People who want to make a real difference, want first-hand experience of real Brazilian culture and who have initiative. You can also learn Spanish while you're there. No qualifications or previous experience are necessary, just a good dose of enthusiasm!

WHY CHOOSE GUATEMALA WITH TRAVELLERS?

• FREE Social and cultural activities almost every afternoon, including: films, sports, dance classes (salsa and merengue), a trip to 'Cerro de la Crus', conversation classes, local handicraft classes, fiestas, visits to voluntary projects for Spanish students, visits to Jade, Silver and other local factories


• A very social experience...There are ALWAYS other volunteers and students here from around the world, so you'll have lots of company!


• Organised trips around Guatemala at the weekend... visit Mayan ruins at Tikal, beautiful Semuc Champey reserve, Lake Atitlan and more. Simply hop in the mini-van with the other students and head off! (these trips are not included in the price - you pay locally)


• An introductory Spanish booklet with lots of key phrases, free on arrival


• A huge network of staff to make you feel welcome and supported at all times

Your Care Project

The centre looks after children and adults in various conditions who all need higher care than they could or would receive at home. People arrive at the organization from all walks of life... From families with few means at their disposal, who with the best will in the world do not have the time or the skills required to take care of their loved ones. Some arrive at the centre after being abandoned by their families... Others have simply grown old and require more assistance than their families can provide. Some are sick or are simply patients requiring rest and are unable to stay in a normal hospital.

The centre is based in a beautiful and traditional Guatemalan building in Antigua.

Areas of the Hospital - What are they and how do they work?

Centre For Recovering From Malnutrition

The centre cares for children with varying degrees of malnutrition. The centre also cares for children who are waiting for operations for childhood diseases. The centre is also devoted to work treating children suffering from cleft palates. The children need to be given medicine for stomach problems, receive check-ups and to receive the kind of stimulation that any young child needs to develop their motor skills and cognition. The centre also provides education to the mothers teaching them how to care for their child’s needs.

Centre For Handicapped Children

Care is provided for children with Down’s syndrome, quadriplegics, hydrophiliacs, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and asphyxias perinatal. The children receive attention from medics, psychologists, paediatrics, physiotherapists, neurologists, and specially trained teachers at the school. Volunteers help to stimulate the children to help with their development.

These children need lots of care and love as they receive physiotherapy, speech therapy, stimulation, play, daily care, and through the help of everyone involved they get to experience constant interaction and movement. Wheelchairs amongst other things are provided to keep them mobile as much as possible. .

"Mente Sana" - for Adults and "Special" Youngsters

They take care of men and women with permanent incapacity, both physical and mental; the frequent diagnostics is setback in mental development, following convulsive syndrome, aggressive behaviour and schizophrenia. Most of the patients need round the clock care.

Centre for Elderly Men

Here the men suffer from conditions and afflictions commonly found in men of an older age. They are provided with activities to keep their minds strong and active amongst other things.

Centre for Elderly Women

Primarily the centre works to accommodate women in their later years who don’t have anywhere to live. They may also suffer from conditions and afflictions commonly found in old age. They are provided the same love, care and attention as anyone else. Again activities are organised to keep their minds strong and active amongst other things.

The Education Centre

Special School

The school teaches the children who live in the hospital. They give them the education directly suited to their level of understanding, providing the materials necessary for the lessons and of course bringing bucket loads of dedication. The school is very aware of making the lessons fun and interactive and ensuring that they have fun while they learn. Being stuck in a hospital isn’t much fun for anyone so the school makes sure that they know how to show them a good time as well teaching them.

Kindergarten

Just like any other crèche/kindergarten they take care of the younger children who are too young to go to school. Many of the children’s mothers go to work in the market.

Manual Work & Craft School

All kinds of crafts work is taught here at the centre. It really is fabulous to see. Everything that’s made is sold to bring in funding.

About your work

As the centre deals with a large variety of ailments and has many ‘areas’, there is much work that you do. You could be playing with, changing and feeding babies one day, helping elderly men another day and teaching English to the staff on another day. This is an excellent project which volunteers really enjoy. It is extremely worthwhile and hands-on.

Your Qualifications

If you don’t speak Spanish, you must first spend some time learning Spanish before starting work. It usually takes between 4-8 weeks to reach the required standard of Spanish. Travellers will arrange these lessons for you in Antigua.

Guatemala

With majestic volcanoes rising out of lush green rainforest, highland villages steeped in tradition and vibrant, spirited people, Guatemala put quite simply is a magical destination!

Beautiful Antigua, where all of our placements are based, is arguably the most picturesque and certainly one of the oldest cities in Central America, characterised by a mellow, yet distinctly international feel. The local residents of Antigua are warmly referred to as Green bellies or panza verde due to the abundance of avocados that grow in the region.

Antigua’s splendour is protected by three giant guardian volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango, providing a stunning setting which attracts thousands of visitors every year. Antigua is one of the most popular places in Central America to learn Spanish so you are bound to meet lots of other students and travellers!

As for things to do with your spare time, whether you’re an adventure-mad extreme sports enthusiast or a nature-loving bird-watcher, Guatemala’s awesome unspoilt natural habitat will have something for you. The extraordinary terrain around the volcanoes and caves provides the perfect setting for mountaineering and caving (spelunking) whereas the fast-moving rivers are ideal for boating, white-water rafting and windsurfing, with Lake Atitlán also popular for diving. There’s also a nearby turtle sanctuary - see above for volunteers holding the baby turtles on a trip there.

Besides this you can also find ample opportunity to go mountain biking, bathe in hot springs surrounded by lush green jungle, or indulge your passion for nature in one of the country’s national parks.

0845 344 7585

YOUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! Help children, animals and conservation around the world. Gain valuable work experience and new skills. All ages & nationalities welcome. EXPLORE a new culture from the inside on worthwhile, well-structured projects. FLEXIBLE: From two weeks to one year - you choose your dates and duration.