Reach Out to Children and Families in Salvador, Brazil!

  Brazil

• Salvador: 
Salvador

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: year-around

Description: A study in startling contrasts, Brazil offers vast refreshment for the eyes as well as a great service opportunity. In this country of dense rainforests, dazzling beaches, and dynamic cities, a great population of children struggles amidst pervasive poverty.

You can nurture children of all ages and support their parents in the colonial, seaside community of Salvador. Relying on meager resources, our host organization works to provide safe child care, basic medical services and educational programs. You're needed to teach and socialize with deserving kids in classrooms and play areas. And, your service program fee helps buy needed materials and services at the work sites. All of our ongoing projects serve at-risk children and their families, so you can invest yourself in those who most need help.

Highlights: Child care and recreation: Volunteers work at a preschool facility for children from families who live in marginal conditions on the fringes of Salvador. The main preschool serves 270 children, ages one to six, in 12 classrooms. Team members participate in the classroom and recreation activities.

Volunteers also help stimulate and socialize with children (newborn to age 18) being treated for cancer and hematological illnesses in a specialized hospital unit.

Family support: Two local "support houses" provide a home for children awaiting heart surgeries (similar to a Ronald McDonald house in the USA) or cancer treatments.

English teaching: For an hour each day, volunteers can offer conversational English lessons at an emerging program for Santa Casa staff at the main campus. Team members assigned to the preschool work project are best positioned to provide this service.

Qualifications: Everyone can help. No professional qualifications necessary. If you enjoy nurturing children you can be a valuable resource on this program.

Cost in US$: $1995 - $2495

Experience Required: yes

no

Typical Volunteer: Our volunteers are culturally curious and open-minded people looking to help improve the lives of children. They enjoy exposure to new cultures, and are all ages, from various ethnic backgrounds, and of all different professions, such as educators, students, laborers, medical professionals, full-time parents, computer professionals, artists, lawyers and the like.

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Brazil Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 10-15

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Global Volunteers's Mission Statement: "Adventures in Service". Founded to help advance peace, racial reconciliation, and mutual international understanding between peoples of diverse cultures through short-term volunteer service on long-term community development programs. We maintain partnerships with local leaders and indigenous host organizations worldwide and mobilize up to 300 teams of volunteers annually to work alongside local people on work projects central to their advancement. We also raise funds to support our international and domestic partners and to provide child sponsorships for educational, social and medical assistance. Global Volunteers is in special consultative status with the United Nations.

Year Founded: 1984

Global Volunteers is a based organization. We do not require our participants to be of the same faith. Our volunteers will not be involved in religious proselytizing.