Volunteer with VIDA

  Costa Rica

• San Jose: 
San Jose
• North Western Region: 
Nicoya Peninsula,  Guanacaste
• Central Pacific Coast: 
Cartago

  Nicaragua

Granada,  Managua

  Panama

Bocas del Toro

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks and 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks

Description: We offer volunteer service trips, commonly referred to as medical brigades, medical missions, dental brigades, dental mission trips, or service learning trips that provide free basic medical and dental care to needy communities which includes an emphasis on public health education. We also offer veterinary medicine brigades in which we provide free spay and neuter clinics, as well as consultations, vaccination of livestock and educational information for farmers. Furthermore, we provide construction and maintenance services to communities and families with limited resources in developing nations.

Highlights: We welcome individuals and groups all year round to support ongoing sustainable development projects in impoverished communities. A VIDA adventure typically involves travel and volunteer experience in two countries, such as Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Group adventures during holiday break and spring break are usually 7 nights/8 days and during summer and winter breaks 12 nights/13 days.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: 1,700

Directly to the costs of the volunteer's trip this includes 2 meals a day, hotel costs, homestay costs, transportation, professional staff such as doctors, dentists, veterinarians as well as guides and translators and necessary supplies for clinics or service projects.

Administrative costs include pre-trip service and support to volunteers, organizational costs such as clinic and service project coordination, etc.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Volunteers are generally college students interested in any health field, such as general medicine, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Some of our trips are also aimed at anyone interested in doing construction. We also accept healthcare professionals as special volunteers. These volunteers must be willing to teach (in English) and be an example to the student volunteers.

Age Range: 18 and up

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 15-22

Scholarships are Available. We also have the following scholarships available: (1) Full Scholarship per team per University for any individual who organizes his/her own group, minimum of 15 students, then that individual is eligible for a full scholarship (does not include airfare). Large groups of 40 or more from the same University shall be granted 2 Full Scholarships for the 2 individuals coordinating the group. (2) Partial Scholarships per team for those individuals who are certified translators in Spanish/English and are interested in translating for fellow students during clinics. You can receive a discount of up to$300.00! A telephone interview will be conducted to ensure that individuals are satisfactorily fluent in Spanish along with presentation of certification as a translator in the U.S.A. or E.U. (1) Partial Scholarship per team if you recruit a volunteer health professional (parent, sibling, etc) who is a licensed general medicine medical doctor, internal medicine doctor, physician's assistant, family dentist, veterinarian, or a nurse practitioner. This individual would need to enjoy teaching, volunteer experience/volunteer spirit, and pay for his/her own airfare, food, and bring his/her own spending money. Medical Professionals need to submit their current license and University diplomas to VIDA Central America at least 75 days prior to trip for pre-approval by health officials. You are eligible to receive up to a $300 discount on your trip with this scholarship! We are working hard to obtain sponsors for our scholarship programs and we post new scholarships as they become available. Please check the Financial Aid and Scholarships page for full details. These scholarships are on a first come first serve basis.

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

VIDA (Volunteers for Intercultural and Definitive Adventures)'s Mission Statement: VIDA, based in Costa Rica as a non-profit association and in Minnesota, USA under a pending 501c3 status. It helps to empower communities and individuals through sustainable development projects and supporting micro/small/medium sized businesses. It also aims to improve the quality of life of needy communities by providing free medical, dental and veterinary assistance. This offers the volunteers hands-on, eye-opening, mind-enriching learning experiences in a constructive and intercultural environment. VIDA currently offers the following volunteer programs in the developing nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. These core volunteer programs will also open in Honduras in 2009.

Year Founded: 2007