Information
Where does just-one work:
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just-one
Kathmandu, Nepal
First established in 2004, just-one strives to provide improved access to educational opportunities for disadvantaged children in Nepal who would otherwise denied such benefits.
The three main programs which just-one currently facilitates are:
- educational assistance through the form of scholarships & school placement assistance for children from disadvantaged backgrounds
- counselling & rehabilitative assistance of former street children & child-workers to access educational and/or vocational training opportunities
- family support and empowerment initiatives aimed at ensuring families of the children we work with do not become unnecessarily dependant on our assistance.
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Partner Needs
Seeing, first-hand, much of the the damage being caused by the increasing popularity of volunteering (not to mention the industry of voluntourism which is growing fast to meet the demand) in Nepal (and, no doubt, in many other poor countries), we would kindly request that anyone considering engaging in volunteering (be it with just-one or any other organisation - partnered with omprakash or otherwise) please take the time necessary to carefully read the volunteering page on our web-site.
While well-intentioned desires to help are, indeed, commendable, equally-important responsibility rests with ALL potential volunteers to fully understand the possible long-term consequences of any placement which they may choose to engage in. You simply can NOT assume that just because a volunteer placement is on offer (be it here on this web-site or anywhere else) that it must be totally fine.
Understandably, a common concern is often whether or not the individual volunteer is required to pay for his or her placement with any given organisation. Should there not also be equal emphasis. at least, placed on whether or not any given placement is both responsibly and thoughtfully structured and implemented..?
How many organisations in whichever country you come from, do you think would accept short-term volunteer assistance (from well-intentioned but often unskilled individuals) - particularly with regard to placements with vulnerable target populations such as, for example, orphaned children..? Not that many, right..? Why might that be the case..? Perhaps it's because such children need security and stability, just as much as they need love and understanding..? Now, an ever-changing flow of volunteers are not likely to bring a whole lot of meaningful stability with a two-week (or even two-month) childcare placement, are they..?
Why should it be any different then for children's homes and such in poorer countries? If the answer to this question is that many of these organisations often rely on the revenue and/or subsequent fund-raising potential brought by volunteers (paying or otherwise); then why don't more people consider simply donating the (most probably) substantial cost of going on a volunteer placement directly to the organisation organisation and forego having the actual trip..? It would certainly help any such organisations hugely in not having to rely on potentially dangerous volunteering for their required funding, no..? The impact of such a donation might even empower that particular organisation to hire and train a full-time care-worker from the local labour market!
Could it be that the personal experience to be gained from such a trip might be more important to some individuals than the actual welfare of those they're wishing to help..? In any such (rare, one would hope..?) cases, it would be worth bearing in mind that the travel experience itself will, generally, broaden ones mind and come with a host of wonderful memories. Remember, despite what those who profit from 'meaningful-travel/voluntourism' may elude to on their flashy web-sites, there's also absolutely NOTHING selfish about just going on holiday!
In fact, many poor countries like Nepal, depend hugely on the tourism industry and would benefit significantly if tourist (as opposed to volunteer) arrivals increased. Sadly, Nepal is already a country which some have described (rightly or wrongly - as both corruption and greed have also had a HUGE role to play in Nepal's current state) as being crippled by charity and, as such, it's worth considering that a lot of the well-intentioned interventions that one could so easily engage in here may well cause much more damage than many would care to admit...
Cynical words perhaps (especially for a website such as this), but please do read our volunteering page, and maybe you'll understand that they're written out of sheer need more than anything else! just-one DOES recognise the great value that volunteers can and do bring to countless organisations across the globe - ourselves included, having benefited from the media expertise of Alan Burns, whose trip to Nepal may not have been possible was it not for the support he received from omprakash. We also feel strongly though that there needs to be FAR more thought given to the type and quality of volunteer placements created, offered, promoted and engaged in, by ALL parties involved - which includes you, the potential volunteer.
Financial Needs
Anyone kindly wishing to make a financial donation towards the slowly growing, annual running costs of this low-budget, grass-roots organisation will find all the required information on the Make a Donation page of just-one's web-site.