Profile information
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Host rating
100 %
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Last replied
18 Oct 2026
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Reply rate
90.0 %
Usually responds within 2 days
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Feedback
22
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Email verified
Badges (3)
Find your perfect host
Min stay requested: at least a week
Details
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Description
Hello and welcome!
We are Satya and Hélène, a couple living near Auroville and Pondicherry with Satya’s mother. Together, we look after our family guesthouse, surrounded by greenery, while developing the Charitable Trust.
It is a young local non-profit initiative dedicated to environmental protection, education, creativity and mutual support in the surrounding villages.
For several years, Satya has been helping to clean beaches, forests, lakes, ponds and canyons where plastic and household waste accumulate. One place especially close to his heart is a canyon near our home. It was once home to monitor lizards and other wildlife, but gradually became an informal dumping ground. Satya is working patiently to help restore this natural environment.
Our commitment goes beyond collecting waste. We also want to raise awareness, bring people together and transform non-recyclable packaging into useful objects, furniture and artistic creations.
Step by step, we hope to develop educational and creative activities for children, as well as practical workshops for women and young people.
We approach these projects with humility, working alongside local people and complementing existing initiatives. We are still at the beginning of this journey and would love to welcome sincere and motivated people who want to help us build it. -
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Teaching
Light gardening
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
Light maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
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Interests
Winter sports
Sustainability
Vegetarian or vegan
Plant care
Hiking
Nature
Languages
Gardening
Cooking & food
Animals
Yoga / Wellness -
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
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Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
A lot of languages are spoken in my house. We always have some cultural, artistic, linguistic or musical exchange happening all the time in my house. Most people who visit us become good friends. We also often have collective cooking (vegetarian) and eating sessions. We drink a lot of hebal teas. Most things happen spontaneously here but all happens with a lot of goodwill and love for all creatures and with utmost respect for mother nature.
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Registered charity
This host is a registered charity in their country and is looking for volunteers to help with their project(s).
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Help
Basically I would like you to be fully involved in our upcycling project. This involves creating useful & beautiful products with discarded plastic packets & bags.
We also have awareness sessions, discussions & workshops. This may involve going out on the streets in the villages or around Auroville and talking to people. Most people here understand English.
Once a week we teach English & French to village kids, mostly through games & songs. Most volunteers enjoy this experience a lot.
You will need good communication skills. You need to basically make people understand that we cannot keep dumping waste all around us. As we live close to the sea here a lot of our waste is just flowing into the sea. We have to stop this.
Along with the local people our task is also to create new waste-mangement systems that will work. We need to especially make people aware about how they can reduce waste and teach them about recycling and upcycling.
We have started certain groups in our region to spread awareness about the growing waste all around us. In one of our group you could also become a volunteer plogger if you are into yoga & fitness.
I think we are looking for people who are really passionate about saving the earth, especially from trash created by humans. We need those who support minimalism and live by the principles of "zero waste".
Occasionally we may also need help in household duties. -
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Hindi: Fluent
Sanskrit: Intermediate
Tamil: Intermediate
German: Beginner
Italian: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information. -
Accommodation
In our house we have some extra rooms for volunteers.
Accommodation is very simple but it's clean and comfortable.
An avarage room can accomodate two people comfortably.
All around our house there's greenary. Lots of birds and harmless wild animals may also be spotted. We have good drinking water and the air around is totally clean & fresh. -
What else ...
We are very close to an international city called Auroville. You can look it up. This city was founded on the principles of human unity in 1968. It is not a big city but it is very beautiful and well maintained. People from 50 different countries live here. There is much to explore here if you like nature, organic farming, yoga, arts, music and sustainable livelihood. Our home is walkable distance from the beach, only about 2 kms. A historic city Pondicherry is also very close to my house. As we are away from main roads most people here buy or hire a motorcycle or a pushbike to explore the region.
Obviously the volunteers who come here are also here for tourism. Some also come just to relax & to plan their onward journey to Australia, New Zealand etc.
It is important to understand that we are an organization. Our environmental initiatives require not only significant effort but also financial resources, which we currently fund out of our own pockets. Our work is entirely dedicated to the needy and underprivileged, to animals, and to the environment. We derive no profit from our activities.
So we expect our volunteers to be really passionate about nature & environment & participate in the project fully with their mind, body & especially with their heart. ❤ -
A little more information
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Internet access
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Limited internet access
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We have pets
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We are smokers
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Can host families
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How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
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My animals / pets
CHOTOU
He is one year old, an adorable dog who loves company and playing.
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Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (13)
From the start, Satya was an excellent communicator...clear, open, and patient, even when … read more
The work Satya is doing is truly divine, selfless and for the well being of all. He is living his ideals and acts upon them.
In the time spent with Satya we helped picking garbage in the neighborhood, learning new techniques of up-cycling by creating … read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
From the start, Satya was an excellent communicator...clear, open, and patient, even when … read more
The work Satya is doing is truly divine, selfless and for the well being of all. He is living his ideals and acts upon them.
In the time spent with Satya we helped picking garbage in the neighborhood, learning new techniques of up-cycling by creating … read more
The work I did mostly consisted of crafting things using … read more
It was an awesome experience to work with Satya and learn about his upcycling project, as well as his efforts to protect the environment and to help create awareness. We had many … read more
I stayed with the project for almost 2 weeks. After arriving and showing me around in the beautiful big house surrounded by nature, Satya introduced me to the basics of … read more
Even though she was hurt in thumb she did a great stitching & plastic upcycling work for us. She created some wonderful products.
Magda is resourceful. She makes full use of resources & materials provided & comes up with amazing ideas. And then her skills to turn her ideas into reality are also … read more
Satya's project is outstanding. Step by step, without big money hidden behind marketing, he just does what he thinks is right for the environment, India, Pondy.
I was not able to do much, when staying there, as I injured by thumb, but I was trying to sneak in some new ideas for the project, and I … read more
They both are very soft spoken & friendly people.
They participated in our upcycling & educational activities, with a lot of interest & enthusiasm.
We had some long discussions on environment & about life in general, which were very interesting & informative & we laughed a lot.
It was a real … read more
I strongly believe that it’s one of the best workaways around. I was only planning on helping for two weeks and ended up staying with him for 4 month, supporting his project and visions.
If you are thinking about coming, please do. Having people who are similarly interested in doing something, learning his craft … read more
She accompanied & assisted me during various discussions & workshops on environmental issues & upcycling.
She was constantly trying her best to help us in our project, whether it was giving ideas or taking photos of our products or video documentation of events.... she did it all with … read more
We witnessed discussions on Pondicherry's environmental issues, the opening of a Zero Waste Campus and collaboration with local actors. Satya taught me how to make braids from plastic bags. He has mastered his art perfectly and … read more
She helped us immensely in our upcycling project.
We had such interesting discussions with her. Her knowledge, understanding & her attitude … read more
It was an absolute delight to have her stay & work with her.
She is a very intelligent, sweet & kind person.
Her presence gave our projects a boost.
She participated in our cleaning, recycling & teaching … read more
