India
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Located on 45,000 sq. ft. of dry land on the hills of Kadampara, Kerala, it is envisioned to be a model farm founded with the aim to create a self-sustaining pocket. The main long-term objectives are to achieve complete nutritional autonomy by growing all of our own food (organically) and promote off-grid living. In the future, we also plan on collaborating with local tribal villagers to help create similar self-sustaining farms which in turn can grow into a co-op of tribal farmers. The project will also promote permaculture, sustainable architecture, veganism, natural farming and unconditional gifting. We recently received a very prestigious grant recognizing our work and enabling us to further our conservation efforts.
Gardening
Building
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Farmstay
Help with Eco project
Help in the house
Animal care
Art project
Kerala is known as gods own country. However, in the village of Kadambara, the local villagers (who are mainly comprised of tribals) have for long faced a severe enemy: malnutrition. So much that malnutrition-related deaths in Kadambara is one of the highest in India. We thought this would be an appropriate place to start a project that would work not on aid but on empowerment. But first, we need to empower ourselves. Hence, the idea of an off-grid self-sustainable farm. If this project succeeds, then we can use it as a simple model that can be replicated anywhere. As a participant, you'd mainly be helping out in this goal. This collaborative goal can only be achieved with a sustained and dedicated effort of all those who have the time, energy and maybe even the skill to share.
PS - So far we've already succeeded in installing our own solar system, constructing shelters using local materials and with the help of local villagers and we've also managed to raise the local water table and have become water sufficient. The year 2019, we will spend most of our energy toward the food sustainability aspect of our project.
Our daily work includes planting and watering trees, taking care of the vegetable garden, digging water catchment pits and ponds, creating water conservation structures such as bunds, trenches and retaining walls, mulching, composting, cooking and building structures that facilitate storage and shelter.
English, Hindi, Bengali, Sindhi, Basic Spanish, Haitian Creole
We have three different options to stay in. Open air camp beds to sleep under the stars, tents and a large newly constructed volunteer dormitory and yoga space.
We have an open kitchen which is well equipped and solar powered electricity sufficient to charge small devices.
We compost our poop which means there are no wasteful flush toilets and instead we convert our "business" into humanure. We have a small pool which we use during hot summer days and we also have a water-conserving mist shower. Volunteers can also take bucket showers or bathe at the local river which is a 10-minute walk away.
*️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️*️️️️️️️️Please note that we are just starting out which means we do not have the financial means (yet) to provide free food for participants. The accommodation is in exchange for 15 works hours a week and a minimum stay of two weeks.
Participants have multiple options for food while they are here:
1. Bring their own vegan food for their duration of stay.
2. Source their own vegan food locally, from the village, which is a 20-minute walk from the land.
3. Choose to participate in daily meals [healthy, non-spicy and vegan with lots of fruits, nuts, vegetable salads, porridge, pancakes, our world famous hummus (in the area) :) etc. - thrice a day] that are prepared by all members and contribute Rs. 400 toward the daily meals. Please note that this payment goes entirely toward the food and is not used for the projects operational expenses. Any additional amount incurred for food is borne by us. This is not mandatory.
We spend our free time having discussions on philosophy, spirituality and brainstorming on sustainable ways to make enhancements to the project. We also spend break time at the local river which is very secluded and away from any sort of habitation. A local yoga and ayurveda center is located a few kilometres from here and there is also a national park at driving distance. Buses, jeeps and autos are available at the nearest bus stop which is a 30 minute walk from the land. We've just finished constructing our dorm space which doubles as a yoga/meditation shala. Harsh (the founder) is also a personal coach and has helped innumerable people determine their course in life. He does donation based consulting to prepare roadmaps for personal development and developing emotional autonomy.
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
15 hours a week
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