If you are a woman planning your first volunteer trip to India on your own, you have probably read stories that put you off and others that make it sound effortless. The truth sits somewhere in between. Many of our volunteers arrive alone, plenty of them women, and with a little preparation they find India warm, welcoming and manageable. It does ask you to adapt: to dress more conservatively, to plan your evenings and to get used to a lot of attention.
Here is what to expect, and how we help.
You won’t be on your own for long
Our coordinator meets you when you arrive, at Delhi airport between 8am and 8pm on your start date, or at Jaipur airport or railway station, and takes you to your accommodation. In Delhi, that is a hostel shared with volunteers from our other projects; in Jaipur, our volunteer house or a host family. At the hostel and the house, you share a room with other women.
Within a day or two, you have people to eat with, travel to work with and plan weekends with. For many solo travelers, that ready-made company is the biggest reassurance of all.
Orientation covers the practical things
Your first days include a half-day orientation on safety, local culture, getting around and what to wear, and your coordinator goes with you to your project the first time. After that, our team is a phone call away at any hour, every day of your stay. If something feels wrong, from a pushy driver to a problem at the hostel, tell us.
What to wear
Dressing modestly makes daily life noticeably easier. Cover your shoulders and knees, choose loose clothes over tight ones, and carry a scarf: it covers your head at gurdwaras and some temples, keeps the sun off and is handy if you feel stared at. Rajasthan is conservative, so in Jaipur dress more modestly still. Cotton kurtas and long skirts from local markets cost little and are cooler than most Western clothes. Our post on what to wear while volunteering in India has more ideas.
Getting around
In Delhi, the Metro is the easiest way to travel, and every train has a coach reserved for women. For other journeys, use a ride-hailing app or a pre-booked taxi so that the route and fare are recorded, and share your trip with a friend. In Jaipur, your project is 20 to 30 minutes away, and the team helps you set up the ride apps volunteers use. Our guide to getting around Delhi explains the options.
Attention, and how to handle it
You will be noticed. People may stare, ask where you are from or want a selfie with you, and most of it is simple curiosity. It is fine to smile and say no. Unwanted comments or touching can happen, especially in crowds: move away, say no loudly and tell your coordinator. On buses and trains, sit near other women, and always trust your instincts.
Evenings and weekends
Go out in a group after dark, agree how you will get home before you set off and let someone at the hostel know your plans. At weekends, our weekend trips to the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Amritsar and Varanasi are an easy way to travel, with transport, hotels and guides arranged, and it is rarely hard to find another volunteer to come along.
In their words
Three women who volunteered with us put it like this:
For more advice, read our top safety tips for volunteers and our guide to traveling solo in India safely. If you have a question we haven’t answered, email info@volunteeringindia.com; our team in New Delhi is happy to help.