Intern or Volunteer with a Grassroots Environmental Organization in Bolivia

  Bolivia

Cochabamba

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: See FSD Website

Description: Examples of how you can support Environmental initiatives in Bolivia:

* Assist professors at the local university who teach under graduate and post graduate classes in the sustainable management of natural resources. Support research into new practices and technology of agro-ecology preservation. Write and publish scientific articles with research results.

* Investigate proven, cost-effective, and creative ways to improve community habitats through ecological sanitation systems, composting, and proper management of water systems.

* Develop ways to raise awareness in society and the government about sustainable management of natural resources for the increased production and consumption of ecologically aware products.

* Assist with a schools sustainable agriculture and ecology projects which include crop diversification, fertilization methods and soil maintenance.

* Assist in the organization and creation of organic gardens in the community of Maria Auxiliadora - a cooperatively run neighborhood for women who have experienced intra-familial violence.

* Work with neighborhood political organizations in the Zona Sur of Cochabamba - a peri urban area which is home to indigenous, migrant, socio-economically excluded residents. Support the creation of community-managed projects such as potable water, irrigation, and sewage systems.

For more opportunities in environment in Bolivia visit our website or contact us directly.

About FSD

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support underserved, international communities in a collaborative and sustainable manner. Our model incorporates three overlapping programs:

1. Sustainable Development Training Programs for Interns and Volunteers
FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers seeking hands-on experience in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Program participants come from countless professions and more than 300 universities worldwide to collaborate with our partner organizations on community-driven projects that reflect sustainable practices.

2. Grantmaking to Projects and Initiatives Led By Our Partner Organizations
Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support projects and initiatives implemented by our partner organizations, site teams, interns, and volunteers.

3. Sustainable Development of Community-Based Organizations
Our professional field staff, consultants, and program participants provide on-site technical training and capacity building to more than 200 community-based organizations.

Highlights: Development Issues Addressed by FSD in Bolivia
One of the most pressing environmental concerns in Bolivia is soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods, including slash and burn agriculture. Over the past few decades of this century, the use of chemical fertilizers and the overexploitation of renewable resources has all but destroyed the sustainability of agricultural lands in the Cochabamba region by creating a gaping deficit between nutrients added and nutrients taken from the soil. Due to the very poor soil quality, local agricultural communities surrounding Cochabamba produce consistently low crop yields year after year, afflicting the health of local farmers, their children, and the land they live on.

Other environmental concerns facing Bolivia include deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation. Overuse of natural capital to meet short-term economic needs in conjunction with rising population pressures have left the country depleted of resources that traditionally supported the vast majority of its citizens.

FSD supports grassroots environmental organizations that reflect the needs of struggling rural farmers and community members hit hard by the current conditions. Interns and volunteers work to improve the sustainable management of soil, water, and land use through activities that might include working directly with the local universities, offering farmers micro loans, and/or cultivating new water, irrigation, and sewage systems. By strengthening Cochabambas natural capital and educating/empowering rural communities, FSD aims to support the development of a strong,
sustainable agricultural economy.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Depends on Program Selected; See FSD Website

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: FSD supports participants who boldly wish to initiate the change they believe is necessary in the developing world. Interns are passionate about sharing their practical knowledge, heart-felt enthusiasm, and economic resources with communities abroad that suffer unnecessary hardship. They wish to gain hands-on, grassroots development experience because they believe change is most powerfully cultivated on a community level. The aim is to experientially learn how their work can empower the community toward applying sustainable development solutions, rather than increasing reliance on foreign aid. Participants choose FSD because the program structure enables them to design and implement their own sustainable projects in collaboration with their host organization and the FSD Site Team. They are able to test their ideas and theories in the most direct way possible, giving them the experience and knowledge they seek. The flexibility of the host organizations allows for participants at all stages and levels of experience in international development to participate, thus opening the programs to a diverse group of capable applicants.

Age Range: 18-75

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Bolivia Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Foundation for Sustainable Development's Mission Statement: FSD supports the efforts of grassroots organizations in the developing world that are working to better their communities, environments, and the economic opportunities around them. We believe community development is only sustainable if it empowers the people to effectively use and cultivate their own resources in a conscious manner. Through our programs, we aim to raise international awareness of the economic challenges in developing countries and to support cross-cultural communities in finding more effective solutions to development issues.

Year Founded: 1995