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Health
All participants must take the necessary precautions to ensure their good health during the program. We recommend that you see your physician at least three weeks prior to departure to ensure you have all the necessary shots, vaccinations, and immunizations. Also check the Center for Disease Control website for up-to-date information on which shots you need. All participants are required to take anti-malaria medication throughout the duration of the program.
We will work with local doctors and hospitals to ensure the appropriate medical treatment is available when needed. We have knowledge of hospitals that are available near each site, and will have available transportation at all times. We will also have a first aid kit with us for basic treatments.
We will have bottled or boiled water available for the participants during the entire stay, and will be eating hot meals only.
If a participant gets sick, we will always have someone staying back with the participant.
The participants are liable for their own health and health care during the course of the InSPIRE Program. During the program, it is the responsibility of the participant to keep us informed regarding his/her health condition. All health-related expenses will be paid by the participant. Travel Health Insurance is optional. (For more information, see FAQ)
More information pertaining to health will be made available once the participant is accepted.
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Safety
All participants must act responsibly and take all necessary precautions in order to ensure their own safety and the safety of their belongings. We will do our best to ensure the safety of the participants, while still being able to experience the ‘real’ India.
Although there can be no guarantee of safety when traveling anywhere, including the U.S., there are some things we do to manage and minimize risks:
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We will not travel in any politically dangerous areas.
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All the coordinators have spent significant time traveling in India, and we will only
take trains, buses, and roads that in our experience have been safe and reliable.
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Coordinators will ALWAYS be there to listen to participants’ concerns. We will not force any participant into a situation he/she thinks is unsafe.
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We personally have relationships with all the organizations and people with whom we will be interacting
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The participants are encouraged to not travel with valuables. More information on how to travel with passports, money, etc. will be distributed once the participants are accepted.
In the end, the participants are liable for their own safety during the program, and must make the coordinators aware anytime they feel unsafe or unwell.
In case of emergency (natural disaster or human-caused emergency):
- We will ensure the safety of all the participants and the coordinators.
- We will contact the U.S. Embassy for additional information and guidance.
- Based on the situation on the ground and the U.S. Embassy's advice, coordinators will make a decision as to what the next plan of action will be.
- We will get in touch with parents as soon as possible via phone and/or email through the U.S. InSPIRE contact, and continually update parents on status changes.
- If we must evacuate the country, we will follow our pre-determined evacuation plans.
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"I'm a pilgrim of life, so from that point of view, I'm on a pilgrimage every day. Once one lives as a pilgrim, one lives lightly on the earth, with both detachment and engagement. It's all a pilgrimage" ~ Satish Kumar |  |
