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Sri Lanka

Environmental Conservation Project

Join the Environmental Conservation Project in Sri Lanka with Volunteering Solutions and get the opportunity to conduct a range of initiatives that, we believe, will have a lasting impact in addressing the key environmental issues that affect the natural ecosystems of the gorgeous island.

Highlights

  • Incredible opportunity to focus on Climate change and work with an enthusiastic team to conserve, protect, and sustain the natural environment
  • Learn more about mangrove reforestation, organic farming, recycling education, coral restoration, beach, and river cleanups, and building eco-friendly products that benefit the environment
  • Gain first-hand work experience and bond with people from different parts of the world
  • Learn about the culture, traditions, and festivities of Sri Lanka
  • Living with other volunteers from around the world in volunteer housing in Unawatuna
  • Exploring the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka during free time and weekends
Progetto conservazione ambientale

Overview

Join the Environmental Conservation Project in Sri Lanka with Volunteering Solutions and get the opportunity to conduct a range of initiatives that, we believe, will have a lasting impact in addressing the key environmental issues that affect the natural ecosystems of the gorgeous island. Being a part of this program, you'll get to play an active role in impacting the health of our natural environment including, but not limited to, mangrove reforestation, organic farming, recycling education, coral restoration, beach and river cleanups, and building eco-friendly products that benefit the environment.

The broader theme of this project is “Save our Planet” and to help fight the biggest challenge of our times – Climate Change. The goal is to conserve, protect and sustain our natural environment around us, as well as to bring about a change in the way our community thinks about, and acts upon, this important subject. The project covers a wide range of activities and initiatives that positively impact the health of our natural environment including, but not limited to, mangrove reforestation, organic farming, recycling education, coral restoration, beach and river cleanups,and building eco-friendly products that benefit the environment.

Being a part of this conservation volunteer program, you'll get to contribute towards sustainable development and learn to be a responsible traveller.

Background to this Program
We live in a time where the Earth is at its most vulnerable. Natural ecosystems have declined substantially resulting in loss of biodiversity, man-made pollution has reached unimaginable levels and climate change has become humanity’s greatest challenge. It is clear we need to change the way we interact with nature and change fast. In order to preserve the earth for future generations, we not only need to reduce the amount of harm that human activities have on the environment but also support the natural world as much as we can.

Just like the rest of the planet, here in Sri Lanka, the beautiful natural environment needs to be protected and preserved for future generations, as well as for the vast natural flora and fauna that have been native to us for centuries. Environmental conservation is a vast topic that covers multiple areas in different parts of the world. For this project, we have chosen to conduct a range of initiatives that, we believe, will have a lasting impact in addressing the key environmental issues that affect the natural ecosystems of our beloved island.


Volunteer Work Schedule

Volunteer Work Schedule

  • Saturday: Arrival + House Tour + Initial Training session on safety & security + culture orientation  (this is done either on Saturday or Sunday depending on time of arrival)

  • Sunday: Neighbourhood familiarization tour and project-specific training

  • Monday: Working on the organic farm using ecologically-beneficial and sustainable practices  

  • Tue: Either river cleaning session riding on canoes or recycling education session to the local community  

  • Wed: Mangrove reforestation session at the lagoon

  • Thu: Building eco-friendly products – either ecobricks or artificial corals

  • Fri: Group beach clean-up session

  • Meals Timings – Breakfast - 07:30 am - 9:00am, Lunch -  12:00 pm to 1:30 pm and Dinner - 06:00 pm -7:30 pm

Please note that given above is what a typical week would look like. The schedule can vary quite a bit depending on season, priorities, conditions on the ground, etc.


Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

As a volunteer for the Environmental Conservation Project, you'll have to do the following (apart from other minor works that may crop up as & when required) :

Reforestation & Mangrove Restoration – Volunteers will play a key role in assisting with the mangrove habitat restoration process in the area by helping plant new seeds in our nursery, nurture and monitor the growth of baby mangrove plants and assist in planting them in and around the islands on the lagoon when they are ready.This part of the project takes places in Koggala Lagoon,an important coastal water body in Galle District embellished with eight ecologically rich small islands. Volunteers will play a key role in assisting with the mangrove habitat restoration process in the area by helping plant new seeds in the nursery, nurture and monitor the growth of baby mangrove plants and assist in planting them in and around the islands on the lagoon when they are ready.Volunteers will also work closely with the local conservation team in doing a range of other tasks that are required to preserve and maintain the lagoon’s ecosystem.

Recycling Education: Volunteers will be conducting educational presentation sessions to local communities and schools, highlighting the environmental issues plaguing the region, particularly plastic pollution, focusing on the importance of recycling as a way of life to combat these challenges. These sessions will be aided by our local staff who will help with the preparation of presentation materials and language translations with the local community.

Building Eco Bricks – Volunteers will spend part of their project time building Eco Bricks which will be used to build the boundary walls in our organic garden and also outdoor furniture.

Organic Farming - Volunteers will spend part of their project time in our organic garden helping grow fresh fruits and vegetables in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner.

Coral Reef Restoration - Coral reefs in Sri Lanka have dwindled in size recently due to the adverse effects of climate change and human activities. This part of the project involves building artificial coral reefs using durable and eco-friendly materials to mimic the effects of natural coral reefs. These are then placed in the shallow areas of the ocean where the natural reefs were once thriving. Over time,research has shown that these artificial reefs are generally able to provide a stable habitat for fishes and all the other plant and animal organisms that one would find on a natural reef, thereby restoring this lost marine ecosystem to a large extent.Volunteers will be building artificial coral reefs using durable and eco-friendly materials to mimic the effects of natural coral reefs.

Beach Cleaning & River Cleaning - For beach cleaning, volunteers will be working around the Galle and Unawatuna areas, protecting our coastlines, and controlling the trash deposit that is left by the tourists. As a part of the river cleaning, volunteers will be cleaning smaller tributaries of the Gin Ganga river of plastic and other waste products that threaten the immediate ecosystem.Keeping the river clean benefits local neighboring communities, the surrounding flora and fauna, and ultimately the ocean. This part of the project involves volunteers riding in canoes (2 per canoe) and cleaning smaller tributaries of the river of plastic and other waste products that threaten the immediate ecosystem. Life jackets, canoes, oars, scooping nets and waste collecting bags are provided. It requires teamwork and a sense of adventure, all done in a beautiful rural natural setting surrounded by paddy fields.


Project Requirement

Project Requirement

Volunteers must be 16 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program and should be prepared to work outdoors and get their hands dirty. Participants in the program should have a keen interest and love for conservation work. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report. A parental consent form shall be required for Under 18 participants joining the program.This project is also suitable for families. Children aged 5 years and above can actively participate in the project with their parent(s) or guardian(s).

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Living

Living

Airport Transfers 
Volunteers are picked up from the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport Airport by a representative of the local coordinating team on the program start date during scheduled airport pickup hours. Participants are also dropped off to the airport upon completion of the program during the scheduled airport drop hours.

Note : Airport Transfers are provided at extra charges of USD $37 each way for a shared transfer during scheduled pickup hours on Saturday.There will be 2 shared airport transfers every Saturday (Morning and afternoon/evening) from airport to Galle and vice versa for return departures.​ A private transfer is available for USD 100 and can be arranged on Saturday or for participants arriving on any date other than the start date.

Orientation
A detailed program Orientation will be provided before you start your volunteering program.All volunteers on arrival get a welcome presentation including health and safety training, culture presentation, project specific presentation and area orientation tour. Our staff will also assist you with the lessons and planning the curriculum, as and when required. You will also have access to our in-house teaching library consisting of manuals, books, and various teaching materials to help with lesson planning and providing general guidance.

Accommodation
Volunteers joining the programs in Galle, Sri Lanka, will get to stay in the quaint Unawatuna neighbourhood, overlooking the famous Unawatuna Beach and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Our participants stay in two volunteer houses which are located near to each other.

The Beachside house is located right across the road from Unawatuna Beach and about 100 metres from the other volunteer house. It has 12 spacious bedrooms of varying sizes with attached en suite bathrooms each with air-conditioning facilities (most rooms also have attached outdoor balconies). There is also a separate dining area, small garden, lounge, terrace and a large office with permanent staff onsite. The property is safeguarded by multiple CCTV cameras and an onsite night security team.

The other larger volunteer house has 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.Most of these rooms have ocean views! There's a private 40-foot outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery. The house also has 3 kitchens as well as 3 living/common rooms (one each per floor), a prominent dining area, and a private outdoor garden with seating/lounging areas.

The office is located on the ground floor of the house near the main entrance – this is where the local team operate from every day. The house is located in a peaceful, nature-filled neighbourhood adjacent to a small Buddhist temple (nestled away from the main tourist areas). To ensure the safety and security of the participants, there are CCTV cameras installed, and an in-house security guard for night-time surveillance. Hot water and high-speed Wi-Fi are there and you can opt for air-conditioning and laundry facilities at an additional charge.

Private (single and double) room upgrades are available at additional charges. During busy months participants are also provided accommodation in nearby guesthouses in case of low capacity in the volunteer houses or non availability of private rooms. Private rooms are provided in guesthouses within walking distance to the volunteer house. Volunteers stay in the private guesthouses and walk over to the volunteer house and have meals with the other volunteers.

All participants aged 40 years and older will be provided with a private room only and will not be provided accommodation in shared dorm rooms . Additional charges for private room upgrade shall be applicable.

Meals
We provide 3 freshly cooked meals per day all week long (Monday to Sunday): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Fresh ingredients are purchased from local markets to prepare these meals. The volunteer homes have cooks from the local community who come daily to cook fresh, homely and tasty local meals for the volunteers. We can cater to a range of special diets including vegan, gluten free, nut free and lactose-intolerant diets. If there are any other allergy or food requirements mentioned to us beforehand, we always do our best to accommodate those needs. Those volunteers staying in private guesthouse rooms near the volunteer house, usually have breakfast at the guest house and walk down to the volunteer house for their lunch and dinner.

Local Transportation
Local transportation to and from the project is included every day.

During Free Time
There is plenty to do during the free time and weekends for the volunteers.The following activities are provided free of charge and included in your program fee:

  • Evening Rooftop Yoga Session (weekly)

  • Movie nights on large screen projector at the house (weekly)

  • Bike tour across paddy fields and local villages (monthly)

  • BBQ for volunteers and staff in the garden (monthly)

  • Night Fishing for anyone into fishing (on demand)

The following are popular weekend (or even daily) activities which our volunteers love to do around the area (at an additional charge):

  • Surfing lessons

  • Elephant safari

  • Whale watching(during season)

  • Rainforest hiking

  • Beach hopping

  • Local cooking class

  • Galle Walking Tour

  • Local spice market visit

  • Galle Fort visit

We also encourage you to join our specially curated 7D/6N Sri Lanka Culture & Adventure Tour which packs the best of the island’s beauty and diversity within a week.The tour can be added to your program itinerary before or after the volunteer program.


Dates

Dates

November

16

23

30

December

07

14

21

28

Available

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Booked Out


Costs

Duration
Program Fee
Choose your currency
1 Week $740
2 Weeks $940
3 Weeks $1110
4 Weeks $1280
5 Weeks $1450
6 Weeks $1620
7 Weeks $1790
8 Weeks $1960
Extra Week $195

Please Note: An application fee of is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.

What are you Paying For?

  • 24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
  • Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
  • ​Dedicated volunteer housing with WiFi (shared rooms)
  • Orientation and training on arrival
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner all days
  • Guaranteed project placement
  • Local transportation to projects in private AC van or tuk tuk
  • Experienced bilingual operations team on the ground
  • Dedicated staff support from 6 am to 8 pm every day
  • 24/7 local emergency support
  • Weekly yoga class on rooftop terrace
  • Weekly movie nights on large screen projector
  • Monthly bike tour around paddy fields and local villages
  • Monthly special BBQ dinner
  • Travel & Medical Insurance(Available at an extra cost)
  • Certificate of Participation(On Request)

What's NOT Included?

  • Visa Fee
  • International Airfare
  • Scheduled Airport Transfers from Colombo Airport (available at extra charges)
  • Vaccinations
  • Any personal expenses
  • Additional Local Excursions and Trips

FAQ's

Application and Program Details

Are there any necessary requirements to participate in the Sri Lankan volunteer programs?

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Health and Safety

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Accommodation and Living

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