Community Work with Smallholders

You like being outdoors, you like animals and do not matter physical work? If so, then this volunteer project in Patagonia is right for you. South of the city of Puerto Montt in the Chilean Lake Region you can give back to society and get involved in community work. The project is carried out on one or more farms in the middle of the mountains of Patagonia. You will be surrounded by virgin nature, breathtaking landscapes and friendly people. Here you will learn a lot about working on a typical small Chilean farm. Most of the farm life a self-sufficient life and only buy a couple of things in far away supermarkts from time to time. In addition, you will get unadulterated insights into the Chilean culture and mentality as you live and work with locals. You too can share your own culture with them so that intercultural exchange takes place and you can learn a lot from each other.

Life in Patagonia can be rough and tough, especially in the long winter months. So the purpose of the community is to help each other and to benefit from each other. This concept is not rare in Chile and a great way to be independent of external products and goods.

During your volunteer work in Chile, you'll be able to move among different farms and spend some time one family and then the next (depending on the length of your stay). So you get insights into different work areas and family life and can gain new experiences and meet nice people. Your tasks will include:

• Farming
• Animal care
• Harvest
• Planting
• Help older people with physically demanding work
• Other outdoor tasks and on the farms

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

The region is famous for its unspoiled nature and the many possibilities for outdoor sports. Nature lovers enjoy hiking, climbing, fishing, kayaking, horseback riding or simply relaxing at the banks of one of the beautiful mountain rivers. The different ways to get in contact with the locals to learn more about their life, their traditions and their culture is also particularly interesting.