Work at local day-care centres and after school programs, helping understaffed facilities and providing support for the local childcare workers.
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Unfortunately, many families in Guatemala have to deal with economical disadvantages and children can often be secondary victims. Children in the country often suffer from neglect, abuse, and abandonment as families struggle with limited resources and therefore are unable to fully care for their children. IVI is dedicated to improving the local situations and volunteers can help immensely to bring support, show kindness and to inspire the local children into learning.
On this project you will work at local day-care centres and after school programs, helping understaffed facilities and proving support for the local childcare workers. You can also help provide support and care for the individual children who need it most.
Depending on your own skills and interests, you can help with organising games and teaching sports, teaching English and other subjects, teaching the children on personal hygiene, as well as cleaning and other general duties. If you have skills in art, music, dance, and theatre, you can also create fun activities for the children to learn.
Location
Projects are located in and around the city of Antigua, which was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. This is a popular tourist spot due to the pretty colonial buildings and ancient ruins. From the streets and rooftops, you can even see volcanoes towering over the city. Antigua’s Central Plaza has plenty of restaurants, shops, markets, and regular cultural events, making it an exciting city to call home.
Sunday – Arrival / Welcome and Home Stay Introduction
Monday – Orientation day
Tuesday to Friday
Here is a rough guide on what to expect:
- Breakfast at the accommodation
- 3-4 hours of volunteer work either in the morning or afternoon
- Your own lunch at the accommodation or project site
- Free time
- Dinner at the accommodation
There is so much to see and do around Antigua, including cultural events, tours and treks, and exploring the various markets. The local coordinators regularly post a monthly events calendar to let you know of the activities going on nearby. For more ideas on things to do in Guatemala…
Tikal Ruins
These Mayan ruins are set amidst the jungle of northern Guatemala and close to the borders between Belize and Mexico. The incredible ruins are a little hard to get to but have a spectacular backdrop. The ruins used to be one of the most influential cities in the Mayan empire.
Semuc Champey Pools
Another destination a little hard to get to (think long and windy bus ride) but definitely worth it for the incredibly blue pools of water you will find here, all surrounded by Guatemalan jungle. You can go swimming in the pools too!
Acitve Volcanoes
Pacaya, Santiaguito and Fuego are active volcanoes which visitors can climb up. These 3 are still active but Guatemala also has 37 volcanoes dotted around the country. If you love hiking, then make sure to try one of these treks for spectacular views.
Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is a place where you can easily spend several days. This pretty lake has the backdrop of volcanoes and pretty wildflowers around the edge of the water. There are lots of small towns around the lake to explore, or you could simply relax by the sparling water or try SUP and kayaking.
Indian Nose Hike
This is a spectacular viewpoint which will only take around a 45 minutes climb. Situated close to San Pedro, this mountain is known for incredible sunrises, but we would recommend going with a tour group for this, for safety reasons.