A genuine passion for helping underprivileged children and improving their lives is often one of the most important qualifications except your academic qualifications. Volunteers should be committed to the mission and values of Lanka Child Foundation and should demonstrate honesty, integrity, and a strong sense of ethics. Since you’ll be working with vulnerable populations, trustworthiness is essential. Depending on the specific role, you may need certain skills or experience. For example, if you’re volunteering to teach children, you may need considerable proficiency in relevant subjects and teaching experience. If you’re volunteering in healthcare or social services, relevant qualifications or experience in those fields may be required. Some volunteer roles, especially those involving direct contact with children, may require background checks to ensure the safety and well-being of the children served by the organization.

Yes, we can arrange for someone to pick you up from the airport lobby itself,and take you to our center or your accommodation once you land at your risk of expenses.

Sri Lanka boasts an emerging economy as a developing nation, making it relatively affordable for a comfortable stay. The official currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). The exchange rates see the following link. https://www.cbsl.gov.lk/en/rates-and-indicators/exchange-rates

Staying at a guest house or home stay typically costs around 10 Euros per day. Therefore, you can opt for simple local meals from food stalls or outlets for approximately 3 Euros per person. Alternatively, dining at a restaurant with steward service may cost between 8 to 10 Euros per meal. Moreover, these accommodations are conveniently located near project sites, minimizing travel costs and time.

Only some centers of our projects have non-A/C rooms with basic facilities, and you can stay in them by paying 5 Euros as a maintenance cost per month. These rooms include a pantry, providing the convenience to prepare your simple meals. Nevertheless, it’s advisable to also have pocket money for your daily expenses.

There are non-air-conditioned rooms available at the Seenimodara Preschool and Child Guidance Centers (For children with special need) in Beruwala and Ambalangoda. Additionally, there is a   Project Office in Ambalangoda, also equipped with volunteer rooms with basic facilities. If you are interested in our accommodation with a reasonable monthly fee, you are welcome to stay in these facilities. Alternatively, if you are willing to cover your expenses, we can arrange accommodation in a nearby guest house or home stay where our volunteers are currently residing. These guest houses are conveniently located within walking distance of our centers. If you prefer more freedom, a homestay may not be suitable as it requires you to stay with a family.

Yes, can buy meals from external meal shops, as they are available throughout the day in most of the project locations. There are local food outlets and stalls which offer simple meals to affordable prices which gives a taste of Sri Lankan cuisine in a more accessible level by the local people. (Eg: Shorties, Rice & Curry, Kottu, Roti, Hoppers) If you prefer, there are also restaurants available that offers a variety of European-style dishes with various choices.

The distance varies depending on your chosen or assigned project location. If you wish for a guesthouse or homestay, we can arrange accommodation within walking distance to our centers. However, if you are going to stay in some inland locations where some of our projects are located, you may need to rent a bicycle or scooter for transportation at your own expense.

Yes, regular public buses operate in the project areas. You may choose to use them for transportation if you are comfortable enough with them. However, the public bus services in Sri Lanka do not meet European standards.

Typically, our centers operate Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Our centers are closed on weekends, including Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on all mercantile holidays according to the Sri Lankan calendar. Our centers are opened as follows,

• Special Need Children Centers -From 8.30 a.m to 4.00 p.m
• Pre School-8.30 a.m to -12.30 p.m
• Admi Office 9.00 a.m -5.30 p.m

Important: If you opt to volunteer at our child home, please note that weekend work is required, as the children are only available after 3.00 p.m. from Monday to Friday due to their school schedule in the mornings.

Yes, you must adhere to the rules and regulations set by the project coordinator at your workplace, as well as the rules followed by other staff members. If you encounter any issues, you can inform the FLCF Management.

All centers under FLCF are educational institutions, it’s very important to maintain disciplined behaviors in the presence of the children.

You are required to record your daily arrival and departure times at the center, as well as report your daily tasks to the center coordinator.

To change your project, you must provide a valid reason and obtain approval from both FLCF management. If you are a university intern, you also need approval from the relevant authority of your university, Institution, or high school.

According to current availability, you have the option to obtain a visa for a duration of three months at once.  You have the option to extend your visa for up to six months. You can have further discussions with the FLCF management regarding these matters.

You cannot bring along your partners or friends to your designated working places. But, if they have a genuine passion for volunteering, we can guide them toward another project where they can contribute. Therefore, if the candidate meets the required qualifications, they can join by submitting a Volunteer Application along with a CV and a Cover letter of request to FLCL Management and undergo communication with the management for eligibility. However, it’s essential to plan and discuss all aspects with the management beforehand.

In the event of an emergency, you may request leave, subject to a fair reason approved by FLCF management. However, your leave dates will not be counted as working days.

If you are not inclined to continue volunteering before the designated period ends, you can return to your home country. If you are joining through your university or high school, you must provide approval from the relevant authority of your institution. However, you won’t receive a service completion letter unless you have served for a significant duration.

At the conclusion of your volunteerism, it is recommended to submit a concise Feedback Report or Learning Journal to the FLCF management. This report should outline your key learnings and insights gained during your volunteer experience, along with any feedback or suggestions you may have. Your input will greatly contribute to the future success and development of the project.

No, we do not provide any form of payment, including salary or daily allowances, as our organization operates on a charitable basis.

Friends Lanka Child Foundation often provides volunteers with certificates of appreciation or recognition to acknowledge their contributions and commitment signed by the Top Management of FLCF. This certificate serves as a token of gratitude for your service and can be a meaningful keepsake. We offer a formal completion certificate after you finish a certain number of volunteer hours or fulfill specific requirements. This certificate may detail the duration of your service, the tasks you performed, and any relevant accomplishments or skills gained during your volunteer experience. In some cases, we may offer customized certificates based on your volunteer role or specific achievements. For example, if you have made significant contributions to a particular project or initiative, our organization may create a personalized certificate to recognize your efforts. To be eligible for the final volunteer certificate, it is required to work five working days per week.

If an emergency arises, you can contact the project coordinator, public relations officer, or director over the phone. You will receive their contact information upon joining the project.

Medical centers and dispensaries are widely accessible, with pharmacies present in every town. English-speaking doctors are available at these facilities. Additionally, for check-ups and testing, nursing homes and private hospitals are conveniently located in every city.

Your outside visitors, whether foreign or local, are strictly prohibited from accessing the volunteer accommodations in our project. It is very important that all individuals adhere to this rule without exception.

If you wish to explore the beauty of Sri Lanka during your visit, please inform the FLCF management of your travel dates in advance for office purposes to ensure that our volunteers are unavailable on those days at the centers. However, we recommend scheduling your tours either towards the end of your volunteer period or during the vacation periods of our centers, If you encountered that time period.