Kaya Community Development Projects in Belize

  Belize

San Ignacio

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: The first Saturday of every month

Description: A community project will enable you to fully immerse yourself within the community, and by the end you will feel like one of the locals. There are a diverse number of projects you can be involved in from eco-tourism in Peru to women empowerment projects in Ecuador for abused women. Projects like these help you contribute in preserving some unique and special ways of life and helping people achieve a common goal.

Care for the Elderly in Belize

Work to improve geriatric care in a developing country whose resources are inadequate to care for its growing over-65 population. The most rapid increases in the senior citizen demographic occurs in developing countries, which will see a jump of 274% to more than 1.1 billion by 2050. With such a rapid increase the stress on the health care system and care homes in developing countries like Belize is more problematic each day, and the need for volunteers has never been greater.

Help care for those who cannot care for themselves. The project gives you the opportunity to participate in nursing, physiotherapy, geriatric care, and general health care. You will focus on establishing emotional relationships with patients who would otherwise have few or no visitors. Volunteers also have the opportunity to design and implement various programs to meet other needs of patients.

Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Belize

Help bring much-needed help to battered women and children in a country that has only one safe shelter to house victims of domestic abuse. Volunteers work in conjunction along with a newly formed non-profit organization addressing the issues of Domestic Violence in Belize. The main goal is to be able to establish a permanent safe house in the Cayo District: currently in the entire country there resides just one safe house to support all of Belize. Help create another establishment where women and their children can seek support in domestic violence situations. The organization provides help by assisting them with basic counseling, education on their legal rights, direct support, and referral to a safe place in extreme situations.

Highlights: Nestled between Mexico and Guatemala is the peaceful and ecologically diverse country of Belize. Spanning the length of the coastline is the second largest barrier reef on earth, which is a world heritage site. The ancient Maya ruins in the mountains date back to 500 BC, and the ethically diverse population of Maya, Mestizo, creole, Mennonite and Garifuna make for a unique and culturally rich experience.

Track Jaguars at Cockscomb Basin:
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best undisturbed nature centers in the country and easily one of the most beautiful with 600-1000 Jaguars prowling the land. Get involved in mapping and distribution research to help protect Jaguars and their prey.

Glovers Reef Atoll:
70 miles southeast of Belize City brings you to Glovers Reef, named after the pirate John Glover. The atoll is a circular necklace of almost continuous coral reef around an 80-square-mile lagoon with depths to 50 feet; the various colors of blue in the water are so intense they seem unreal. Within the lagoon, divers will find 700 shallow coral patches and the remains of at least four sunken ships.

Kayaking the Belizean Waterways:
Raft a 20-mile stretch of the Macal River. This small, steep, and technical route brings you through drop pools, mazelike channels, and big waterfalls in class IV whitewater. Led by guides who have rafted all over the world, you know it's got to be good when even they get excited about it. Groups are small (six people), and the wildlife abundant -- tapirs, iguanas, and river otters are just a few of the species to be seen.

Belize's fragile ecosystems are under threat from deforestation, improper agricultural practices, irresponsible tourism and development, and forest fires. The people of Belize are very conscious about conserving their natural habitat and have used eco-tourism as a means of preserving their fragile ecosystems. It is very important to the communities that these ecosystems survive as they use them for food, medicine, shelter and water.

These are just a few of the wonderful activities and experiences a volunteer will accomplish in a few weeks of their stay in the majestic Belize.

Qualifications: Experience and passion for working in the community and interacting with the people are needed. Participants must also possess enthusiasm and a willingness to learn about the environment and the place's culture.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A Kaya volunteer shows enthusiasm, spirit and life to stimulate and bring something new to the residents; love, patience and a listening ear for the people; and a good motivator with a positive and optimistic attitude.

Age Range: Must be more than 18 years old

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

Participants Travel to Belize Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Kaya Responsible Travel's Mission Statement: Kaya's mission is to promote sustainable social, environmental and economic development, empower communities and cultivate educated, compassionate global citizens through responsible travel.

Year Founded: 2008