January and February 2012 and 2013

For the past 20 years CERES has established relationships and networks in India with individuals and organisations working to improve social and environmental outcomes for local communities. Many of the people that CERES Global interacts with in India live on less than $1 a day. As part of the ongoing interest of CERES, the trips aim to make a contribution to tackle some of the major issues of inequity in the world and raise the living standards of people in a sustainable and climate friendly way. CERES returns to the same places every year to foster those connections.

The CERES Global India program is very much focused on mutual learning and cultural exchange, as much as volunteering. As a participant you will work and live in the host villages, gaining a first hand understanding of daily village life and Indian culture. On travelling to India you will have the opportunity to bring your relevant interests, skills and background and CERES Global will facilitate and provide support for you, matching your skills to the appropriate area. As a past participant explains,

Focus Areas:

CERES Global works with communities to generate solutions that are community driven and meet the needs identified by members of the community. Project sustainability is a key aspect of successfully engaging with communities and projects are designed and implemented with these principles in mind. Focus areas include:

• Climate change adaptations and mitigation
  
• Education programs
  
•  Environmental education
• Teacher training
• English teaching
• Computer literacy
• Women’s empowerment
• Health

DATES FOR CERES GLOBAL INDIA 2012 CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

South India: 29th December 2011 to 11th January 2012
Pitchandikulam Forest, Auroville, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Project Involvement in: Women's Groups, Environmental Education, and Revegetation projects, plus Teacher Training and Schools Interactions
www.pitchandikulamforest.org

Central India: 12th January - 1st February 2012
Tribal Villages, Pal, Maharashtra
Project Involvement in- Environmental Education, Climate Change Mitigation and Action Projects, plus Teacher Training and Schools Interactions

Northern India: 2nd February - 8th February 2012
Foothills of the Himalayas, Almora, Uttarakhand Observation of remote tribal projects in education, women's empowerment and climate change adaptation.
www.ueec.org.in

Program Costs

All programs cost $800 per week. This price includes all internal travel, meals, accommodation, the puchase of carbon credits to offset airline travel, admistration and project costs. This price does not include flights to and from India.

Trip One: Two weeks = $1600
Trip Two: Three weeks = $2400
Trip Three: One week = $800

Travellers may participate in one, two or all three programs.

For more information contact Sophie on phone 9389 0183 or ceresglobal@ceres.org.au