LIVE IN
MUMBAI
VOLUNTEER
MAKE AN IMPACT
Multi-Week Global Jewish Service Corps | INDIA
Create and facilitate vital educational programs for children living in the slums of Mumbai with Gabriel Project Mumbai (GPM), a JDC partner.
ABOUT JDC IN ASIA
Within the vast Asia region, India is home to one of the oldest centers of Jewish life still thriving today. JDC’s challenge is to ensure that the small, often widely dispersed Jewish communities in these countries can care for their neediest and remain culturally vibrant and self-sustaining. JDC has been active in India for over 50 years, providing welfare services for the neediest Jews in the community and helping to develop a vibrant Jewish life in Mumbai through programs at the Evelyn Peters Jewish Community Center.
VOLUNTEER PLACEMENTS
In 2012, JDC established a partnership with the NGO Gabriel Project Mumbai (GPM) to connect the local Indian Jewish community to the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam and empower them to take responsibility for the world around them. GPM cares for thousands of vulnerable children in India; its mission is to help break the cycle of poverty and hunger in the slums of Mumbai through education, hygiene, nutrition and medical programs. As an initiative of the Indian Jewish youth group, the Jewish Youth Pioneers (JYP), several young Indian Jews are selected to be GPM interns.
JDC Entwine also partners with GPM each year to send young Jews from around the world to volunteer in the slums as joint JDC-GPM Multi-Week JSC Fellows. JDC-GPM Fellows create innovative literacy and informal education programs by teaching in English and interacting with the children. They also help by cooking, packaging and delivering daily warm meals for children, creating an incentive for parents to send their children to school rather than to work in the streets. JDC-GPM Fellows are simultaneously immersed in Mumbai’s vibrant Jewish community, working alongside their Indian Jewish peers and at the JCC. Learn more about Gabriel Project Mumbai
*JDC Global Leadership Grants JDC does not want the cost of the program to prevent your participation. If you are unable to contribute the full participation fee, we encourage you to apply for a JDC Global Leadership Grant (see JDC Global Leadership Grant section of online application). JDC willaward JDC Global Leadership Grants to a select number of participants on an as-need basis. Your decision to apply for a JDC Global Leadership Grant will not impact selection decisions. Beyond applying for a JDC Global Leadership Grant, we also encourage you to fundraise to cover the cost of your participation. We are happy to provide guidance as you reach out to friends and family to seek donations for this worthwhile experience.
Program Dates:
November 1-December 13,2016
Application Deadline:
September 19,2016
Program Breakdown:
Week 1: Orientation
Week 1-8: Daily Volunteer work in slums, with excursions, site visits and classes
Desired Qualifications:
• Background or interest in educational programs with children
• Flexibility and comfort working in the setting of India’s slums
• Ability to adapt,comfortable in new cultural contexts
• Passion for Volunteerism and instilling the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam
Participation Fee: $2,600 (Global Leadership Grants available)*This includes:
• Comprehensive health and emergency medical evacuation insurance
• Housing
• Transportation to and from service work.
• Airport pick-up
This does not include:
• Airfare to and from India
• Meals
• Visa
• Any personal experiences
Visas:
All accepted participants will be responsible for obtaining a visa to India.Upon acceptance JDC will provide detailed logistics and instructions for applying for a visa.
Fill out this form if you're interested in applying!
WHAT ARE PARTICIPANTS SAYING
“Going to India was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I went in to the country with a lot of questions, curiosity, and hope. While some questions were answered and while it was tough to see many of the struggles India faces, I left with even more questions and hope, and with a deep interest in and appreciation for India. Experiencing the Jewish community only made my appreciation for my Judaism stronger, and Mumbai was one of the most incredible cities I have ever been to. It was beautiful, it was rich, it was poor, it was tame, it was wild, and it was everything in between!”
“Volunteering with GPM in Kalwa has truly been the intensely immersive, service-oriented experience I was seeking from the outset. Daily challenges include interfacing with extreme poverty and finding ways to be the most effective teacher you can be amongst varying levels of literacy. However, these challenges seem to almost immediately fall by the wayside as we arrive to a loud, boisterous greeting of “Good Morning Teachers!” from the smiling children”
“Living in Mumbai and teaching in the slums was a deeply humbling and spiritual journey. Empowering these children in the classroom will lead to a healthier life for their families and them. Spending time with the Jewish community in Mumbai was magical, they’re warm and interesting and made my time in India and life changing experience! Thanks JDC!”