The Issue
In Chile, wealth is unfortunately very unevenly distributed and many children and young people grow up in very difficult circumstances. Public and private institutions such as children's homes, day care centers or social kindergartens try to counteract this and do incredibly valuable work. There, children in need are taken care of, get medical and psychological assistance and, in many cases, experience affection and recognition for the first time. Especially sad is the number of children who have to grow up without parents because the families have rejected them, their parents have died, disappeared, or are in jail or simply do not fulfill their parental duties of care. If the homes did not exist, these children would stay unattended or end up in the streets.
However, public institutions in Chile often suffer from a lack of adequate funding. Children's homes, day care centers, or other similar establishments, often lack staff and financial resources and are dependent on the help of volunteers. To protect the already disadvantaged children from further cutbacks having to do with their living conditions, nurses and the so-called "tías" give their best every day to take the children away from the worries of everyday life. Unfortunately, they too are subject to personal limits at some point and are grateful for every helping hand. Especially distressing is the large number of children who grow up without parents because they have been thrown out of their families. Others have parents that are deceased, absent, in prison, or have simply failed in their parental duty of care.
The Placement
On a brighter note, there are charities that serve as a welcoming shelter and advice center for these children and families in Santiago. Take on responsibility and show educational support as a beacon of hope by helping in one of various social projects that give new perspectives on children and families from disadvantaged social groups in Chile. If you decide to do your volunteer work with children in Chile with us, you can choose between different projects and institutions.
- Children's home
- Kindergartens for marginalized social groups (immigrant children, children from poor families)
- Children with disabilities
The Location
Santiago de Chile is located almost exactly in the middle of Chile, halfway between the north and south and also about half way between the Argentine border and the ocean. The capital of Chile is an amazing city and one of the few metropolises in the world where you can actually ask yourself the question: "Going to the sea today and skiing tomorrow, or would you prefer the other way around?" since beautiful beaches are at the same distance like world-class ski slopes (and trekking routes during summer) in the Andes Mountains. Santiago de Chile divides Chile into the fertile south and the dry, mineral-rich north.
And the city itself has something for everyone: there are beautiful plazas to relax, old colonial buildings and a lively urban culture with museums, street artists, theaters and more; small craft markets and green meadows, countless restaurants and pubs in fancy nightlife districts and a lively student life.
