Teach in Buddhist temples
Peaceful idyllic setting
Ages 3 – 16
Opportunity for adult education

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Volunteer Projects in Sri Lanka

Introduction

Sri Lanka is a small teardrop shaped island in the Indian Ocean located just to the south of the Indian subcontinent. It has a wealth of natural beauty combined with a fabulous climate and some of the friendliest people on earth.

About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's relief features of the island consist of an area of hill country rising a little south of the centre, with heights exceeding 2,500 metres, surrounded by broad plains. Palm fringed beaches surround the island and the sea temperature rarely falls below 27 °C.

Sri Lanka's ethnic jigsaw means that you will come across many different religious beliefs and a couple of different languages while staying on this small island. Approximately 74% of the population are Sinhalese, are predominantly Buddhist and speak Sinhala. The second largest group, the Tamils, constitute around 18% of the population, with a high concentration in the north of the island. They are Hindu and speak Tamil, meaning that this is the major language found in the north of the island. Approximately 7% of the population are Muslims with Tamil as the mother tongue. The presence of Christianity is also growing and there are a number of smaller ethnic groups such as the Wanniyala-aetto who were the original inhabitants of the island.

Mondo In Sri Lanka

In the beautiful hill region of Kandy we are working in various rural Buddhist temples. These temples provide not only a place to worship but also a community centre. In Kandy we work in 5 temples where career break volunteers work in pre-schools and primary education and also adult education classes involving many of the monks.

Volunteers can also help out at primary school and also at a Buddhist orphanage.

Things to see and do in Sri Lanka

There are many wonderful places to visit in Sri Lanka. The following list contains suggestions made by former volunteers:

Kandy – botanical gardens (Rs 600 to enter), Temple of the Tooth, Kandy Lake and the Udawattakelle Sanctuary.
Dambulla – ancient caves with Buddhist statues carved out of stone.
Temples around Manikhinna – ask Dhammalokha (the head monk at Manikhinna) to set up a trip for you to see the temples in his area. There are at least a dozen worth visiting, some are comparable to Dambulla in their history and artwork but you will be one of the first tourists ever to see them. A must do!
Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage – just outside the town of Kegalle (approx. 30 mins from Pilimathalawa) open daily from 8:30am – 6pm. It costs Rs 1000 to enter, but if you are planning to go, make sure your trip coincides with the feeding times (9.15am, 1.15pm and 5pm).
Sigiriya – the ruins of a fortress built on a large mountain with spectacular views. (see photo opposite).
Unawatuna – a great spot if you decide to go to the South coast for a weekend. To get there, take the bus or train from Kandy to Colombo and then from Colombo to Unawatuna. It is a 6-hour journey, but since the tsunami we have been encouraging any willing volunteers to travel to the south, even for brief trips, to support the recovering tourist industry.

Living in Sri Lanka

Although the current political troubles are generally isolated in certain areas of the country, it is recommended that you keep an eye on the news (or on the useful Foreign Office website www.fco.gov.uk) for any new developments. The extreme northern and eastern coastal parts of the island are considered unsafe so we recommend very strongly against travel to these regions. On the other hand, Kandy, Hikkaduwa and the areas where our projects are located are considered very safe. Your host families, project supervisors and Nithila will do all they can to help, so do please listen to any advice they give you.

In addition to the consideration for appropriate clothes mentioned above, it is important not to forget that successful integration into your host community is in many ways dependent on your readiness to respect local cultural values. Without compromising your own important values, it is not difficult to adhere to few basic principles which will avoid causing unintended embarrassment and offence.