House Construction for poor families

Antigua is one of the most beautiful cities in Central America. It is one of Guatemala's main tourist attractions and delights its visitors with its beautiful colonial buildings, small alleys with colorful houses, a lively Mayan culture and a breathtaking backdrop to the perfectly formed volcanoes of Agua, Fuego and Acatenango.

It all sounds wonderful, if not the bitter reality for many locals. Because the shadow side of this historical ambience is the extreme poverty in which the majority of Guatemalan families live. Many families have no home or just a makeshift barracks made of cardboard, sheet metal and waste. Whole families live, eat and sleep often in just one room. On the other hand, this extreme housing situation lays the foundations for social hotspots, illnesses and inter-family problems.

Volunteers who enjoy helping out and not shying away from physical work can help in a construction project in Antigua. The aim of this project is to build new homes for families living in extreme poverty or to improve and expand existing homes. Likewise, schools and community centers have been built in the past.

The families who can benefit from the construction projects must in turn apply and be in possession of the land on which the house is to be built. Subsequently, the situation of the family is analyzed taking into account socio-economic aspects.

It takes about 7 to 10 days to build a house for a family. These are small, modest houses (only about 30 square meters in size), which can not be compared with houses in industrialized countries, but they are a significant improvement for these families compared to their previous housing situation. Normally the volunteers help with the construction of the house from day one. The completion of the house and the subsequent ceremonial key handover to the family is for most volunteers a very emotional experience and a very special moment.

The project is funded exclusively by donations and the help of volunteers from all over the world! The jobs for this project are located around Antigua.

In this volunteer project, you have to really get involved. You help with the construction of houses on the construction site and actively support destitute families in achieving their dream of owning a home.

The tasks range from balancing the ground, erecting the walls, to constructing the roof. Furthermore, things to be done are transporting building materials and tools, screwing together the metals, trimming or cutting cement blocks, etc. There is a lot to do, and every helping hand is important.

During the construction, you will get to know the family who will move into the house and work together side by side. If you take part in this project for a long time, you have the opportunity to accompany the construction from the first day and finally witness the family's entry into the new house. The joy in the faces of the family is a unique experience and a fulfilling thanks for the diligence, the work and effort.

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)