Volunteer in Guatemala

  Guatemala

Quetzaltenango,  Xela

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: Throughout the year

Description: There is no better way to have a fuller, more rewarding experience and have innumerable opportunities to practice your Spanish than to volunteer in a local organization. To help you do this, Educación para Todos created the Volunteer Center. The goal of the center is to link students up based on their level of Spanish, talents, abilities and interests. The Volunteer Center works as a liaison between the students that want to serve and the organizations in need. We have several contacts with agencies and organizations in and around Quetzaltenango. With an agreement to study a minimum of one week at our school, we will help you get placed in an organization.

Please understand that many of the organizations require a minimum commitment and a minimum level of Spanish in order to serve with them. However, there are organizations that are more than willing to work with students for varying lengths of time and at any level of Spanish.

There are several schools throughout Quetzaltenango that boast of their volunteer programs and projects. They have a long list of different types of projects and pictures of various foreigners intermingling with Guatemalans and nature. More times than not, these programs or projects are not very well organized or were a one-time thing. There is nothing more disappointing than to be excited about the chance of serving in a real way only to find that things just did not work out.

We are dedicated to letting this happen. Our Volunteer Center works to try and match you up with your time schedule and those of the surrounding organizations. And we try to be as up front as possible and the limitations and real expectations of the local organizations. The best that we can do is to share with you some of the organizations were our previous students have volunteered. Please feel free to read their stories of accounts of their experiences.

A. Clinica Comunitaria:

The Clinica Comunitaria is a general health clinic for those that are not able to pay high prices for health care. Medical students and nursing students have gone to make observations in the clinic and to follow the doctors as they examine and diagnose the patients. The volunteers' participation depends on their studies and or experience in medicine or nursing and their level of Spanish.

B. Habitat for Humanity:

There is a branch of Habitat for Humanity located in a town close to Quetzaltenango. Students have helped with the building efforts of homes for the poor in several surrounding villages.

C. Casa Hogar de Niños:

Is an orphanage for children from birth to 10 years old. The majority of the children are from battered homes; children of mothers that died at childbirth or are children who were abandoned at birth. The school has a special partnership with the home. We try to have various activities with the children including playing games, parties and piñatas.

D. Asociación de Comadronas:

This is a group of midwives that works with women of poor communities. We have placed social workers and nurses that have served there with the midwives. There are opportunities to observe, work on cases and other gynecological services. Once again the amount of participation depends on training and level of Spanish.

E. Human Rights Organization:

Is solidarity organization that focuses on an accompaniment program that places foreigners as observers in communities and with work teams. Many of the work teams are working on exhuming some of the mass graves that are found throughout Guatemala as a result of the 36-year internal armed conflict that occurred here. This organization works with some of the poorest and most isolated communities.

F. Comunity Development Asociation:

Is an organization that provides a home for women and children who have been widowed or who have been victims of domestic violence. The home offers several training programs and classes in order to help the women and children learn skills, obtain food, and give them opportunities to better their life. The home has a garden and raises chickens. Students have helped with the garden project, given English classes and offered parties for the children.

Qualifications: We have several organizations that need your help. Where we place you depends on your level of Spanish and time availability. By signing up for just one week of Spanish classes at Educacion Para Todos, we will place you in the right place to serve and help others in need!

Cost in US$: $135 US dollars

Experience Required: no

Age Range: From 15 to 60 years old

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Guatemala Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of It can change

Year Founded: 1991