The small village of Trsic is the birthplace of Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic, the 19th century language reformer who is considered the father of the modern Serbian language. A portion of the village has been turned into an ethnographic park, centred on a recreation of the Karadzic family home. The pedestrian zone connecting Trsic and Tronosa monastery, once the road Vuk Karadzic was passing every day on his way to school (monastery itself), is polluted with mini waste dumps and garbage spreaded by tourists and local inhabitants. The environment as well as the attraction of this touristy place is endangered by the waste and its quantity.
Partner:
The workcamp is a joint initiative of several local partner organizations working together on introducing the spirit of volunteerism and developing and improving rural and eco-tourism in Trsic (www.kamp-trsic.org.rs). The goal is to educate local people and motivate them to be active citizens in preserving the nature and other values for the sake of generations to come. This is the eighth year the camp is organized here, as the first seven gave great results.
Work:
Volunteers will work on cleaning the woods from garbage, clearing the vegetation, reconstruction of the info signs and boards, marking the walking and biking paths which are connecting Vuk’s house and 5km distant XIV century Tronosa monastery. Volunteers should be prepared for long hiking and hard work. The additional activity will be about sculpturing in the forests using natural materials (the idea is to make and hang them on the paths in the forest). All the art workshops will be led by artists.
Accommodation and food:
In a fully equipped house only 50m away from Vuk’s house (www.trsic.co.rs), built in the same, traditional, style but at the same time very technologically advanced, in the heart of the ethno village. No sleeping bags needed.
Location and leisure:
Trsic is a small village famous as the birth place of Vuk Karadzic, the reformist of Serbian language and orthography. Beside beautiful and preserved nature, green glades, thick forests and bounty of streams, this landscape offer an idyllic atmosphere of traditional Serbia of 18th and 19th century. Trsic is situated close to Loznica in the western part of Serbia. Excursions to important cultural and historical points will be organized, together with visits to museums and one day for getting to know the children from the local school and participating in their special event. Participation of the local volunteers will be an essential part of the workcamp.
Special requirements:
Volunteers should be nature and culture lovers prepared for long walks and hard work. Also, volunteers with interest and experience in land art are very welcome.
Extra fee:
20 EUR, to be paid upon arrival. Extra fee is used as an addition to the workcamp budget, for additional excursions and material for work.
Volunteers will work on cleaning the woods from garbage, clearing the vegetation, reconstruction of the info signs and boards, marking the walking and biking paths which are connecting Vuk s house and 5km distant XIV century Tronosa monastery. Volunteers should be prepared for long hiking and hard work. The additional activity will be about sculpturing in the forests using natural materials (the idea is to make and hang them on the paths in the forest). All the art workshops will be led by artists.
Accomodation & food:
In a fully equipped house only 50m away from Vuk s house (www.trsic.co.rs), built in the same, traditional, style but at the same time very technologically advanced, in the heart of the ethno village. No sleeping bags needed.
Location & leisure:
Trsic is a small village famous as the birth place of Vuk Karadzic, the reformist of Serbian language and orthography. Beside beautiful and preserved nature, green glades, thick forests and bounty of streams, this landscape offer an idyllic atmosphere of traditional Serbia of 18th and 19th century. Trsic is situated close to Loznica in the western part of Serbia.Excursions to important cultural and historical points will be organized, together with visits to museums and one day for getting to know the children from the local school and participating in their special event. Participation of the local volunteers will be an essential part of the workcamp.
Requirements:
Volunteers should be nature and culture lovers prepared for long walks and hard work. Also, volunteers with interest and experience in land art are very welcome.
Volunteers will be included in the project of wet meadows revitalization by removing reed, tree branches and clearing other vegetation. Also they can work on converting some arable molders of the land near the lake into quilts by collecting seeds from the quilts vegetation; renovation of an old cottage, typical for this area, such as painting walls or cleaning. All the work will be carried out in co-operation with the managers of the protected area, ecologists and ornithologists. Volunteers interested in the countryside and nature conservation are welcome.
Accomodation & food:
in the Research Station Ludas point. Food will be provided in local restaurant Mosquito Tavern ( Szunyog-csarda ). Sleeping bags are required.
Location & leisure:
Ludas Lake is located 12 km from Subotica in the northern part of Serbia. Excursions to important cultural and historical points will be organized, together with visits to museums.
Requirements:
Volunteers should be nature and culture lovers prepared for long walks and hard but very rewarding work.
Volunteers will be clearing the vegetation, constructing and renovating the Centre and creating various types of activities (depending on the volunteers interest and ideas) for creative animation of the local inhabitants within the Centre.
Accomodation & food:
In the Centre there are 2 rooms with bathrooms, and there is one bungalow with bathroom as well. Volunteers will prepare breakfast and dinner on their own, with material provided, and lunch will be prepared in a nearby restaurant.
Location & leisure:
Jazak is a small village in northern part of Serbia, on slopes of the Fruska Gora Mountain, a national park of extraordinary beauty, home to sixteen beautiful monasteries. Jazak is situated at 80 km from Belgrade, 25km from Novi Sad, and 12 km from the closest town of Ruma. Together we will visit a nearby monastery Jazak , a swimming pool, and one day we will visit the city of Novi Sad.
Requirements:
Volunteers should be prepared for hard work, long walks in the nature, and a life in a small village.
Having an international group in the village will attract people to interact, make friends, so it is more likely that the impact to the local community in terms of environmental awareness will be greater and that the interaction through work and many cultural and social events. This summer workcamp will be a follow up of the spring workcamp, and volunteers will be involved in organic agriculture (harvesting the yield, irrigating etc.) on the land given to Grupa Kobra by the locals for the educational purposes. Beside this, volunteers will work on maintaining the cultural centre (some construction work and marking the walking paths). In the evenings we will organise cultural and sport activities in the centre for and with the local young people. We are always relying on good ideas from international volunteers. Evaluations of our previous camps and our experience showed that local people are very interested in these kinds of events.
Accomodation & food:
in the local Cultural Centre on air mattresses, bathroom and kitchen provided. Food will be prepared by the volunteers, with the material provided, and occasionally by the locals, so to learn more about the local cuisine and introduce international elements.
Location & leisure:
Donja Toponica (17 km from Nis) is a village of merely 350 inhabitants, situated very close to Nis, one of the biggest cities of Serbia. Excursions to nearby mountain villages, visits to local households, an unexploited natural spa and Nis will be organised. Mountains of south-eastern Serbia boast nearly untouched nature, rich wildlife, old forts and cities on their tops, and many of them are hiding in its interior spacious halls of magnificent caves. www.discoversoutheastserbia.com
Requirements:
The volunteers should have necessary skills for teaching English to children and/or through presenting the traditional and modern dances from their countries and/or have other artistic skills like painting. They should be nature and village lovers.
We will work on constructing a peace park in Arilje with bungalows, tents, trailers, an outdoor amphitheatre for various workshops, as well as a space for making traditional souvenirs. The peace park is meant to be a place of gathering of young people from all over Serbia and abroad during the entire year. The work will consist of preparation of the infrastructure for the park - construction work.
Accomodation & food:
Volunteers will be accommodated in big tents with outdoor kitchen, dry toilets and improvised outdoor showers. Volunteers will prepare meals on their own, with the material provided. Sleeping bags and mattresses needed.
Location & leisure:
Arilje is town in Western Serbia, 200 km away from Belgrade. It is a small town situated on the confluence of two rivers and surrounded by mountains. It s famous by huge plantations of raspberries and less by cultural i historical heritage, which is breath-taking. We could go swimming or rowing in the rivers and have sporting events (e.g. a football match with mixed teams of volunteers and local people). During the free time, participants will have the opportunity to get in touch with everyday life of the town. We plan excursions in nearby spa, caves, waterfall, cultural events and Special Nature Reserve Uvac.
Requirements:
Volunteers should be nature and culture lovers prepared for long walks and hard work.
Volunteers will continue with the work that has been done in the previous year and help in cleaning and renovation of public spaces, schools, kindergartens, libraries, parks, playgrounds, sport fields, houses of the most endangered and poor families. It will be of the most importance to talk to people and give them support to continue with their lives. Also, volunteers will be involved in different environmental and cultural outdoor activities: landscaping and cleaning of parks, walking paths, participating in local cultural events, depending on their interest.
Accomodation & food:
In one of the big halls of the Cultural-sport center. There will be folding beds, so bring your sleeping bag and pillow. Toilets and showers are functional. Volunteers will eat in a nearby restaurant.
Location & leisure:
Obrenovac is situated only 30 km from the capital, Belgrade. There are several excursions planned. During August, beside all challenges, the municipality and the local organisers will open the traditional summer cultural festival Summer in Obrenovac , as in the past years: theatre, concerts, literary evenings, children plays and cinema.
Requirements:
No special skills needed just high flexibility and motivation.
Volunteers will be included in the project Return of the Ibis of wet meadows revitalization by removing tree branches and clearing other vegetation. This will be the 18th camp we have organized here since 1997; so far because of our activities several bird species have returned and the working site has the richest bird fauna in the reserve. Some work on a medieval fortress as well as on preparation of regatta on Sava River will be done.
Accomodation & food:
in two renovated houses in Ethno Park, sleeping on mats. Food will be prepared by the volunteers, with material provided.
Location & leisure:
Obedska Bara (www.obedskabara.rs) is located 50km from Belgrade and 75 km from Novi Sad. Lectures on wetlands and Obedska Bara s recent environmental problems will be given. On the last day of the camp volunteers will participate in celebration of village festival on 12th of August (St Angelina Day). Volunteers can also swim in the lake and the river Sava, watch the birds and explore the beautiful nature of the area.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
