Raphael has a very clear sense of history. I felt it the first time my rickshaw drove through the arched gate, the first time I stepped into the volunteers’ mess hall and the first time I met the Ava Vihar children. I felt it the first time I flicked through the past volunteers’ notebook, right […]
Terry Warr
Anita and Sarah
Having never travelled alone, and being in a foreign part of India, Sarah and I had no idea what to expect on our arrival at the Raphael Ryder-Cheshire International Centre in Dehra Dun on the foothills of the Himalayas. However, an incredibly warm reception instantly melted away any feelings of anxiety or apprehension. Little did […]
Bec
Raphael… an incredibly welcoming, warm and beautiful community on the outskirts of Dehradun, India. Five years later and the experience I had there still influences my life daily. I and two other volunteers, who at the time I had not met, spent three months living, working and making friends in Raphael and its surrounding community, […]
Marianna
I spent three months at Raphael and it was fantastic. The kids are wonderful, the staff, brilliant and the city itself has a special type of charm. Raphael is welcoming so if you are a keen traveller or just starting to dip your toe into a world that is different to the one you are […]
Clare
I recently spent 2 months volunteering at Raphael in Dehradun, India. For me it was a door that opened just as I arrived at a crossroads in my life. I was in need of adventure, and throwing myself into another culture was bound to do the trick. It was about a 6 weeks lapse between […]
Jenny
In 2009 Kerrie and I visited Klibur Domin for a four week period. We have been friends for a long time and Kerrie (a social worker) asked me to join her and off we went. I really didn’t know what to expect. I just knew I was going to be a volunteer who needed to […]