Volunteerism has been the distinct tradition and an existing part of the Nepalese society. Generally, many ethnic communities solve most of their problems through voluntary services such as roads, temples, water-taps which are used to be built on voluntary basis. Most noticeably the relief task carried out during natural calamities like flood, earthquake, famine, epidemic etc. which are mostly on voluntary basis. There are several local volunteering organizations as well as those volunteering organizations working in the national level, providing volunteering services in different sectors. Nepal is the much preferred destination for most international volunteering organizations such as Peace Corps (US), Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO-UK), MS Nepal (Denmark), German Development Service (GTZ-GDS), SNV (Netherlands), JOCV (Japan), SPW (UK), UNV (United Nations). All of these involved organizations are mostly working in areas of basic & primary education, primary health and other areas like HIV & AIDS, local governance (including social mobilization), income generation activities (saving & credit schemes), empowerment (particularly of women, socially disadvantaged groups & physically handicapped).

Volunteering has been equally popular in the rural & remote regions of Nepal. Observing the scale of volunteers being mobilized in the past four decades, rural Nepal has benefited immensely by their contributions toward improving the status of various sectors like health, education, social awareness, agricultural production etc. Thus, rural Nepal is considered among the few places in the world where volunteers enjoy working with the local people, because volunteers, no matter from where, are much welcomed and adored by these rural communities inhabiting this Himalayan Kingdom which boasts diverse culture & tradition. It’s kind of life altering experience, helping these needy people and really become part of their lives as much as they become part of yours. In general, a choice of volunteering programs are offered in Nepal from teaching English at locals schools to working at health camps/programs, helping out at orphanages, contribute towards environmental protection & community development or women issues etc.

Nepal has the high mortality rate for mothers during childbirth plus the short life expectancy of the people in general causes a great number of children, mostly between the ages of 4 & 15, without parents. The outcome, these children will be deprived of even the basic education nor any health attentions, sooner or later to work as child laborers in restaurants, factories, hotels or as trash collectors. Volunteers will play a major role in uplifting their living conditions, taking care & encouraging them as well as act an old sibling. They will educate them, teach general life skills including apprised them to be concerned of their health and indulge in creative activities like art, crafts or music. Basically, any volunteering program in Nepal starts off with learning the basic Nepalese language & using the most-used phrases with a cultural orientation classes. This can be of a week’s program/class, eventually to be transferred at the place/location where the volunteering job has been assigned.