What can a volunteer do in Bardiya ?
The volunteer role as a Women's Empowerment and Ecotourism Mentor in the Bardiya community homestays is designed to foster economic and social self-reliance among the local Tharu women. The core responsibility involves professionalizing the homestay business through practical skill-building workshops. This includes teaching advanced hospitality, enhancing customer service skills, and establishing high standards for hygiene to directly increase guest satisfaction and revenue. A significant focus is placed on breaking down communication barriers and increasing business independence: the volunteer will teach conversational English tailored to guest interactions and introduce essential digital literacy skills, such as using basic smartphone applications for online communication, bookings, and maintaining a simple financial ledger.
Furthermore, the role is pivotal in promoting diverse and sustainable income generation. The volunteer will facilitate sessions on financial literacy—covering fundamental concepts of saving, budgeting, and simple business accounting. This is coupled with mentorship on entrepreneurship, helping the women develop, market, and price authentic cultural experiences and local handicrafts like Tharu cooking classes or traditional dance performances, thus diversifying their income stream beyond just lodging and food. Crucially, this position also addresses social empowerment by organizing culturally sensitive, informal discussions on vital life skills, including women's health, hygiene, and nutrition, alongside providing foundational knowledge on legal rights related to business and property ownership, all aimed at boosting their self-confidence and their capacity to make informed decisions for themselves and their families. Finally, the volunteer will collaborate with the homestay operators to integrate eco-friendly practices like proper waste management and energy conservation, positioning the community as a leader in sustainable ecotourism linked to the conservation of Bardiya National Park.
Bardiya Community Homestay
The establishment of Bardiya Community Homestay marked a turning point. What began as a modest initiative to support families became a powerful movement that reshaped local perspectives. Tourism has created jobs for youth, empowered women through hospitality, and offered an alternative income source that reduced pressure on forests. Most importantly, it has transformed wildlife from a threat into a shared responsibility encouraging locals to protect the park and its biodiversity with pride. Today, Bardiya is where the roar of a tiger across the grasslands meets the laughter of locals in village courtyards, where farming and festivals thrive alongside forests and wildlife. Choosing Bardiya means joining this journey supporting women’s empowerment, safeguarding traditions, and helping a community turn challenge into opportunity.
