The concept of volunteering in Nepal and India was a relatively new concept in Nepal when the Rural Community Development Program (RCDP) opened its doors back in 1998. Today, volunteering in Nepal is at an all-time high, thanks in part to the RCDP's efforts. Behind these efforts is Dr. Murali Adhikari, who after a meeting with GoAbroad.com founder Troy Peden in Boulder, Colorado, in 1998 was inspired to establish one of the most recognized and respected organizations in the field of volunteer travel in Nepal.<div class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width:373px"><img src="http://cdn2.goabroad.com/images/interviews/Rural%20Community%20Interview.jpg.JPG"></div>The Rural Community Development Program has deployed more than 12,000 volunteers to projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America since its inception in 1998. That's a huge number, translating to about 800 volunteers per year. What makes volunteers choose RCDP over other volunteering organizations?
There are several factors that motivate volunteers to choose RCDP.&nbsp;
1. Unbeatable Price
RCDP offers the best price in the volunteer abroad market. No one can beat RCDP&rsquo;s volunteer abroad program fee. The fee covers accommodation, three local meals a day, project donation, and coordination. In some countries, like Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania, our fee starts just $80 per week. This is a great motivating factor for college students who are inspired to help make our world a better place but are constrained by their limited budgets.
2. Honesty and Financial Transparency
Many volunteer companies never show where the volunteer program fees are going. There is no financial transparency. Many volunteers get frustrated when they pay thousands of dollars and later learn that the host family or project is getting just a small fraction of it. Volunteers always ask, &ldquo;Where does money go?&rdquo; To maintain financial transparency and honesty, we only take a small coordination fee and ask volunteers to pay their fee directly to the project and host family. Most volunteers are happy with this.
3. Expert Staff and Professional Services
RCDP works with reputable local organizations and hire experienced, outgoing, caring, and friendly staff. Before offering projects, we traveled to all the countries to research which projects to offer and carefully screened our host families and other accommodations. We also trained our staff rigorously to deliver outstanding customer service and they regularly exceed volunteers&rsquo; expectations. Our strong field support, quality program, experienced staff, and great services also contribute to volunteer satisfaction. We have many repeat volunteers.
4. Our Experience
We have been running volunteer abroad programs for 15 years. When I met <a href="http://www.goabroad.com/author/troy-peden/interview" data-contentlink="3648">Troy Peden</a>, I was a young student in the United States. In the last 15 years, we learned a lot from hosting volunteers from all over the world. We evaluated every piece of feedback carefully and have tried to improve the program based on it. We can now happily say that 99.5 percent of our volunteers are satisfied.
5. Community Contribution
RCDP is not a regular volunteer organization. We are a leader in community development. In the last 15 years, we have built 12 schools and donated over $100,000 USD for grassroots programs. This fund comes from our volunteer program coordination fee. So whatever we save from the coordination fee we use to support schools, orphanages, and local projects.
You earned a PhD in agriculture in the United States. Are there RCDP agriculture or environmental sustainability projects?
The majority of RCDP&rsquo;s programs are related to community development, like building and renovating schools and orphanages, and other grassroots level infrastructure development projects. RCDP does have an environmental project in Nepal where we grow thousands of seedlings and distribute them to farmers every year.
Your tagline reads, "World's Most Affordable." Why do volunteers need to pay to participate in the projects?
RCDP is a non-profit organization. Making a profit is not our motive. Of course, we need coordination fees to advertise on Google or Yahoo, and to cover our office/staff expenses. But we do not make a profit from volunteers. In our opinion, volunteering is a service to humanity and this opportunity must be available at as minimum a cost as possible. We always strive to keep our cost very low.
What is the biggest achievement and the largest challenge of the organization so far?
Our biggest achievement is our affordable cost and life changing volunteer experiences we have given to our 12,000 volunteers. Our volunteers have worked four weeks (on average) and worked six hours a day in orphanages, schools, on conservation projects, women groups, and grassroots projects, and contributed 1,440,000 (1.44 millions) volunteer hours! They have made meaningful, long lasting differences in the lives of many children and communities. Our volunteers have empowered and inspired disadvantaged people and contributed to making this world a better place.
The biggest challenge facing us now is the growing cost of organizing volunteer programs. The economies of many of the countries where we host volunteer programs are growing fast. A lot of things have changed in the last 15 years. The cost of everything (rent, office, meals) is going up. This is making our goal of offering affordable programs very difficult.
RCDP projects focus on orphans, orphanages, and underfunded schools. How did you choose to focus volunteering efforts on these areas? Do you have plans of expanding beyond childcare and education?
We believe every life is a gift of God, and if you extend a helping hand and kind heart the life of these beautiful children can be changed for better. We can work to conserve nature, but we feel human life is much more important than anything else. So our volunteer programs and community work focuses on building schools, orphanages, teaching, and working in orphanages.&nbsp;
One of the best aspects of traveling is the opportunity to learn about other cultures and in turn share your culture. What activities do you offer that help participants immerse in the culture of Nepal?
To offer glimpses of Nepali culture and to give opportunities for cultural immersion and exchange, we currently run a Nepali language school, host family stay, village-stay, village tour, and Everest volunteering program. In our unique cultural immersion programs, volunteers stay with a local host family in a rural village and learn and share their experiences with each other.
Based on feedback from your volunteers, your organization has a high level of satisfaction. How do you ensure a positive experience for a RCDP volunteer?
We personally visit the countries and select the best projects where there is a scope for volunteers to make a meaningful contribution. We select host families and train them to give a comfortable environment to volunteers. We also provide training to project staff on how to make the experience of our volunteers the most memorable. They are all experienced and enjoy excellent reputations in their areas.&nbsp;
We also offer support to our outgoing volunteers before, during, and after their placement. We offer a pre-departure call to address their concerns and an in-depth orientation upon arrival explaining all related issues. We then follow up with our volunteers every week by personal visits, a call, or email to make sure that they are fine. We offer 24/7 assistance to volunteers in field. We take in all the feedback from our volunteers positively and try to improve our programs based on it.
We have seen what the RCDP can do. What started in Nepal now spans several continents and more than a dozen countries, so what is the organization's next move?
We want to continue to improve the quality of the programs and continue to offer life changing volunteer experiences to more volunteers. We will not be expanding to other countries, but we are focusing on improving the quality of the programs by making further screening/selection/training on projects, host families, and ground staff. We aim to make 100 percent of our volunteers happy and get 2000 volunteers a year.

Dr. Murali Adhikari

Get to know the people behind RCDP International Volunteer! Check out this GoAbroad Staff Interview with Dr. Murali Adhikari.

Dr. Murali Adhikari | RCDP International Volunteer

Dr. Murali Adhikari - Founder 

RCDP Nepal offers a deeply rewarding opportunity to support orphaned children in Nepal. As a volunteer, you will help create a nurturing and supportive environment for children who have lost their parents or have been abandoned. Your role will involve teaching basic English, assisting with homework, organizing creative activities and games, and providing the love and attention these children crave and deserve. This program not only aids in the children's development but also allows volunteers to immerse themselves in Nepalese culture through direct interaction with the local community.

This opportunity is ideal for:
Individuals passionate about child welfare and education.
Volunteers looking to make a difference in a supportive community setting.
Those interested in learning about Nepali culture and contributing to the welfare of its children.

RCDP Nepal is one of the most established and respected volunteer organizations in Nepal, with a longstanding commitment to supporting the local communities through various initiatives. By joining this program, you contribute directly to the wellbeing of Nepali children while gaining an unforgettable life experience. Sign-up today!

Volunteer with Orphans in Nepal with RCDP Nepal

RCDP International Volunteer

The Tycoons

RCDP International Volunteer is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that empowers disadvantaged communities with sustainable and meaningful volunteer programs. We offer unique, highly flexible, safe, and affordable programs in more than 18 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Each year, volunteers of all ages enroll in our programs and set out on an unforgettable journey that empowers them and gives them insight into how lives in other parts of the world are lived. Through our volunteer program, volunteers have the opportunity to give back to local communities where they live, immerse in local culture, and make local friends.

We aim to offer the most inexpensive and excellent volunteer and humanitarian abroad experiences, enabling us to make a contribution for all of human...

RCDP International Volunteer is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that empowers disadvantaged communities with sustainable and meaningful volunteer programs. We offer unique, highly flexible, safe, and affordable programs in more than 18 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Each year, volunteers of all ages enroll in our programs and set out on an unforgettable journey that empowers them and gives them insight into how lives in other parts of the world are lived. Through our volunteer program, volunteers have the opportunity to give back to local communities where they live, immerse in local culture, and make local friends.

We aim to offer the most inexpensive and excellent volunteer and humanitarian abroad experiences, enabling us to make a contribution for all of humanity in its quest to make the world a better place.

Through our volunteer and humanitarian trips abroad, we aim to spread love and compassion across the world while improving the lives of destitute children and less-fortunate communities. We also seek sustainable solutions in a variety of fields, including conservation, development, healthcare, and education, through international volunteering.

RCDP International Volunteer is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that empowers disadvantaged communities with sustainable and meaningful volunteer programs. We offer unique, highly flexible, safe, and affordable programs in more than 18 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Each year, volunteers of all ages enroll in our programs and set out on an unforgettable journey that empower...

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