A two or more week cultural immersion program based in the heart of Old Habana to help you enjoy and understand what’s happening in Cuba right now! Our volunteer placements will help you connect with Cuban people, understand their culture and history, and turbo charge your Spanish language tuition.
This two week program can be extended or combined with other programs to make longer duration and more varied experience.
Airport transfers arranged on request. Our programs comply with travel restrictions for US citizens - see SUPPORT THE CUBAN PEOPLE.
VOLUNTEER
Our volunteering begins with a group ‘orientation’ walk around Habana Vieja & Centro, during which we visit our projects; to discuss the issues and bring everyone comfortably up to speed and feeling welcome. Work begins the next day and depending where our need is greatest will include a combination of the following projects;
1) InSurgentes
InSurgentes is a partnership with local communities in and around Habana Vieja. At the moment our volunteers are helping to create a green space at Sol420 – Aula Ecológica (Ecological Classroom). Other InSurgentes projects include recycling organic materials into educational games at Fábrica de Bicicletas y Juguetes. This ambitious collaboration with DVV International includes a commitment to produce bicycles with wooden frames and other initiatives to raise ecological and environmental awareness – Eco Urbanism – in this vibrant neighbourhood.
2) Círculo Infantil José Aguinaldo Tudela
Our newest community partnership is a local preschool hosting approximately fifty 4-6 year old students. The building includes three classrooms, two reception areas, bathrooms, kitchen, computer room, infirmary and outside recreation areas. Our main focus is to support the teaching staff by improving the infrastructure of the building including carpentry, electrics, plumbing, cleaning eaves & air vents, preventing leaks and general maintenance as well as assisting with educational games and play areas. Some of these activities we coordinate with local professionals. This is an important project to improve the learning environment for the young people of our neighbourhood.
3) Sports Complejo
The sports complejo has been the main sports facility for all the schools in Habana Vieja for generations. Though well established it lacks basic facilities. Sports run at this location include; baseball, volleyball, athletics, wrestling, basketball and judo.
We support sports in Cuba whenever possible and the benefits sports bring to society are well known to Cubans. We follow their lead, improving facilities and donating equipment are where our support is most required.
4) Paseo Del Prado
Weekends are generally free but we also include activities to help you interact and enjoy your surroundings. On Saturdays, weather permitting, we take a trip to the beaches that lie 30 mins by ‘collectivo’ taxi or bus, immediately east of the city, known as Playas del Este.
Sunday afternoon from 12-3pm we take a short walk to the famous Paseo del Prado, where a collective of local artists gives free ‘arts and crafts’ classes to local kids. We bring supplies to donate as well as helping out, depending what’s going on. It’s all very casual and a great way to enjoy and learn about the diversity of local art, as well as mingling with the locals and helping out the kids.
