, malnutrition or being involved in road traffic accidents. This is where our Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteers step in as the project aims to provide a safe refuge for abandoned dogs.

 

DOG RESCUE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLE

Bring Them Home Dog Shelter – This animal care volunteer program aims to improve the wellbeing of street dogs in the local area. This volunteer work in Sri Lanka provides a safe home for vulnerable, sick and disabled dogs, with daily care, vaccinations, rehabilitation and rehoming. As a Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteer, your extra pair of helping hands enables the project to provide enough care and love for all the canines. In addition, you can help in preventing rabies and improving the situation in the local community.

 

The team have an on-call rescue facility to transport dogs that have been found injured, disabled or abandoned. They will be brought back to the project so the team can conduct a general health check and provide assistance. At the dog shelter, each Sri Lanka animal volunteer can observe or assist the Vet with their check-ups, vaccinations, medical treatment or minor surgeries as and when required. As the project can receive unvaccinated dogs from the roadside and other unknown areas, it is important to follow the local coordinator advice before interacting with these dogs. For the reason that the local staff will need to isolate these unvaccinated dogs at the project in their first few days whilst they receive vaccinations. When it is safe to do so and the new dogs have been fully vaccinated, they will then integrate with the other dogs at the shelter.

 

The shelter also tries to find new loving homes for the healthy vaccinated dogs with local families, with education about how to properly care for their new pet. As a volunteer in Sri Lanka, you can help to produce and provide animal welfare education to the community. Consequently, this improves the understanding, attitude and treatment between humans and dogs. The aim is to introduce this on a community level and bring about long term change.

 

Please note some of these sessions on the animal care volunteer program run on an ad hoc basis. Therefore, if it is something you are interested in when you volunteer in Sri Lanka then please speak with our local staff who will make the appropriate arrangements.

 

Volunteers should expect at least 15 dogs or so at the shelter at one time. Volunteers will have direct involvement and enrichment activities with only the vaccinated dogs. It is important to note that many of the dogs are usually of a friendly nature having arrived to the shelter as puppies. However, this means the dogs can get very excitable and jump up to volunteers with some scratching. There can also be time where the dogs will play fight amongst themselves and volunteers should not risk their own safety getting involved with this. Subsequently, it is important for volunteers not to adopt a care free attitude at the project and listen to the guidance of our local team.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

Our Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteers spend their days assisting with daily tasks and care for the dogs living in the shelter. The project runs from Monday-Friday from 9am-12pm but can also take place in the afternoons. You’ll be transported to the Sri Lanka volunteer program by tuk-tuk. When you volunteer in Sri Lanka, typical duties on this wildlife volunteering abroad program include:

 

• Cleaning, maintaining hygiene and upkeep in the project premises and bedding areas
• Preparing meals and feeding the dogs
• Playtime and socialisation with the dogs
• Walking the dogs and exercising on a daily basis
• Showering and washing the dogs
• Recreational activities with the dogs at the beach
• Creating training and enrichment plans
• Assisting with medication and vaccinations for the dogs
• Grooming and checking for ticks
• Creating and maintaining documentation for dog profiles (history, vaccinations etc) and site visits
• Caring for sick/disabled/injured dogs

 

You will be assisting the local staff in these tasks each day. Any additional duties will be based on current need and availability. For instance, rescuing puppies in danger, pet adoption and community awareness. On an ad hoc basis, expect to support the team out in the Ambalangoda community providing food for stray dogs. You will usually feed at least 30 street dogs during each outreach session.

 

PMGY’s Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteer program is an incredible opportunity to do your bit to help protect and care for these lovely animals. You can make a positive impact whilst spending time in a country that will amaze you on so many levels.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH DOGS IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the or teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Experience – If you are a veterinary student you may be able to assist in more tasks. Naturally, this will depend on your level of knowledge, experience and qualifications in this area. You may be able to help with the sick, injured or disabled dogs. Furthermore, there may be more opportunities in advanced veterinary care such as vaccinations or neutering procedures.

You can volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka to dramatically boost future opportunities available for young people. Having the ability to speak English is a valuable tool, especially for career prospects and achieving future goals. Above all, conversing with fluent English speakers can encourage students to develop this essential language skill. If you are enthusiastic and have lots of positive energy then this is the project for you!

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

Sri Lanka’s education system is pretty impressive for a developing country of its size. Universal public education is available from the age of 6 to the age of 18. However, many government schools, particularly in rural areas, receive minimal government funding. Especially considering the size of the communities they are expected to serve. The facilities at the schools are very basic. In particular, the classrooms get extremely cramped as average class sizes are around 40 to 60 children.

 

The ability to speak English is becoming of growing importance in Sri Lanka. The two main sources of income in Sri Lanka are from tourism and migrant workers going to the Middle East. Both occupations require the ability to speak English – the world’s global language. However, the level of English teaching in government schools is limited. Class sizes are large and the teachers’ English speaking skills are by no means perfect. It is only the middle and upper-class children who can afford private English lessons.

 

The children attend local government schools during the mornings but often can’t afford the tuition needed to excel beyond the basics. In Sri Lanka, these additional tuition classes are key to excelling at school. In other words, the government education system is too basic to be able to provide enough time and provisions for students. Certainly, there is not enough time allocated to learn English. The teachers will have basic English themselves, often using “parrot style learning”. For instance, students only learn to repeat from a textbook, rather than understanding words in context. However, tuition classes involve a weekly fee that many of these families cannot afford.

 

Therefore it is no surprise that children from most low-income families speak little or no English. Our aim on the volunteer teaching English abroad project is to give the poorer children of Ambalangoda the same opportunities as their more wealthy peers. As a result, they too will have the chance to develop their ability to speak English and enhance their future career prospects. In addition, there is also a range of volunteering abroad with animals opportunities in Sri Lanka you can support.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

A volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka will be based at one of the locations where we provide free English lessons. Most importantly, you’ll be helping in one of the local village communities, on our own after-school education program. In addition, you have the amazing opportunity to also teach English in Sri Lanka to young Buddhist monks.

 

Community Village School Projects – These English teaching projects provide an after-school education program, initiated and ran by PMGY since 2013. This is the main project for a volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka. We work in a number of villages across the Ambalangoda district, typically supporting children from lower income areas. Each volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka can help to provide free language lessons and education opportunities for these children.

 

Our aim is to further their English language development by providing these free after-school English lessons in the afternoons. These projects will take place in a makeshift classroom or community centre within the village. On the English teaching program, each class is divided based on the student’s level of English. Class sizes usually vary from 4-15 children per class. You could be teaching students from 6-18 years old, depending on the current project need and availability. A local team member will be on hand to help when you volunteer in Sri Lanka.

 

Those who participate on medical or wildlife projects in the mornings are welcome to support our afternoon village school projects with no extra costs. Your project transport will be arranged for you and you can work alongside the teaching volunteers in Sri Lanka to help improve learning opportunities for the children. With more teaching volunteers at the project, more structure and planning can be done to achieve and track learning outcomes on a regular basis.

 

Temple Schools – Every volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka will also have the option to enrol in our Temple School project. This may be joined in addition to the standard afternoon community village school project. The temple schools run in the morning, where you will teach English to novice Buddhist monks.

 

Many of the Buddhist monks speak very little English and the temple schools often welcome poor children from the community to come and learn English too. There tend to be around 5-10 students in each class, generally between 6-18 years of age. The project typically runs for 1.5 hours each morning and allows volunteers to add to their afternoon project commitments. It is important to note that project participation at the temple schools is optional, but the afternoon school project is compulsory for all teaching participants. For the reason that this is the core teaching project and the temple school project sometimes runs on a more ad hoc basis.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

Your main role as a volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka is to share your time, knowledge and skills to teach English to the local communities in Ambalangoda, boosting their confidence in conversational English and helping to maximise their potential.

 

The after-school education Sri Lanka volunteer program is available from 3pm-5.30pm each afternoon from Monday-Friday. Usually, you’ll get there by tuk-tuk or minibus, which takes around 10 minutes.

 

The first part of the project is spent teaching English and the last hour is allocated for games and activities. We encourage volunteers to make lessons as engaging and interactive as possible by being creative and proactive when preparing lessons. Use fun educational games like interactive word searches or Hangman, or a bit of class competition in Hot Seat or team quizzes. Games, songs, art, sport and music are all great tools. There are usually resources and syllabus guidance at the Volunteer House so you can plan activities before you go to project.

 

The presence of international volunteers gives the children an insight into different cultures; a global perspective they greatly benefit from. Use your creativity and knowledge to help these eager young minds reach their true potential.

 

Each volunteer in Sri Lanka will lead their own classes and have the freedom to create a lesson plan of their choice. There may be a topic or curriculum materials that you can follow if you need some inspiration. Your volunteer work in Sri Lanka may be in pairs or small groups per class, however, this is dependent on the current need and the number of volunteers at the time. We usually run three to six classes in each community, but again this will be dependent on the number of volunteers.

 

There will be a local coordinator at the project each day who is on hand to support volunteers with their efforts and can help with overcoming the language barrier. Please note the local staff will not be leading the class. It is also important not to constantly rely on the coordinators for translation when you are teaching English in Sri Lanka.

 

At the temple schools the classes run in the morning, usually at 8:30am-10am from Monday-Friday. The tuk-tuk journey takes about 5 minutes. The topics and activities here can be very similar to the after-school education program, with a focus on learning in a calm environment (minus any shouting or active games). In return for your contribution to the temple, you will find the monks are often keen to invite you to learn more about their religion and way of life.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Experience – For the English teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their English teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Sri Lanka project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

As a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka you can gain valuable medical experience in a new culture, an opportunity not to be missed in this gorgeous part of the world! If you are looking for a learning experience or would like to pursue a career in the medical field, then this program is the ideal way to give you an insight into the Sri Lankan healthcare system.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE MEDICAL PROGRAM

The history of the Sri Lankan medicine system dates back thousands of years, with a rich history stemming from their extensive kingdoms. It is believed that the concept of hospitals around the world was actually introduced by the Sinhalese, thanks to their royalty. Kings were not only demanding to have their own hospital homes built but they were often practitioners of medicine themselves.

 

In addition, the ancient practice of Ayurveda is also deeply rooted in the Sri Lankan medical system. Known as one of the oldest healing sciences around the world, Ayurveda translates from Sanskrit as “The Science of Life”. Ayurvedic medicine originated in India over 3,000 years ago, focusing on the concept of balance in one’s life. This can be linked to mental health issues, diet, lifestyle, healthcare and more.

 

Using holistic and natural health practices, Ayurveda emphasises prevention and balance in order to attain balance within your physical, emotional and mental states. The ayurvedic system, government hospitals and teachings are also widespread across Sri Lanka. Moreover, many citizens will choose to follow Ayurvedic medicine practices for certain illnesses or accidents and western medicine for others.

 

The healthcare system in Sri Lanka is universal to all local citizens, offering both traditional Ayurvedic and modern healthcare for free across government hospitals. Nowadays most hospitals in Sri Lanka do follow a more “western medicine” approach, using procedures and medications that are seen worldwide. Certainly, as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, it may be perceived as very basic and outdated in some ways. On the other hand, there is a higher life expectancy and lower infant death rate than neighbouring countries in the region. Even so, there are often long waiting lists with a limitation of capacity, staff and resources. As a result, the number of private hospitals has risen to offer private healthcare services.

 

Working in a hospital on the Sri Lanka volunteer program is a great opportunity to get close up clinical exposure and learn about health care systems in developing countries. You will witness a variety of cases, which offers a fantastic contrast to what you might find in your local hospital! PMGY’s medical volunteer program is a learning experience available for both medical students and school leavers looking to pursue a career in medicine. Join as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka for the perfect way to gain invaluable hospital work experience whilst exploring the wonders that this amazing island has to offer.

 

MEDICAL VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Your placement timetable on the medical volunteer abroad program will depend on your current status of study. Those who are studying a health-related degree at university can enjoy placements at both private and government hospitals. This is on the assumption we receive the required paperwork in the correct format from you at least 3 weeks before your program start date. High school leavers and applicants from a non-health related background will be placed at a private hospital only. Nevertheless, still enjoying clinic and workshop based options and an insight into ayurvedic medicine which all medical volunteers in Sri Lanka enjoy.

 

Roseth Private Hospital – You might volunteer in Sri Lanka within a small private hospital in Ambalangoda. The private hospital provides a structured observational and informative approach to give participants a broad insight into a medical facility in Sri Lanka.

 

The following departments are available in the private hospital: Physiotherapy, Dental Surgery, Radiology (x-ray machine and computerised radiology), Laboratory, Phlebotomy, In-Patient Ward, Out-Patient Ward

 

Balapitiya Government Base Hospital – PMGY partner with a government hospital located only a 15 minute journey from Ambalangoda. It is a medium-sized hospital with over 500 stations. There are 20 doctors and 2 surgeons at the hospital. We can place participants at the following departments in the government hospital: Out-Patient Unit, Emergency Treatment Room, General Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Antenatal, Postnatal, Labour Room, Paediatrics

 

Please note that the government hospital will not permit applicants who are not studying medicine, nursing or healthcare at university. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule as dictated by the Health Ministry of Sri Lanka.

 

Government Village Hospital – As a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, you may also be able to get involved at a local blood pressure clinic. This is based at a smaller village government hospital whereby the clinic runs on a more ad hoc basis and service users receive free blood pressure checks.

 

Sri Lankan Ayurvedic Medicine – Every medical volunteer in Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to participate in an Ayurveda medicine lecture, regardless of whether you are placed at the private or government hospital. A local Ayurvedic specialist will teach you all about the history of Ayurveda, its role within healthcare in Sri Lanka and how it is implemented to treat a variety of cases.

 

Ayurvedic concepts about health and disease promote the use of herbal compounds, special diets, and other unique natural health practices. The earliest references of Ayurvedic medicine in Sri Lanka are associated with a great physician; Ravana, a king of Sri Lanka dating back to prehistoric times.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

Your main role is to learn and experience the Sri Lankan healthcare system, procedures and culture, observing how this may differ to the experience you have at home. In addition, you may encounter different scenarios as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, such as dengue fever, snake bites and motorcycle accidents.

 

The medical project takes place for around 3 hours a day from Monday-Friday between 9am-12pm, depending on the current opportunities available. For instance, each medical volunteer in Sri Lanka may have the chance to stay longer if there is a major surgery or labour whilst you are allocated to that ward. The option is available to join the project in the afternoon. However, please note the doctors will only be present in the wards during the morning. The hospitals are 5-15 minutes away by tuk-tuk.

 

Roseth Private Hospital – Your time will be allocated across the hospital departments at the private hospital. Our team will do our best to match any specific requirements you have, but this cannot always be guaranteed depending on the circumstances.

 

Your role is purely observational as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, so you should not expect any hands-on involvement. Depending on your interests, you will be placed within different departments and you will be attached to an English-speaking member of staff. Please note there may still be a communication barrier and the staff will do their best to translate when they can.

 

As the role is purely observational, we recommend that applicants sign up for no more than 2 weeks as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka. In our experience, whilst you will gain invaluable medical insight and knowledge at the private hospital, after a while, most people are eager for some hands-on volunteer work in Sri Lanka. Whilst PMGY cannot offer you hands-on work as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, we can welcome you on to our community projects teaching English.

 

Our local team will go through the options with you during your in-country orientation. You can join one of these projects in the afternoon and attend the private hospital in the morning – it is completely up to you. Furthermore, if you’d like to join us for longer than 2 weeks, it is absolutely fine for you to sign up for 2 weeks as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka and then go on to do another project for the remainder of your stay.

 

Balapitiya Government Base Hospital – You can choose to spend your time across several departments or just a few. Our team will do our best to match any specific requirements you have, but this cannot always be guaranteed depending on the circumstances, We would recommend a mixed timetable in order to experience the different hospital settings.

 

Whilst you will be assigned a member of staff within the department to mentor each medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, it is important to understand that the local staff are extremely busy. Therefore, you should be proactive, ask questions and be assertive in requesting additional guidance should you require it. Please note there may still be a communication barrier and the staff will do their best to translate when they can.

 

Government Village Hospital – During your time with us on the Sri Lanka volunteer program, volunteers will usually get the chance to support at our village clinic campaign helping the local doctor by checking blood pressure and blood sugar levels of the people of Ambalangoda.

 

Regardless of the hospital setting, medical volunteers in Sri Lanka should expect an observational role only. The experience is designed in an internship style whereby participants will enjoy an observational and learning exchange program at the hospital. Language and communication barriers with local healthcare professionals can exist and exposure in some settings can be limited compared to other medical volunteer projects.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER AS A MEDICAL VOLUNTEER IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Internship Style Experience – Participants joining the Sri Lanka medical experience should be aware that the project does not allow for much hands-on involvement regardless of the level of medical study. The experience is designed in an internship style whereby participants will enjoy an observational and learning exchange program with the local healthcare professionals at the hospital. In turn, developing a deeper insight into the Sri Lankan healthcare system and broadening the perspective and interests of the medical volunteer. For those expecting more hands-on opportunities, you are better to explore other destinations.

 

Government Hospital Opportunities – Those who are studying a health-related degree at university can enjoy placements at both private and government hospitals. This is on the assumption we receive the required paperwork from you in the correct format at least 3 weeks before your program start date. High school leavers and applicants from a non-health related background will be placed at a private hospital only. Nevertheless, still enjoying clinic and workshop based options and an insight into ayurvedic medicine which all medical volunteers in Sri Lanka enjoy.

 

Trained Professionals – Please note this program is not suitable for trained professionals who are looking to practise overseas. This opportunity is only suitable for students or people looking to go into the medical or nursing field and wish to learn about a healthcare system overseas.

 

Group Medical Trips – PMGY provide affordable group trips to Sri Lanka for academic institutions and societies from around the world. From only 799 GBP per person (group leaders travel free), our 15 day trip to Sri Lanka is fully structured, inclusive and led by our experienced team. Organising an overseas trip for large groups involves lots of preparation. From flights and insurance to pre-trip training and that’s even before you’ve looked at organising the itinerary! So that’s where PMGY come in. We really do specialise in the group’s overseas expedition area providing exclusive group trips whilst accommodating large groups of students, on full board options. We guarantee to provide trusted and vetted medical project settings that provide great insight, exposure and learning opportunities for students.

 

Unforeseen Circumstances – As Sri Lanka is a developing country their healthcare facilities reflect this. Participants on the medical program are advised to note that from time to time unexpected factors outside of PMGY’s control can limit project and schedule availability. This can be commonly associated with the hospital setting of the placement where doctors can strike at late notice or the consultants can be absent from the hospital when expected with no advanced notice. In such situations, PMGY will do their best to arrange alternative volunteer work in Sri Lanka, though this will likely be outside of the hospital setting for that day and might be another form of the community programs we operate.

You can protect and rehabilitate sea turtles whilst also helping at community development projects as a Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer. Many species of turtles are under threat and at risk of becoming endangered, hence there is a great need for wildlife conservation efforts. Raise awareness of plastic pollution, care for injured and disabled turtles and release freshly hatched babies back into the wild, safe from natural risks and local poachers.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

In Sri Lanka, there are five species of turtles that are commonly encountered. These are the Green Turtle, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Olive Ridley and Leatherback. The Green turtle is the most common turtle species and will likely be the one you come across the most if you volunteer in Sri Lanka. The Loggerhead turtle is the rarest and thus hardest to spot in Sri Lanka. They are more commonly found on the East Coast of America.

 

The Hawksbill (renowned for its beautiful shell), Olive Ridley (smallest of the sea turtles) and Leatherback (largest of the 5 species) are harder to spot for different reasons. Sadly they are critically endangered and sit on the brink of extinction. This is mainly because they have been heavily hunted and fell victim to other human activity as well.

 

For instance, fishing is one of the major industries in Ambalangoda. The location of the volunteer work in Sri Lanka is very close to the local fisheries port. Sea turtles are often found in fishing nets and many have lost limbs, becoming disabled and are no longer able to survive in the wild. Many of these disabled turtles are found by local fishermen who bring them to the project site for rehabilitation and care.

 

Most importantly, each environmental choice we make every day as a human has an impact on all marine life. Millions of microplastics, straws and bottles are found in the sea and beaches across the globe. Plastic pollution is becoming a huge problem worldwide and our Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteers aim to fight the battle against this environmental catastrophe.

 

Volunteering with turtles in Sri Lanka on our wildlife conservation program is an incredible opportunity to do your bit to care for these incredible creatures, whilst spending time in a country that will amaze you on so many levels.

 

TURTLE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Ambalangoda Turtle Conservation Sanctuary – Each Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer will be based at a turtle sanctuary in Ambalangoda. Here, the Sri Lanka volunteer program aims to provide daily care and rehabilitation for the disabled turtles. They have a long term goal to release the healthy turtles back to the wild, as well as protecting turtle eggs that have been stolen by local poachers.

 

Beginning from the orientation, volunteers will learn a great deal about turtle conservation. For instance, how to nest eggs, identify different kinds of turtles, how eggs hatch, how to treat turtles, the differences between the species, how to send turtles back into the sea and so much more. In short, this is a project where you will learn a lot and be able to make a tangible difference with your time.

 

Beach Cleans – As female turtles will only lay their eggs on beaches that are safe environments to them, it is crucial the area is maintained in order to encourage them to nest. Consequently, every Sri Lanka animal volunteer will get involved in cleaning the local beaches for litter and dangerous debris.

 

Climate change, waste and plastic pollution is increasing at an alarming rate across the world and we want to continue raising awareness and promote conservation through our wildlife volunteer program.

 

This is an important core task that volunteers will engage with in the Sri Lanka turtle conservation program. As part of the teams efforts to support coastal conservation, they aim to collect 200 kilograms of rubbish from the beaches each day. Subsequently, volunteers are the driving force in achieving such goals.

 

Turtle Hatchery & Baby Turtle Release – Volunteers will help to nest, monitor and care for turtle eggs that have been brought to the turtle hatchery. Usually, these are removed from an unsafe area where they may be at risk from human activity. This often includes outside tourist hotels but also if they can be stolen by local poachers.

 

Across Asia, there is an ancient myth that eating turtle eggs and meat will increase your life span. As a result, turtle eggs are sold illegally on the black market. The hatchery provides a safe environment for the turtles to be nested and monitored for conservation. They follow the National Wildlife Department guidelines and release the babies back into the wild with the help each Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

Every PMGY Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer will spend their days next to the beach caring for the sea turtles that have been rescued and are now living in the project site. Additionally, undertaking many beach cleans in the local area to keep beaches safe and clean for the turtles and their nests. Your volunteer abroad program will run from Monday-Friday between 9am-12pm. However, beach clean days can be shorter sessions when working without shade in increased levels of heat and humidity. You will get to your project setting each morning by tuk-tuk or minibus, which takes about 15 minutes. Your typical duties as a volunteer in Sri Lanka will include:

 

• Preparing fresh food and assisting feeding on a daily basis
• Cleaning within the project premises and nearby beach area
• Taking care of the nesting area
• Regular beach cleans and beach patrols
• Cleaning and refilling the turtle tanks
• Assisting with medication
• Cleaning the turtles’ shells
• Counting and burying turtle eggs safely
• Designing education boards around the sanctuary
• Participating in marine conservation information sessions
• Releasing hatched baby turtles into the sea

 

Each Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer will join with the local staff at the project to get to grips with the daily tasks and what is expected of them. This will include tasks as part of a team as well as individual roles. As a participant on our wildlife volunteering abroad project, you can do your bit to help tackle the global issue of plastic pollution by cleaning the beaches where many turtles lay eggs in the south. Although this may be one of the more mundane aspects of the program, its importance cannot be underestimated. The volunteer’s efforts are recognised positively by the Wildlife Department. It is not uncommon that after one beach clean we have collected up to 20 bags of litter!

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING WITH TURTLES IN SRI LANKA

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.