Family Volunteering on a Community Construction Project in Guatemala

  Guatemala

Rural Areas

Dates: Visit our website for upcoming start dates.

Description: Volunteering overseas as a family offers one of the most incredibly rewarding experiences for all involved. Voluntourism for families is a great way for families to experience exciting and new cultures together, doing something completely different in a safe and ethical way. Family volunteering also allows your children to discover parts of the world they would probably never learn about at school in an in-depth way not possible on a normal vacation.

GVI is pleased to announce that all children under the age of 18 will receive a 1/3rd off the total price on all of our family volunteering projects.

Volunteer on this short-term GVI community project and help improve the standard of living for indigenous communities situated near Antigua, Guatemala. You will assist in building energy-efficient stoves, promoting agriculture and rearing livestock and help families who live below the poverty line improve their living conditions. Indoor air pollution is the cause of more deaths each year than either Malaria or AIDS, due to the way people burn wood with no ventilation in their homes. Cleaner, more energy-efficient stoves provided by GVI can add literally decades onto the life-expectancy of a house's occupants.

By spending just one week on this project, you can help to greatly improve one family's situation, with both your physical and your financial contribution. You can also learn Spanish with 20 hours of one-on-one Spanish lessons included in the program, and participate on a half-day adventure biking, rock-climbing or hiking.

* How this program makes a difference:

From an economical standpoint, providing these stoves to families means they will only have to collect or buy up to a third of the firewood they currently do, and they will spend less on medicines for chronic lung illnesses. Environmentally, the deforestation of trees is essentially reduced by two-thirds per family. Medically, with no smoke inhalation due to the chimney, the health of the families is greatly improved.

* Please note due to the varying group dynamics of different families (for example the number of children and ages of children), each application is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Please call us directly to discuss your family's volunteer travel requirements.

Highlights:
* Stay in Antigua, Guatemala
* Work side-by-side with indigenous families
* Immerse yourself in indigenous communities
* Complete each chosen project within one week
* One-on-on Spanish classes
* Adventure trip volcano hike or mountain bike ride

Cost in US$: From $1190 for 1 weeks

Experience Required: no

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

Participants Travel to Guatemala Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 8 maximum

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Global Vision International's Mission Statement: 2008 marks a decade of commitment from GVI to all volunteers and partners. Global Vision International aims to promote the advancement of sustainable development through the creation of partnerships, promotion of local and global education, opportunities and via direct financial support. GVI remains committed to its local partners by ensuring they receive full credit for any research undertaken or achievements reached.

Year Founded: 1998