A standard volunteer placement is generally for a period of 3 months however placements can run for anywhere between 1 and 6 months and all requests will be considered.
Elephant gets a predicure!
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The MEF project incorporates four different aspects and volunteers are encouraged to get involved in as many different aspects of the project as is of interest to them; however you may wish to take a special focusfor your placement and concentrate primarily on one element of the Foundation's work. It is important to remember that all elements of the MEF volunteer project are inter-related in working towards achieving the overall objectives of the Foundation and of the MEF Volunteer Project and as such volunteers should also expect to get involved in different project elements as required.
Upon arrival at the MEF volunteers will be allocated an elephant (unless you request otherwise) with which you will work each day for the duration of your placement, along with the elephant's mahout tending to its daily care and treatment. |
In addition to this you will be involved in some if not all aspects/programs of the MEF volunteer project which include the following:
Millennium Elephant Foundation Charity Work
The Millennium Elephant Foundation is a charity, thus the input of its volunteers is extremely important for the daily running of the Foundation. Each volunteer has special interests as well as skills and we encourage them to explore their strengths. On arrival each volunteer brings with them a fresh influx of ideas, which are important to us.
There are three main administrative areas of focus for the MEF volunteer program: these include fundraising, increasing awareness of the MEF's goals and objectives and public relations. In furthering the charity's objectives volunteers will be involved, amongst other things, in promotional work including letter writing campaigns to organisations such as zoos and identified companies for support, maintaining membership records, preparing the quarterly newsletter and the upkeep of this website. |
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 The MEF volunteer office |
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Volunteers are vital in terms of the public relations component of the charity's work, as this often presents a challenge for the MEF's own Sri Lankan staff are sometimes challenged by language and technical skill application. Hence the role that volunteers play in the up keep of public awareness, fund raising and encouraging more tourists to visit the MEF is fundamental to the ongoing work of the Charity.
It is also expected that, with the assistance of other volunteers and MEF staff that volunteers will initiate their own projects to raise funds and promote the MEF.
Teaching English
Volunteers teach english
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Whilst many Sri Lankans can speak English in the local towns, in the more remote villages English is not as widely spoken. For Sri Lankans most low-income groups cannot afford to pay for special tuition and the ability to speak English greatly affects the chances of getting a good job.
As a volunteer your contribution to MEF's teaching English program could be life changing for the villagers you will teach. At present the English Teaching program caters primarily to adults and children primarily from the local village of Randeniya and classes are held at local schools and at MEF. You will teach classes of mixed abilities, and ages ranging from young orphans, to school children, school leavers and adults. You will be responsible for preparing lesson plans and marking your student's work. The teaching English program is one of the MEF's most rewarding programs and offers volunteers maximum interaction with the local community. Whilst teaching qualifications and/or experience may be helpful this is not essential. All you need be is enthusiastic and motivated to interact with your students.
Part of your work will also involve pursuing sponsorship for your students in the acquisition of books and writing utensils which are often too expensive for many of the villagers. When you are not teaching you will be invited to participate in other MEF activities and may have the opportunity to participate in some elephant work. |
Ecological Farming
This element of the MEF project aims to develop an environmentally friendly farm on-site and to discourage the use of chemicals in favour of organic fertilisers. It is envisaged that once fully developed the eco-farm will be entirely self-sustainable and will produce medicinal herbs and vitamin rich plants to supplement the elephants' diet, as well as vegetables for human consumption which will be sold at a local market and to the restaurant where you as a volunteer will eat your daily meals. Working alongside a local agricultural instructor you as a volunteer will learn Sri Lankan methods of farming and will look into how ecological farming can benefit and improve the local community.
Volunteers must not be afraid to get their hands dirty and it is important that you understand that this program involves a lot of manual labor. |
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Volunteers help on the eco farm |
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Indeed, when you are working on the farm you will be responsible for maintaining and cultivating the existing vegetation, which includes fruit and vegetables, medicinal herbs and elephant fodder, as well as clearing land for the farm's expansion which is to include a new nursery. Whilst at times farming can be physically challenging the reward is in seeing your efforts grow, mature and harvested. There is much scope for development and input of new ideas in this program. Indeed, with the special dietary requirements of some of MEF's elder elephants we are always exploring new ways of growing fodder to meet our elephants' needs.
Mobile Veterinary Unit
A visit to a sick elephant with Dr Dangola
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The MEF operates its own Mobile Veterinary Unit (MVU), which travels around Sri Lanka providing routine check-ups and emergency treatment to any wild or domestic ill or injured elephant in need. As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to travel with the MVU and the MEF's attending veterinarian doctor who is based at a local university. Volunteers must appreciate that there is not a need for the MVU to operate everyday, as for it to do so at least one elephant would have to be sick every day? an obviously undesirable situation!
When not out with the MVU you as a volunteer will actively work with our in-house vet attending to the daily care and treatment of the elderly and disabled elephants housed at the Foundation including the maintenance of vital records of their treatment. You will also be involved in fundraising activities for the further acquisition of veterinary equipment and medicine, this may including initiating and/or working on previous veterinary focused volunteer projects to improve the MVU's resource base and to encourage the improved care and treatment of domestic and disabled elephants worldwide. |
Whilst no qualifications are necessary this element of the project is well suited to people either studying or intending to study in the fields of veterinary science, wild life management, zoology or related areas. It is ideal for self-directed work, for thesis or post grad studies.
What To Do Next
If you would like to volunteer at MEF please either complete the on-line application form or email us at elefound@sltnet.lk Upon MEF accepting you into the project, you will be required to confirm your placement by paying a non refundable 10 percent deposit of your placement fee.
Click here for an Online Application form to volunteer at MEF
We look forward to receiving your application!