Volunteer in Bolivia
You’re thinking about volunteering abroad and you want to go somewhere in Latin America? How about becoming a volunteer in Bolivia! Even though Bolivia might not be known on the international stage, there are lots of fascinating and interesting traits that personify the country. Among others, a multitude of mountains, lots and lots of llamas, an indigenous culture, massive salt flats and a series of large national parks and nature preserves. Sounds amazing, right? So pack your bags and start your volunteering adventure in Bolivia!
What makes this American country particularly interesting for volunteers is the variety of volunteer opportunities in Bolivia:
- supporting projects with wildlife sanctuaries
- getting involved with community services
- working for a healthcare project
- teaching and improving children’s literacy
This guide will give you an overview of the variety of volunteer opportunities in Bolivia. Once you found the right project abroad and get busy planning your stay, make sure to plan some time to explore Bolivia’s breathtaking nature and landscapes as well as its cultural particularities.
Volunteer opportunities in Bolivia
A slow economic progress in Bolivia is part of everyday life. Due to this, the country faces a great number of difficulties which cannot be solved at a moment’s notice. Volunteer opportunities in Bolivia will not solve all the problems as you might know, but it will definitely be a huge help for the one or other!
Since it is not that easy to decide for a certain program, we will show you in more detail which areas of volunteer work are available in Bolivia and which tasks are included in each program. Whether you are a person that prefers working with children or rather someone that loves taking care of animals and wildlife, there are programs for everyone. Each volunteer job requires different skills and should fit your personality, that’s why we listed all opportunities down here. Just read through all volunteer opportunities in Bolivia and let’s see which project focus catches your interest most.
Support an animal or wildlife project
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
Some animals you might get to work with as a volunteer in Bolivia, either in the wild or at a sanctuary, will be:
Community services
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
Healthcare
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.
Improve children’s literacy
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.
Cost of living
The suggested daily budget abroad for living as a volunteer in Bolivia is between 25 US$ and 40 US$. This is an estimate made considering the average price of some of the services you might need and things you might want to buy. It gives you a general overview of how much things cost in this country, so you can be prepared and save the money you will need.
Additional costs you should consider as a volunteer in Bolivia:
- program fees
- flight tickets (
find cheap flights to Bolivia ) - travel insurance (we recommend
World Nomads ) - fees for your visa
- personal expenses
An exemplary overview of living costs in Bolivia (in US$, for one person) is:
Things to know before you volunteer in Bolivia
Before starting your volunteer job in Bolivia, it’s important to think about the cultural norms you’ll need to adjust to. In addition, learn about the precautions you might need to take. The following list might help you with that:
Safety & precautions
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
Culture and religion
The predominant religion is Roman Catholic with a scattering of other protestant groups. Indigenous Bolivians have blended Catholicism and their traditional religious beliefs.
Health advice
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
Who can volunteer in Bolivia?
As you will have noticed by now, there are a lot of different volunteer opportunities in Bolivia that expect different skills and abilities from their volunteers. While you can find out the specific requirements for each project on their program page, here are some general requirements that apply to most volunteer opportunities in Bolivia:
- You need to be at least 18 years old for most of the volunteer projects. When in doubt, we advise you get in contact with the local project manager, as in some projects you can also volunteer when you're 16 years old.
- You need to have basic English and Spanish skills to join a volunteer project in Bolivia. Please note that some teaching projects might ask for more advanced skills though.
- Depending on the project you're interested in, you might need to provide a criminal background check and a health declaration before volunteering.
What visa do I need to volunteer in Bolivia
You have made it to the last section of this guide, which is another really important aspect while planning your trip: getting your volunteer visa for Bolivia.
Please consider that the following information is based on a best practice approach, which has been made according to the best of our knowledge and in cooperation with several volunteer organizations. That’s why you should please make sure to discuss your visa requirements with your contact person on Volunteer World. If in doubt, we also recommend getting in touch with the BOLIVIA embassy or consulate in your country.
General entry information
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
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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