The women’s centers we partner with are in some of Delhi’s poorest neighborhoods. Local NGOs run them to give women and teenage girls what many missed out on: reading and writing, spoken English, computer skills, and trades such as sewing, embroidery and beauty work that can bring in an income.
Facilities are basic, sometimes a single room with a blackboard. What the centers need from volunteers is time, conversation and encouragement.
At a glance
- Community centers run by local NGOs for women and girls in Delhi’s urban slums.
- Spoken English, literacy, computer skills and vocational classes.
- Monday to Friday, about 10am to 4pm, with evenings and weekends free.
- Open from age 17; useful skills such as sewing or computing are welcome but not needed.
- Stay from one week to 18 weeks, starting on two Sundays a month.
What you’ll do
- Teach spoken English to young women, most of them aged about 17 to 20. For most volunteers this is the main job.
- Lead small group discussions that help teenage girls speak up and plan their future.
- Help staff run reading and writing classes for adult women.
- Teach basic computer skills.
- If you can sew, embroider, do beauty work or crafts, help with the vocational classes.
- Share simple advice on nutrition, and swap stories about everyday life at home and in India.
About the centers
Each center is run by a local NGO working on women’s and girls’ development in the neighborhood around it. Alongside classes, some offer counseling and support to women facing problems at home. The vocational courses are practical: a woman who learns tailoring or beauty work can earn from home or find a job, and the computer and English classes open doors for the younger students.
Your coordinator matches you to a center based on your skills and what each center needs at the time. Most volunteers end up teaching English, because that is where the demand is.
Working responsibly
Center staff organize the classes and look after the women. You support their program rather than run it, and volunteers do not give professional counseling.
Because you will work with teenage girls, every volunteer on this program shows a clean background check, and staff are present for every session.
Progress is slow and personal: a shy student who starts answering in English, a woman who finishes her first stitched garment. Your part is steady practice and encouragement for as long as you are here.
A typical day
- 9am: Breakfast at the hostel with the other volunteers.
- 9:30am: Head out by Metro and auto-rickshaw. Your coordinator shows you the route on the first day.
- 10am: Arrive at the center. Mornings are often English conversation with the younger women, or a literacy class.
- 12:30 to 2:30pm: Lunch break, usually a thali or a plate of chole bhature at a dhaba near the project, at your own cost.
- Afternoon: Computer practice, a vocational class or a discussion group, depending on the center’s timetable.
- 4pm: Finish and travel back. The rest of the day is yours.
- 7pm: Dinner at the hostel.
Every project keeps its own rhythm, and hours move with school holidays, festivals and the weather. Your coordinator confirms your times at orientation.
How your week runs
- Sunday: we meet you at Indira Gandhi International Airport and take you to the hostel.
- Monday: a half-day orientation on safety, culture, getting around and how to dress at your project, then a walk around the neighborhood.
- Tuesday to Friday: your first days at the project, about 10am to 4pm. Your coordinator travels with you the first time and shows you the cheapest route by Metro and auto-rickshaw.
- From week two: Monday to Friday at the project. Evenings and weekends are yours.
Evenings and weekends
Project days finish mid-afternoon, so most evenings start with a Metro ride somewhere new and end back at the hostel over dinner with the other volunteers. Delhi rewards curiosity: within an hour of your base you can be eating parathas in the lanes of Old Delhi, watching the light change on Humayun’s Tomb or bargaining for scarves at Sarojini Nagar.
- In the city: Chandni Chowk and the Jama Masjid, the Red Fort, Lodhi Garden, Hauz Khas village, Dilli Haat’s food and craft stalls, and the evening light show at Akshardham.
- Day trips: the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, an easy day out by train or car.
- Weekends away: the pink sandstone forts and palaces of Jaipur, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the riverside ghats of Varanasi, or the mountain air of Rishikesh.
Our weekend trips take care of the trains, hotels and guides, and your coordinator is happy to help you plan an independent trip. Sundays have no meals at the hostel on purpose: it is the day to try Delhi’s street food.
Your base in Delhi
Home is a hostel in the south of the city that we share with volunteers from other projects, so you are rarely short of company for dinner or a weekend plan. The Metro is a few minutes’ walk away, which puts your project and most of Delhi within easy reach, and the Lotus Temple and Khan Market are close enough for a first evening out.
You share a room with volunteers of the same gender, cooled by air-conditioning in the hot months. If you would like a room to yourself, ask when you apply and we will price it for you.
The kitchen serves vegetarian Indian food at breakfast and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Lunch on project days is your own, usually from a dhaba or cafe near your project, and Sundays are free for exploring the city’s food.
Good to know
- Bedding is provided. Bring your own towel.
- Drinking water is filtered for you; bottled water outside is up to you.
- Do your own washing, or hand it to a local laundry for a small charge.
- Tell us about any special diet before you arrive.
- Alcohol and drugs are not allowed at the accommodation.
What your price covers
- Pre-departure information: packing list, visa and health advice, and your coordinator’s details.
- Pickup at Indira Gandhi International Airport between 8am and 8pm on your start date.
- Orientation, and your first trip to the project with your coordinator.
- A shared room at our base in South Delhi for your whole stay.
- Breakfast and dinner, Monday to Saturday.
- Your placement, plus support from our team at any hour.
- A certificate of participation, if you ask for one.
Not included
- Flights and your Indian visa
- Travel and medical insurance, which is compulsory
- Vaccinations
- Lunch on project days and meals on Sundays
- Metro and auto-rickshaw fares to your project
- Your transfer back to the airport (we can arrange it at extra cost)
- Weekend trips, entry fees, a local SIM card and personal spending
Support while you are here
- Your coordinator lives locally, runs your orientation, takes you to your project the first time and checks in with you and the project while you are there.
- Our team can be reached at any hour, every day of your stay, for anything from a lost phone to a hospital visit.
Before you apply
- You are 17 or older on your start date (under-18s need a consent form signed by a parent).
- A clean criminal background check, issued within 12 months of your start date, because you will work with teenage girls.
- Travel and medical insurance for your whole stay. Your own policy is fine.
- An open mind, patience and reasonable health. Tell us about any medical condition before you travel.
What volunteers say
4.4 from 9 reviews
The projectI enjoyed the Womens Empowerment program very much. The girls are 16 - 24 and learning vocational skills. I worked mostly in a computer class + simply speaking in English to help them practice. The girls were SO fun, energetic and happy to learn. The staff and director made me feel very welcome.
HighlightMy personal highlights were the 30 or more "little sisters" I gained at the womens center, the knowledge that I helped them build skills for a better life and also the great friends I made among the volunteers.
Read the full review
Before the tripAll of my Pre - Departure e-mails were answered promptly and I was pleased with the level of communication. The booklet had useful information about the program and when paired with reading guidebooks I felt very well prepared for India.
Food and accommodationThe volunteers home in Rajiv's family home was well equipped with TV, hot showers, WiFi and it was nice having our own space to "come home to" at the end of our workday. The house is in South Delhi in a very nice + Safe neighbourhood with amenities close by. The food, mostly vegetarian, was yummy!
Our teamRajiv, his wife Priya and Dheeraj all were caring + available for big and little questions helping with a problem or giving directions! Having a smiling face waiting at the airport was such a welcome sight!
Would you recommend us?Yes - I felt very well supported, safe, and so pleased with the volunteer work I was able to do in 1 month.
Any comments and suggestionsVolunteering India is fantastic, as is volunteer work and India itself. Do be prepared for life in Delhi - its awesome but has challenges, transportation, learning Hindi (or enough to get by) and just the details of living in India. If it is your first time I would STRONGLY recommend the Orientation week, mostly because it lets you slowly get your feet wet and acclimate to India before jumping into work + haggling with rickshaws on your own. Rajiv is very knowledgeble and educated guide - you'll get far more out of sightseeing this way then on your own
Katie Weilbacher, USAWomen’s empowerment
The projectAMAZING!!! The women at the center are powerful and amazing. Sometime I don't feel like I am helping them than they are helping me with their everyday Smiling faces! sometime we just talk to the girls but even this helps them because so they can practice English in conversations.
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Before the tripI was in contact with Office in India. They answered all the question I had and helped to find my lost payment bill 🙂
ArrivalMy arrival was a bit stressful for me as the Airline lost my luggage but after I arrived in Delhi and was directly picked up from Rajiv's assistant (I didn't had to search him!!!), Rajiv helped me to get my Luggage back!
Food and accommodationThe house is Great! I love the Bed, my room, the evenings with the other volunteers, the food [we got some cooking lessons from Didi 🙂 ]
Our teamLovely 🙂 Rajiv is taking care of us all the time. I got sick and he have done the best. I brought me to the Doctor and was asking me everyday How I am feeling! He always asking about our trips ow how do we like our work. He tries to let us feel comfortable in this completely different world!!
Would you recommend us?Ofcourse! you can't get a better impression of India and its people!!!!
Annelie Schneider, GermanyWomen’s empowerment
The projectYes very much!! I really enjoyed being able to help them and teach.
HighlightMy highlight was being able to teach the women skills they will use for their whole life especially reading English.
Read the full review
Before the tripThe booklet was really good, especially helpful in preparing me for Indian culture. Emails with queries were replied to quickly.
Food and accommodationVery comfortable, enjoyed the food. It was not too spicy and good variety.
Our teamVery helpful, friendly and welcoming. Always happy to help and make us comfortable.
Would you recommend us?Yes
Emily Ball, United KingdomWomen’s empowerment
The projectYes I loved working with the girls and liked my placement.
HighlightTaj Mahal Trip.
The women at the project.
The friends I made during my stay.
Read the full review
Before the tripIt was very good. The booklet had a loads of information in it and my emails were answered quickly.
Food and accommodationVery nice and had everything we needed.
Our teamThe coordinators were very helpful and kind.
Ann Imbrechts, BelgiumWomen’s empowerment
Questions volunteers ask
Do I need to speak Hindi?
No. Classes are in English, and staff help out when needed. The few Hindi words you learn at orientation go a long way.
I have a skill to share. Can I teach it?
Yes, tell us when you apply. Sewing, embroidery, beauty work, crafts and computing are all welcome, and we let the center know before you arrive.
What if I don’t have a vocational skill?
That is fine. Most volunteers teach spoken English, which is what the centers ask for most. If you can hold a conversation and keep it going, you have what you need.
Who are the students?
Teenage girls and young women, most aged about 17 to 20, in the English and computer classes, and adult women in the literacy and vocational classes. Many have had little schooling.
What hours will I work?
About 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. You leave the hostel around 9:30am and buy lunch near the center.
How should I dress at the center?
Modestly: shoulders covered, loose trousers or a long skirt. A salwar kameez from a Delhi market is cheap, comfortable and goes down well with the women you work with.
How much spending money will I need?
Less than you might expect. Lunch near your project, Metro and auto-rickshaw rides and the odd coffee cost little each day; Sunday meals out are cheap too. Budget more for weekend trips, monument tickets and shopping, which is where most volunteers spend their money.
Which visa do I need?
Most volunteers come on an Indian e-Visa, applied for online before you travel. Your passport needs at least six months’ validity after your return and two blank pages. Rules change, so check the official Indian government e-Visa website; we send guidance after you book and can write a supporting letter if you need one.
Do I need vaccinations?
There are usually no compulsory vaccinations for travelers from most countries, but keep your routine ones up to date. Travel clinics commonly recommend hepatitis A and typhoid, plus protection against mosquito bites. See a clinic six to eight weeks before you leave.
Is Delhi safe for volunteers?
Yes, with sensible precautions. You are met at the airport, you live where our team knows the area well, and orientation covers how to get around, what to wear and what to avoid. Use the Metro, pre-booked taxis or ride apps, keep valuables out of sight, and go out in groups at night. Our team can be reached at any hour.
What should I wear at the project?
Light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and closed shoes. Cotton kurtas cost little at Delhi’s markets and are cooler than most Western clothes in the heat.
Can I stay longer or combine programs?
Yes. Delhi programs run for up to 18 weeks, and many volunteers start with the Hindi & culture week or add a placement in Jaipur. Tell us your plan when you apply and we line up the dates.
Can I come with a friend, partner or family?
Yes. Tell us who is coming when you apply and we place you together where we can. Ask us about group prices and which programs suit younger travelers.
