Description

Your volunteer work will take place in a little village that is located on the Beni River in the Madidi National Park. You can only reach the village by boat, which takes about one hour from the main town. The community has approximately 235 inhabitants who are all Tacana Indians. They live in complete harmony with their environment and are dependent on the nature around them for survival. They are the perfect modern day example of how one can live without modern technologies but remain content with what they have! The Tacana Indians will warmly welcome you, allowing you to immerse yourself in the community's culture.

Of the many things that the community is involved in, you will learn how to live like them through working directly with the community members. You will work in planting rice, collecting fruits and vegetables, fishing, hunting and preparing traditional medicine. In addition, you will assist the people in making them more international by teaching the adults and children English along with your native language if it is different. If you know an instrument, they would love to learn how to play that as well. You will assist in the construction of new cottages and interpret for foreign visitors and their native tour guides.
There are a lot of things volunteers can do, so you should be flexible to help wherever the community needs you!

Your tasks include:

- Learn to work with agriculture
- Play with children
- Teach English to adults and children
- Teach how to play a musical instrument
- Assist in constructing new cottages
- Help with visitors (interpretation)
- Clean and cook in the lodge

During your volunteer program you will work in a National Park supporting the indigenous community of the Tacana Indians that live there. You will learn how the indigenous people plant rice and collect fruits and vegetables for their food. In addition, you will learn how to fish and hunt as well as how to make medical remedies from native plants using traditional techniques. It is also a benefit for the village as you will teach English to adults and children and support the community wherever their help is needed.
This is a unique opportunity allowing you to live closely with indigenous people who are open-minded and curious to learn about your culture while at the same time showing you their different traditions and lifestyles. You will have many useful and educating experiences including making good friends within the community. The simplicity of the lives of the people will change your perspective on the world and open your eyes to the way life was before the modern technologies existed!

Please keep in mind that you will live a very simple way of life. You should be respectful of the people and their traditions that span several centuries. Your acceptance of their ways of life will allow you to experience a unique and wonderful stay in one of the most pristine and diverse sites on earth. You will be one of few people that can say that they have lived in an indigenous community within the Amazon jungle!

Highlights

Accommodation:

During your volunteer work you will either live with a group of tourists at the Eco-Lodge or in the specially built volunteer cottage which is taken care of by an indigenous host family. Your host family will provide you with three meals per day and you may even receive an invitation to stay in one of their typical houses. You will be surprised to see that in the typical household all of the family members sleep in the same room that also serves as the kitchen and the living room. In their home, you will have the opportunity to learn and practice indigenous cooking techniques and try the delicious recipes. This is a completely unique experience that is not offered to average tourists!!
The meals provided by the host family typically contain the ingredients that the family grows, hunts and fishes. Mostly they eat fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, corn, rice and occasionally some red meat.

Volunteers can also eat and live with other tourists at the Eco-Lodge. In the lodge the meals are more international and may also include chicken and beef amongst the other ingredients that are local to the area.

Qualifications

Language:
Spanish skills required (you can book your Spanish course in Bolivia with us!)

Skills:
No professional skills or experiences required.

Age:
18+ years

Vaccination:
Not required. Please consult us and your doctor for specific recommendations.

Insurance:
Full travel and medical insurance is required. You can purchase a full coverage, no deductible health and travel insurance at a special rate for our participants by contacting your South America Inside representative.

Visa:
Tourist visa valid for 90 days. For further information regarding visa requirements please contact us and the corresponding embassy or consulate in your home country.

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country staff support

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

open-minded, flexible, interested in new cultures

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living
• Guest House

Application Process Involves

• Other

Typically The Application Process Time is

Flexible

South America Inside's Mission Statement

Our programs are addressed to the humanitarian traveler, whether you are a student, professional or retiree. Anyone who wants to explore Latin America not as a mere tourist, but rather as an insider through an experience that goes beyond the ordinary, we invite you into our community! We organize Spanish and Portuguese courses as well as internship and volunteer work positions in nearly all countries of Central and South America. We help in organizing language courses, internships, volunteer work projects as well as in choosing the right country for you. We aim to select partners who are just off the beaten path and/or entail unique and special features to make your experience unforgettable!

Year Founded

2003