Health Care and Social Work Assistant

In a country where the poverty rate reaches over 50%, one can imagine that the help of volunteers is very much needed. If someone looks at the other side of the country, away from the great tourist attractions and historical sites, it quickly becomes clear that a volunteer program is really in the right place in Guatemala. You can do meaningful volunteer work with great social impact.

Depending on your skills and expectations, you will either be placed in a larger nursing home or in a smaller health care center in a community. You are welcome to tell us your preference, but the placement will be as needed and available.

The medical centers provides attention to poor people from the communities around Antigua. They usually have two doctors - one who treats in the morning and another who is available to patients in the afternoons.

The work in the nursing home can be completely different. It is not a hospital in that sense, but rather a home for impoverished people with discomfort. Many of the approximately 500 patients are abandoned children, people without a family or without financial means or sick people recovering from or preparing for surgery. The stations where you can volunteer are e.g. malnutrition, children with disabilities, the elderly and / or the ward for children and babies.

This project is especially suitable for medical students and nurses.

Depending on your program you support a larger hospital with several hundred patients or a small health center, which has only a few doctors. Your tasks may be of social nature, e.g. the caring and giving assistance to the patients, or may have medical character for volunteers with experience in this area.

The emphasis in working in this project is above all caring for the patients . This means that you take time for the patients, talk to them and listen to them, play with the children and do activities with them, which makes them forget their illness, pain or problems for a certain time.

If you have medical studies, you can also help the doctors and nurses. This include administering medication, weighing and measuring temperature in babies and toddlers and other tasks. In addition, you can educate patients about topics such as hygiene, health, nutrition, etc.

Note: The tasks may vary. They depend on factors such as number of volunteers, season, current needs of the project, as well as self-motivation. Not every volunteer may be fully involved in all these tasks.

In your spare time, there are many different activities to choose from, such as visiting historic sights and museums around the city of Antigua. This wonderful colonial city is a real gem and offers plenty of touristic activities. Many volunteers also go to local bars and restaurants to socialize with friends. On the weekends you can take day excursions to get to know the amazing surroundings.

Among the most interesting things to do:

1. City tour Antigua
2. Handicraft markets from indigenous people
3. Lake Atitlan
4. Archeological sites (e.g. Park of Copan)
5. Nature and Volcano
6. Thermal baths of Kawilal
7. Tradicional market of Chichicastenango
8. Visit to museums of indigenous cultures like the Maya
9. Bird watching tours
10. Outdoor sports like climbing, hiking, Canopy, biking, 4x4 tours, etc.
11. Visits to Chocolate and Coffe productions sites
12. Tikal, the biggest Maya ruins (weekend trip, at least 3 days)