Posted 16 Feb 2010

Volunteering in India helped one man to stay happy into his old age after tragedy struck.

Following an appeal for help from the recently widowed Sylvia, the Daily Telegraph compiled a list of the best advice that its readers sent in to help the reader overcome her grief.

One of the options offered by a 70-year-old named John was for Sylvia to try volunteering in a foreign country to give herself more self worth.

It is a method that he had tried himself, stating: "I cured myself of self pity by going out to India to teach."

He suggested that volunteering abroad will help to give her more self belief and convince her "of her own intrinsic worth".

According to travel industry insiders, India has recently experienced a surge in the number of people who are offering to lend a hand after watching television programmes about the poverty in the country.

Films like Slumdog Millionaire and Channel Four’s recent India season have shown people the levels of deprivation in the county and spurred their desire to help.

Category: Living Abroad, Asia