My volunteer experience really began before I even started my work. I decided to volunteer in Buenos Aires, Argentina to improve my Spanish and give back to the world. I think that this is something that is very important for everyone, especially young people to do in their lives. I prepared for volunteering at the project by spending some time living in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina and exploring everything that it has to offer. It is full of food, such as great steak, and culture, such as the famous MALBA Museum. I also prepared by studying Spanish at AMAUTA Spanish School and what I learned was very useful as a volunteer!

Now, I have been working for four weeks at an Hogar for girls between 10 and 20. It was very challenging work and I enjoyed it a lot. I would have liked to stay longer. Just when you feel that the girls are starting to trust you it is time to say goodbye. There are about 20 girls living at the hogar for various reasons. Some do not know their parents because they left them behind when they were little and some have parents that cannot or do not want to take care of them. Also, some were abused and some lived on the street before coming to the hogar. There are also some of them who are mentally disabled. A few girls had just arrived and others had been there for several years.

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Volunteers traveling to Latin America will need to bring different things depending on the country and type of work he or she plans on doing. However, there are some general objects that are essential for any trip. Here we describe the top 10 things to bring on your trip to volunteer in Latin America!

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Guatemala is a captivating country rich with cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes. However, it is also a country whose people have endured a brutal 36-year civil war.  The effects of war continue today, and the Casa Guatemala project aims to assist the most helpless of those affected – Guatemala’s children.

We spoke with Heather Graham, Casa Guatemala Project leader, about the project, its achievements, challenges, and goals.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Can you briefly describe your project and its mission?

HEATHER: Casa Guatemala provides a safe, nurturing home, health care and education to Guatemala’s abused, abandoned, and malnourished children. It also provides an environment that allows its young adults to gain practical job skills through its various business operations.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you get involved with Casa Guatemala?

HEATHER: I first came to the project as a volunteer 10 years ago. I planned to volunteer for 3 months, but I ended up staying 3 years! Since those first 3 years, I have worked on and off with Casa Guatemala and about a year ago, I decided to work full-time as Casa Guatemala’s Project Leader.

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In continuation of last months ‘Top Tips for Volunteers’, here follows our second installment:

• Practice your language skills

Why not make the most of the opportunity to pick up a new and invaluable life skill – a second language? Even if you only know a few key phrases, do not hold back! The local people will appreciate your efforts and may even teach you some more.

• Be willing to learn

Willingness to learn is an essential trait of any good volunteer. The work you will be doing will be varied and will most likely be something you have never done before. Be ready for a few lessons, and enjoy the journey!




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Volunteer Work Latin America can provide you with the information, assistance and insight you are after in order to make your volunteer experience the most impactful and meaningful. Check out the descriptions below and visit our video page to get an idea of what to expect from each project type.

Cultural Projects. These projects are great in allowing volunteers to learn a lot about the customs, culture and traditions of local people, while at the same time making a difference to the community of which they will become part. Placements include youth groups, communal associations, cultural institutions and local media.

Ecological Projects. Conservation often takes a back seat in poorer countries, so volunteers are crucial. The work can be physically demanding, but it is consistently rewarding. Placements include working at an eco-lodge, protecting sea turtles and educating local people about environmental issues.

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A fantastic project in the second largest city in Colombia, this venture was founded to provide children affected by poverty, addiction and violence the opportunity to participate in sports, recreational and cultural activities with an aim to guide the process of social integration.

We spoke with Dutch coordinator Ed Veldhuisen about the inspiration behind this project, the challenges that it has faced and the impact that it has had on the lives of so many of the young people in this city.
 
 

What was the inspiration behind this project?

I came to Medellin to volunteer with children on the street and instantly realized the difference you can make to their lives.
The activities I organized quickly became very popular with the kids and I did not want to just abandon what was proving to be such a success!

How is the project run at present?

We are working with children from several institutes who participate voluntarily in the activities we organize.

We run an array of activities including regular football matches, ´Cooperation & Communication´ workshops, music lessons, performances and recordings, and even produce a regular newspaper written for and by the children of the shelters.
 
 
 

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Having recently completed our Masters in Social Work, Sofie and I decided to leave Belgium to spend four months travelling in South America. After starting in Quito, Ecuador, we travelled down to the beautiful city of Cusco to begin a month of volunteer work. The project we worked on provides care to people living in neglect, suffering from psychological and psychiatric diseases including the treatment of addiction.

During our time here we worked with people with mental disabilities. Our day started at 8.30am and we worked for roughly four hours per day doing a range of activities. We spent a lot of time decorating communal areas such as the dining room and outdoor walls, along with private rooms too. We spent a lot of time drawing things that the residents could then color in themselves, as this was an activity that most of them were able to participate in and really enjoyed doing.

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Everybody likes to think that when they get old there will be somebody there for them. Maybe a family member, maybe a friend. But for some elderly people this expectation does not become a reality.

Volunteer Latin America has a wonderful project running in Colombia, in the midst of the tropical Amazonas, in which volunteers work to enrich the lives of such elderly people.

Based in Leticia, just minutes away from the renowned Amazon River and located at the junction of the Colombian, Peruvian and Brazilian borders, volunteers have their own private facilities in either a shared bungalow or with a guest family from the local community.

Working for around four hours per day, volunteers organize recreational activities, creative workshops and games for the residents.

Participants are forever reporting how rewarding this work is. The residents truly love being surrounded by bright and energetic volunteers, and thrive on the activity that they provide.

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In January/February 2011 I worked at a clinic for mentally and physical disabled children. In my first weeks I took care of the patients (which I now call friends) by brushing their teeth, changing their clothes, entertaining or feeding them. As most of them suffer from severe handicaps I was really unsure if I was going to handle my work well. After my first day of work I realized that I really did not have any “problems” working with the kids; I did not even see their disabilities any longer. We really had the same goal: being happy and laughing as much as we could. Their joy struck me and opened my eyes and attitude towards certain issues.

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In Cusco Peru, our volunteers & volunteer coordinator celebrated the 12th anniversary of one of our volunteer projects, the Unión de Ciegos.

At 10 am everyone came together, the community of the blind people, their families and friends and others who were invited.

At 11 am there was a mess and at 12 am they started a program with music, dances, theatre and a speak of different persons. Afterwards we had a delicious lunch with chicken, potatoes, a big piece of cake as a dessert and wine.

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