Description

The Orphanage is a non-profit organization that provides a community service in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It was established in 1996, and all of its government funds and donations go to benefit orphaned and abandoned children in Bolivia. Their mission is to provide support for the development of orphans and neglected children. The orphanage operates "villages" that offer a secure, lasting, and protected upbringing with a suitable education to facilitate future employment and self sufficiency.

The children's villages consist of individual family units, each lodging a mixed gender group of 10-12 children of various ages. Each house is managed independently by a foster mother. Each unit provides the environment of a traditional family with a mother and siblings.

As a volunteer you will be involved in the following work tasks:

- Working in the kitchen, cleaning, washing dishes, etc
- Assisting children with homework.
- Joining in the activities and experiences of the children who live in the project.
- Helping children with their personal care and hygiene.
- Preparing workshops - informal education such as handcrafts, English, art, music, theatre, etc.
- Taking the children to the park, market, zoo, etc.
- Playing games with the kids or engaging them in entertaining activities.
- The project is open to new ideas or skills like painting, carpentry, music, sports or whatever the volunteers can do.

Highlights

Bolivia is such a beautiful country, rich with wildlife and vegetation. You'll love acquainting yourself the open, fun-loving Bolivian culture. Time away from your volunteer project can be spent exploring Santa Cruz's many museums, cathedrals, and spots for picnics and swimming. Weekends are great for exploring the lush nearby rain forests and 18th-century Jesuit missions.

Travel Types

• Eco Tours
• Trekking
• Volunteering

Qualifications

- Min age 18
- Good level of English
- Basic Spanish (classes can be taken for an extra cost)
- Good physical fitness
- Motivation to work with children
- Full travel & medical insurance
- Immunizations (please consult your doctor)

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

630 for 2 weeks, 150 for each additional week

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees

Program Fees Include:

- Accommodation: Bolivian Home Stay
- Food: 3 meals a day
- Airport pickup: Included on arrival day
- Orientation kit: Full project details will be sent following registration
- Training: Pre-departure preparation in addition to training in Santa Cruz

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Volunteers with GoEco are united by their passion for travel and desire to help people. Our volunteers are from all over the world, representing a host of religions, cultures, and languages. Ultimately, GoEco volunteers are fun-loving, adventurous, and outgoing agents for change.

Age Range

18-70

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone/Video Interview

GoEco - Volunteer Abroad's Mission Statement

(1) Encourage ecological and volunteer tourism that promotes sustainable development (2) Enable travelers to experience different and more rewarding kinds of tourism. (3) Encourage travelers to volunteer for the benefit of others and thus to serve as a good-will ambassador to other countries in the world. (4) Encourage travelers from all over the world to come to Israel for ecological and community-based projects, in both the Arab and Jewish sectors, and experience firsthand the unique cultural and natural diversity in this region. (5) Support environmental and humanitarian projects that promote understanding and good will between ethnic societies in Israel. (6) Conduct further research in the field of ecological tourism, such as the 'Ecological Footprint' as a tool for sustainable tourism development. (7) Establish an in-depth and up-to-date data base of the relevant projects worldwide. (8) Create a platform from which to explore the various organizations that support the environment and actively encourage volunteering.

Year Founded

2005