Volunteer In A Women And Children's Shelter In Guatemala

  Guatemala

Quetzaltenango

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: All year

Description: Volunteer with a women's and children's human rights organization in Quetzaltenango Guatemala.

Volunteers work in the shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence, a serious and ongoing problem in Guatemala. Volunteers work with the children in the shelter devising and organizing educational and creative activities for children who live in the shelter or attend the Nuevos Horizontes Day Care Center. Volunteers also help with after school activities for shelter children who attend school.
Minimum 4 week commitment, part time.

Prospective volunteers can email the volunteer coordinators.

Longer internships are possible within the NH offices working with the community outreach education and training program.

Highlights: The highlights are spending time with the children and women of the shelter who have survived domestic violence and are rebuilding their lives. The shelter is the first of its kind in Guatemala so is incredibly important. The only limit to the activities you can organize is your imagination and the reaction of the children to new activities and experiences is amazing.

Qualifications: All volunteers are welcome! The basic qualifications to volunteer are enthusiasm and a hardworking attitude. Guatemala is a Spanish speaking country (although over 20 other indigenous languages are spoken here) so Spanish skills are an advantage but there is ample opportunity to combine the placement with language study in one of the town's many Spanish schools.
For longer internships within the Nuevos Horizontes outreach programs fluent Spanish is essential and experience with NGO training is an advantage.

Cost in US$: 0

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Independent, enthusiastic and creative with a willingness to become immersed in the culture of Guatemala.

Age Range: Any age

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Guatemala Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2-10

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Written Application

Asociacion Nuevos Horizontes's Mission Statement: To vindicate the human civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of women and children; to provide protection to women and children who find themselves vulnerable to risk, abandonment, and domestic violence, and/or with health, legal, or judicial problems and lacking training; to promote and provide them with material well-being, training and capacity-building, physical security, clothing, food, and access to public education and health services; and to create opportunities to overcome difficulties and survive in conditions that allow them to integrate into their families, community, and social surroundings as productive and socially responsible individuals.

Year Founded: 1989