Join a community actively involved in sustainable living near Kandbari, Palampur, India

Details

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  Description

  Help Us Build & Grow Our Sustainable Homestay
  
  Hello! I’m Ira, and I run a small homestay in the beautiful Palampur area of Himachal Pradesh, at the foothills of the Dhauladhar mountains.
  
  Our home is built around natural materials, sustainable living, traditional architecture, gardening and mindful hospitality. We are continuously developing our mud house, gardens and guest spaces, and would love to welcome a responsible and enthusiastic volunteer for a minimum of one month.
  
  Areas Where We Need Help
  
  Mud Construction & Design
  Help with mud-house construction, finishing, painting, minor repairs and working with natural materials such as mud, bamboo and wood. Ideas and experience in architecture or natural building are very welcome.
  
  Interior Design
  Help us improve and creatively develop our guest rooms and common spaces through furniture placement, styling, DIY projects and the use of natural or locally available materials.
  
  Landscaping & Gardening
  Help with garden planning, planting, organic gardening, composting, pathways and creating beautiful, useful outdoor spaces.
  
  Homestay & Guest Support
  Help with guest check-ins, housekeeping coordination, kitchen organisation, maintaining guest spaces and sharing local information with visitors.
  
  Basic Cooking 🍳
  We would prefer someone who can prepare simple, basic meals for themselves and is comfortable managing their own basic food needs.
  
  Animal Care 🐾
  We have cats and dogs, so someone who enjoys animals and is comfortable helping with basic animal care would be a big advantage.
  
  👤 Who We Are Looking For
  
  We are looking for someone who is:
  
  - Responsible, independent and willing to take initiative
  - Comfortable with hands-on and sometimes physical work
  - Interested in nature, sustainable living and rural life
  - Friendly and respectful
  - Able to stay for at least one month
  - Comfortable with basic cooking and looking after themselves
  
  You don't need to have all these skills. Whether you are interested in architecture, interior design, natural construction, landscaping, gardening, hospitality or simply learning something new, we would love to hear from you.
  
  What You Can Experience
  
  In return, you will have the opportunity to experience village life in Himachal Pradesh, work on a real sustainable-building project, learn about natural materials and gardening, meet people from around the world and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the Dhauladhar mountains.
  
  If this sounds interesting, please send us a message with a little about yourself, your skills, your interests and how long you would like to stay.
  
  We look forward to hearing from you! 🌿
  
  Ira
  Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Light gardening

  Creative DIY projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Hospitality/Tourism

  Light maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet

  House & pet sitting
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  Interests

  

  Dancing

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Performing arts

  

  Music

  

  Sustainability

  

  Pets

  

  Farming

  

  Plant care

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Art & design

  

  Animals

  

  Nature
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Visitors can stay with us and learn more about how we live, cook, eat etc. We live in a place where the Gaddi culture is still alive, though struggling to maintain its identity. This is an interesting place to explore nearby parts of the Dhauladhar mountains, attend courses/discussions. The village we live in has beautiful walks at varying altitudes, quaint surroundings, a mountain stream and lots of greenery. We can teach beginners yoga, pranayama and meditation to those with interest.
  
  Volunteering here is a chance to gain hands-on experience and explore your creative side:
  
  Traditional Building Techniques: Learn to work with eco-friendly materials like mud bricks and bamboo.
  
  Organic Farming: Help grow and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs, while learning sustainable farming practices.
  
  Art Projects: Participate in creative endeavors such as crochet, painting, macrame, magnet making, mud art, and Lippan art.
  
  Woodworking and Craftsmanship: Craft picture frames, construct a wood-fired earthen oven, and engage in other DIY projects.
  
  Permaculture and Landscaping: Assist with implementing permaculture principles and designing sustainable landscapes.
  
  Farm-to-Table Meals: Relish fresh, wholesome meals prepared with produce from our farm. When we’re unavailable, you’ll have access to the kitchen to cook your own meals with these ingredients.
  
  Flexible Hours: Plenty of time to explore the stunning Dhauladhar mountains, engage with local Gaddi culture, or relax in nature.
  
  Unique Experiences: Participate in curated dining experiences like:
  
  Indoor Dining: Cozy meals inside our mud home.
  
  Garden Table Setups: Rustic outdoor dining surrounded by greenery.
  
  Garden Picnics: A relaxing picnic on mats in our lush garden.

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  Help

  You’ll learn and work with traditional building techniques such as cob mixing, wattle and daub, and adobe brick making. It’s a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in natural building while learning local methods and enjoying life in the mountains. Max 4 volunteers, comfortable accomodation in dorms, and food will be provided.
  
  Volunteer Responsibilities include:
  
  1. Managing Daily Activities: Contribute to operations, cooking, gardening, landscaping, and general upkeep around the property.
  2. Supporting the Kitchen: Help prepare healthy, farm-to-table meals, and assist in cleanup to maintain our warm, communal atmosphere.
  3. Household and Garden Maintenance: Take part in cleaning guest rooms, common areas, and outdoor spaces, as well as planting, weeding, and nurturing the garden.
  4.Environmental Initiatives: Assist with garbage removal from nearby streams, tree planting, and establishing waste disposal systems for the area.
  5. Permaculture and Eco-Friendly Practices: Participate in bio-enzyme cleaner production, composting, and sustainable waste management.
  
  At times, when we're not home, you may need to whip up your own meals, feel free to get creative in the kitchen! We also ask that you take care of and clean your own space, to keep things cozy and clean for everyone.
  
  Skills Required
  
  1. Fluency in Hindi and English (for smooth communication).
  
  2. Basic Cooking Knowledge: There may be times when you’ll need to prepare your own meals, so it’s important to know how to cook simple, healthy dishes.
  
  3. Basic organizational and hospitality skills.
  
  Prior experience or knowledge in any of the tasks listed above is highly appreciated.

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  Languages spoken

  Hindi: Fluent
  English: Intermediate
  Punjabi (Eastern): Intermediate

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  Accommodation

  Accommodation would involve shared rooms in our mud house. The room is airy, warm and well lighted. Food will involve simple meals with the family in our kitchen. We serve simple but nutritious meals , and you can always cook what you want as we have all the basic ingredients and utensils. We are trying our best to manage our plastic waste and would like volunteers to fully cooperate in this endeavor.

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  What else ...

  Kandbari is an interesting village with a number of beautiful walks among the pastures and the fields, a Himalayan stream (our regular haunt during summer afternoons) and treks to nearby mountain destinations. The quiet atmosphere and the clear air attracted us here. Though the village life is changing today with greater money inflow, it still has more desirables than otherwise. Peoples' lives are getting more and more connected to markets and the products it throws at us but this also creates an opportunity to promote alternatives that are healthful, sustainable and equitable.

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  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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  Can host digital nomads

  We have a wi-fi connection here delivering about 6 Mbps (actual).

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Titali, khelu and chiku

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