Frequently Asked

Questions - AFCA Volunteer with a Purpose Teams

 

Do I need to have any construction skills or experience? 

No skills needed. Just an open heart and a desire to help while immersing yourself in a new culture. Some Volunteer with a Purpose ("VWP") teams do house construction projects  while others engage in teaching, gardening, repair and other miscellaneous activities.

 

 

What is the typical team size and age of team members?  

These teams are generally between 6 and 12 team members.  AFCA does not have a minimum age requirement at this time, and we have had team members as young as 12 years old (who was  with her 14 year old sister and their parents).  It was very rewarding to see how these young girls embraced the experience, working side by side with the adults and interacting with the local youth as if they had been friends all their lives.   

 

 

How much does it cost? 

The cost for a typical AFCA team is usually around $2000 (with a non-refundable $300 deposit that is applied to this total cost.)  The team cost covers all of your expenses during the project dates –including food, transportation, accommodations, a substantial tax deductible donation and miscellaneous team activities.  Beverages with meals (other than water) and personal shopping expenses are NOT included. In addition, you are responsible for the cost of airfare, medical travel insurance (which is wise to consider), any required visas and any immunizations/medications recommended by your doctor. 

 

 

When do I have to pay? 

In order to secure your spot on a team, you must complete and application and provide a $300 non-refundable deposit.  The balance of your fees must be paid in full at least 45 days prior to departure.

 

 

Can I fundraise for these costs?  

Absolutely!  We can provide you with some great tools to help you fundraise,  including the ability to set up your own fundraising web page.  However, airfare is not generally eligble as a charitable tax write off.  However, you can certainly ask people to donate air miles.  And, even if one has the financial means to pay the entire cost, we still encourage team members to raise funds through donations, because when you do you are also raising awareness – and that is vital for increasing the effectiveness of the organization(s) being supported.   

 

 

How hard will we be working? 

The VWP teams that are construction related tend to follow a 8 to 4 schedule, with plenty of breaks and opportunities to interact with the locals.   The construction itslef is varied in terms of intensity of work, and thwere is always meaningful and productive work available regardless of one's skill or general conditioning.   The VWP teams we take to the nunnery in Nepal are less structured in terms of what each day holds.  You might elect to teach, work in the garden, help in the kitchen or anywhere you think you can be of assitance around the nunnery grounds.  Prior team members have also trekked with the nuns down to the local village to get produce and goods from the local market, spent hours making traditional prayer flags with the nuns, helped paint the interior of the Temple and participated in year end school day challenges with the local village children.  Many team members also choose to get up early each morning and attend the daily meditations in the Temple.  As invited guests of the nunnery you are welcome to particpate in any and all of their daily activities.

 

 

Will we meet the family we are helping? 

VWP teams doing construction projects generally work side by side with the families we are supporting, and often with a large contingent of the lcoal community.  Teams to the nunnery are completely immersed in the day-to-day lives of the nuns, who range in age from 8 to 80.

 

 

Where will we be staying? 

The accomodations for most VWP teams are basic, clean hotels and/or local guesthouses.  At the nunnery the accomodations are very basic, a shared room within the living area of the nunnery.  Or you can elect to  "upgrade" to a room in the newly constructed Guest House (as available) that is inside the outer walls of the nunnery but outside the main living area.  This provides a slightly more comfortable setting, as it has large bedrooms and flush toilets.

 

 

Will the food be safe? 

Our "on the ground partners" understand our concerns for food quality and safety and oversee the meals that are cooked on-site and recommend the restaraunts where we eat.  We will drink bottled  or boiled water  (although the water at the nunnery is deemed pristine enough by most team members that it can be taken straight from the flowing hillside stream).  However, despite all the best intentions and care taken to provide food safety it is not unusual for a team member or two to get a bout of stomach related issues during a trip.  This rarely keeps a person down for more than a day and we always recommend that everyone travel with the proper medicines to combat these types of issues.

 

 

Do we all fly together? 

No, as we will be coming from multiple cities and some team members may be using air miles. Everyone will be met at the airport in the host country by a local representative (unless you arrive on a date earlier than scheduled) and taken to the team hotel.