We invite anyone with an open heart and a desire to serve to join us in the beautiful city of Rishikesh as a volunteer minimum 1 week, ideally 6 months or more. We will welcome all new volunteers as a family and do everything we can to make your transition smooth and comfortable. Rishikesh offers a peaceful backdrop to slow down and reconnect with yourself. Sounds of chanting and sacred bells can be heard throughout the day, while yoga, massage, and Ayurvedic classes can be found in abundance. If you are looking for a lifestyle change or a way to give back, join us in the yoga capital of the world!
There are many projects available depending on the volunteer’s skills, interests, and duration of stay.
“Mother Miracle School is committed to equal sponsorship and volunteer opportunity without regard to age, ancestry, disability, national or ethnic origin, race, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, political belief, or veteran status.”
Please come Volunteer at our School
Volunteer at our Coding School: Calling all experienced programmers, coders, and people who love computers. We need volunteers to help teach programming languages that have broad applicability to our students (Java, Javascript, SQL – Databases, Linux, XML, C ++, C#, Python, .NET). Our students currently spend at least 10 hours a week in our computer lab practicing coding using an online program. We would love volunteers who could deepen our impact by teaching a few coding classes or leading an intensive coding boot camp.
Make sure that you read our FAQ before applying to ensure this will be a good fit for what you’re looking for. If you have additional questions, we are always happy to answer them via email at info@mothermiracle.org. When you are ready to get involved, you can tell us more about yourself using the form below.
Ready to sign up? Tell us about yourself. We’ll be in touch shortly.
Past projects by our volunteers
- Built and launched an updated Mother Miracle website
- Designed logos, letterheads, and promotional materials
- Served as administrative assistant to help with financials, bookkeeping, organization
- Spent one or more days playing with the children at Mother Miracle and visiting them in their homes
- Shared new creative art and sculpture projects for the kids to try in Art class
- Assisted the Executive Chef in the bakery making bread, cookies, and cakes – Yum!
- Took on leadership roles in the school, managing staff members and projects
- Eye doctors, dentists, and primary care doctors have volunteered for one or more days to do check-ups for the kids
- Registered nutritionists have evaluated our school meals and suggested improvements to the menus. They have also collected and reported important information about our children’s height and weight.
- A pilot from an American airline came and taught them how to fly. It inspired a few of our kids to want to become pilots!
FAQs about Volunteering
Hours vary depending on the volunteer’s duration of stay and project focus. Some volunteers enjoy working full time, while others assist for part of the day or a few times a week. If it is a good fit, we can be flexible and do our best to work around your schedule.
Whatever your hours, please bring your passion and commitment! This means being on time, reliable in your communication and attendance, and taking responsibility for your work quality. It is always okay to say no to a task, but once you agree, please follow through. We are counting on you!
Here are some examples of activity timings:
- Assisting with academics in the classroom: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
- Tutoring children who are behind in their studies: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
- Teaching computer class: 8:30 am-3:00 pm
- Teaching music and dance: 12:30-1:30, Saturday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
No, Hindi is not required. But if you feel inspired, you can learn a few Hindi phrases and greetings to make a good impression with the kids! All of our classes are taught in English, and strong English proficiency is required if you plan to teach in primary school. You can speak any language to teach or assist with classes like arts & crafts, dance, or yoga.
Volunteers are expected to respect the modest Indian culture. Please cover your legs to the ankles (no shorts or skirts), cover your shoulders (no tank tops), avoid low necklines and the display of tattoos, and no tight-fitting clothing. Volunteers should not wear clothing advertising drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or other substances or activities which are not child-appropriate.
If you give us enough advance notice of your arrival, we can assist with your adjustment to Rishikesh. This could include helping pick you up at the train station or nearby airport or finding a hotel, guest house, or apartment near our school. Once you arrive, we will give you a warm welcome by giving you a school tour and helping to orient you to your tasks.
Suggested housing near the school. For all bookings, please say you are a volunteer for Mother Miracle to get the best rate!
- ($ – 500-600 rupees/night) Laxmi Guest Lodge: very basic rooms, run by a lovely local family, closest guest house to the school, nice view of Ganga. The mother of the house will cook meals or make Chai for you upon request. Free WiFi available from the school, but low signal. 1 minute from school’s bakery for morning espresso and treats! +91(941)132-6063
- ($$ – 600-800 rupees/night) Kailasa Guest House, Rishikesh: modern and clean with a quiet courtyard and rooftop seating. Comfortable and warm rooms. WiFi is not included but can access a strong connection for an extra fee. It is 4 minutes walking from school and the bakery. Located in a local residential neighborhood of Shisham Jhari.
- ($$$$ – 3,540 rupees/night) Hotel Vasundhara Palace – One of the best hotels in Rishikesh with a delicious Western-friendly restaurant on the ground floor.
- ($ – 10,000 rupees/month). Green Cottage Guesthouse: Clean, long-term furnished studio apartments for rent with basic kitchen and private bathroom. Can rent for a few months to several years. 10 minutes walking distance from the school and located in a very quiet and safe residential neighborhood of Kailash Gate. The landlord is named Cippy Bhatt, and he is wonderful. We highly recommend this place for anyone considering a long-term volunteer engagement in Rishikesh. Contact details: +91(989) 754-3167 and Facebook page: @GreenCottageRishikesh.
Transportation:
For private taxi, we recommend Many Tour & Travels: +91(885) 953-4242, vijaymany@gmail.com. Manny is the owner and a good friend of Mother Miracle. Say that you are a volunteer with us, and he will take care of you!
Arriving by flight – the closest airport is in Dehradun. There are daily flights available from Delhi to Dehradun for $30-$60USD, depending on when you book. It is a short 45-minute flight. Once you arrive in Dehradun, government taxis are available with fixed prices to take you to Rishikesh. It should cost about 800 rupees.
Arriving by train – You can catch a train from Delhi to Haridwar, and it takes about 7 hours. We recommend taking 2nd class or 1st class, which is much more comfortable and only a little extra money. Once you arrive, there are government taxis with fixed prices to take you to Rishikesh. It should cost about 1,000 rupees and take 40 minutes to get to Rishikesh.
Arriving by car – You can hire a driver from Delhi to take you to Rishikesh. It will take about 6-7 hours, and prices will vary. This will be much more expensive than the train, and you will likely face traffic.
If you want to donate, it is best to donate online to our general fund or wait until you arrive in Rishikesh to purchase the items you wish to donate. Many visitors and volunteers bring candies, toys, pencils, and markers from abroad, but all these items are readily available right here and at a much lower cost! We already have plenty of pencils and art supplies in our school, so we recommend waiting until you get here to work together to discuss the most pressing needs of the school. Plus, you can travel lighter and help support our local economy! If you plan to raise money from friends and family before coming, please send us an e-mail to info@mothermiracle.org to ask what is most needed. Thank you, you are the BEST!
Here are some examples of how you could treat our kids:
Buying apples or oranges from our local market – 400 apples or oranges for 400 children and staff costs just $200USD.
Sponsoring lunch for a day – our nutritious “all you can eat” lunch costs $185 a day for our staff and students. This is a daily expense.
No, there is no fee. We are grateful for your time and appreciate that you want to share your energy with us! If you enjoy your time at Mother Miracle and believe in the work we are doing, we always appreciate volunteers who help spread the word to their friends and family or consider getting further involved by sponsoring a child or making a donation. No, there is no fee. We are grateful for your time and appreciate that you want to share your energy with us! If you enjoy your time at Mother Miracle and believe in the work we are doing, we always appreciate volunteers who help spread the word to their friends and family or consider getting further involved by sponsoring a child or making a donation.
In Western culture, it is common-place to exchange hugs with people of the opposite sex. This is not considered appropriate in India. If you are a man, please do not touch or hug any female students and do not shake hands with any of the Indian female staff members. Instead, it is customary to put your palms together in a prayer position and say the respectful Indian greeting of “namaste.” If you are a woman.
To maintain a positive environment for our children, we are a drug, smoking, and alcohol-free school. No vulgarities or obscenities will be permitted while working in the school, and all students, teachers, and staff members must be treated with the utmost respect. We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy in which volunteers out of compliance will be asked to leave the school immediately, and their volunteer term will end.