The fantastic island of Valaam is one of the most picturesque places and beautiful monasteries in the Northwest of Russia.
The project “Valaam Volunteer program” carried out by Russian and foreign volunteers is aimed at restoring farming in Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy monastery of Valaam.
Anybody who has reached the age of 18 and would like to make a difference to the holy place is welcome to join in and feel the unique atmosphere of the island.
A lot of monks live in Valaam today. Some of them renovate old churches, other work in the fields. A lot of people help them to save cultural heritage, and due to them a lot of churches of Valaam are already renovated. In general, you will have the same life-style, as pilgrims, who came to work for the monastery. Your task will be to help the monks in cleaning the fields, cutting down grass, preparing firewood. Very often girls are required to help in the agricultural works in the farm or to help on the kitchen. Most of the fields are experimental, as during Soviet times nobody worked here and the old fields were completely covered by trees... Only 3-4 years ago fields were cleaned. Also monks still are renovating the old building of the farm, where nobody lived for dozens of years.
Boys-volunteers usually do more difficult job for example, they could be asked to help in restauration works, in preparing firewood...

The head of the farm is father Veniamin, and about 20-30 brothers live there. They aren't monks, some of them just prepare themselves to become monks, and this process takes not less than 5 years (sometimes more then 10).
Camp address: Russia, Republic of Karelia, Sortavala, Valaam island, Valaam monastery.
http://volonter.valaam.ru/en/home.htm