Volunteer in Bolivia

Whether you help taking care of wildlife rescued animals from illegal traffickers, assisting with general maintenance tasks and preparing food for animals at a jungle sanctuary or whether you volunteer in Bolivian rainforests by climbing trees with capuchin monkeys and walking with feral cats, your helping hand is appreciated wherever you go.

Volunteering with animals and wildlife includes but is not limited to:

• feeding, cleaning, caring for animals
• monitoring and documenting feeding behavioural habits
• construction: maintaining the facilities and building additional ones
• working on enrichment projects for animals
• working at an animal refugee center
• helping nurture sick animals back to health

You are more of a person that loves working with people and you want to volunteer in social projects which support the community? Then there are plenty of possibilities to do that: help developing programs aimed at social development, the prevention of violence, and the protection and defense of children who are victims of violence. As a volunteer in Bolivia, you will also live with natives of the Amazon and experience their way of life.

Working at a community project includes but is not limited to:

• bringing and preparing new and innovative ideas for children-activities
• helping the educator on-site
• representing the association towards children and their families
• learning how indigenous people plant rice and collect fruits and vegetables
• learning how to hunt and make medicine
• teaching children English or your native language
• guiding tourists
• assisting with household chores

If you are interested in healthcare projects and want to contribute to a healthy way of life, you can volunteer as a healthcare supporter in Bolivia! Make use of your skills and gain new experiences which will reinforce your future purposes and as well your personal growth. While being a volunteer in Bolivia in healthcare, you will not only grow personally, but you will also provide for families and children and their mental and physical wellbeing.

Working at a healthcare project includes but is not limited to:

• working at a boarding school: improving the self-esteem of children, creating and playing games, taking care of the children
• working at an occupational therapy department: helping with patients mobility, run basic activities, bath, dress and transport patients
• working at a daycare center: assisting the workers while feeding children and playing with them
• working at an inclusive school project
• working at a psychiatric clinic
• assisting therapists, working with nurses, helping doctors, giving support and advice

Volunteering at any medical project in Bolivia is a great way to do something meaningful while learning a lot for your own career at the same time. Volunteers will gain lots of experiences in a very different working environment. Your work as a volunteer in Bolivia for healthcare projects will be highly valued since the country is still undergoing malnutrition and obesity. Help the country and conjure a smile upon somebody’s face.

It is not the custom in countries such as Bolivia that literacy is taken for granted. There are still people that are not able to read properly and although a great number of children is already able to read, they often do not have high levels of reading comprehension and very few read for pleasure. A proper education, though, is the key to a positive development of a community. That is why it is of importance to support children in need and to improve their education.

As a volunteer in Bolivia in the field of education, your tasks would include but are not limited to:

• working as a literacy ambassador in libraries in rural communities
• coordinating and implementing book clubs for children and youth to foster a love of reading and books
• working with the librarians to promote reading through creative and sustainable activities
• creating challenging and dynamic literacy lessons
• helping children with homework
• organizing fun activities and games to maintain a balance between learning and relaxing

As you have seen, there are many options for your volunteer work abroad. Whatever you will decide to do, all volunteer opportunities in Bolivia will be a great experience and a meaningful travel.

While Brazil and other neighbouring countries of Bolivia are known for their high crime rates, Bolivia is considered a very safe place, which is great news for you as a volunteer in Bolivia. Nevertheless, you will likely stick out like a sore thumb when wandering the streets of this country - simply given the colour of your skin, your height, and your mannerisms. As such, it is important to take the following measures in order to not put yourself at risk:

• No traveling alone at night
• Avoid big crowds
• Keeping a low profile at all times is a must
• Do not discuss personal matters with people you do not know - only engage in friendly small talk!
• Beware of pickpockets.
• Learn at least a little Spanish so you can ask for help
• Keep local emergency phone numbers on hand at all times

The predominant religion is Roman Catholic with a scattering of other protestant groups. Indigenous Bolivians have blended Catholicism and their traditional religious beliefs.

In addition to a Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Typhoid vaccination, getting vaccinated against Yellow Fever is also a must. If you are going to be staying in a rural area as a volunteer in Bolivia or are planning on trekking, you should further consider getting the following vaccinations:

• Hepatitis B
• Rabies
• Meningococcal Meningitis
• Tuberculosis

If you want to read more about health protection, visit The US based health protection agency CDC . Please consult your general physician before you leave and ask for his/ her advice. There have been cases where travelers from Europe who had the Typhoid A vaccination still have caught Typhoid A in Bolivia, please talk about this with your doctor as well. Generally, there is no substitute for frequent hand washing, washing fruits and vegetables and being observant of one's surroundings.

There are some general requirements you should comply upon your arrival in the Dominican Republic:

• Please check the current validity of your passport. Your passport should have at least 6-month validity from the date of arrival in Bolivia
• Make sure to be in possession of a valid return ticket
• Ensure you have at least one blank page available for stamps
• Visas are not required by Australian, British, Canadian and most EU nationals
• You will be granted an initial 30-day stay which you can extend two times for further 30 days free of charge (maximum of 90 days stay)
• US citizens require a visa an can obtain this in advance of on entry, where it must be paid for in cash
• The US Department of State advises travelers to obtain visas in advance from the embassy (costs US$160)
• Nationals of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta and Romania do require a visa to enter Bolivia