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In January/February 2011 I worked at a clinic for mentally and physical disabled children. In my first weeks I took care of the patients (which I now call friends) by brushing their teeth, changing their clothes, entertaining or feeding them. As most of them suffer from severe handicaps I was really unsure if I was going to handle my work well. After my first day of work I realized that I really did not have any “problems” working with the kids; I did not even see their disabilities any longer. We really had the same goal: being happy and laughing as much as we could. Their joy struck me and opened my eyes and attitude towards certain issues.
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If you have decided to look further into options to do Volunteer Work in Latin America, this is a great opportunity to give back to the local Latinamerican societies where you are travelling.

It’s important, however, you realize it does require a bit of preparation and, once you are there, a bit of effort  and dedication to make the most our of your volunteer experience.

We have prepared a few important tips to prepare for Volunteer Work in Latin America  for you that might help you.

• Be realistic about what you can achieve. You won’t be able to move the world. But many different volunteers at different projects and in  countries, are able to make a difference. You’re attitude is extremely important.

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My volunteer experience really began before I even started my work. I decided to volunteer in Buenos Aires, Argentina to improve my Spanish and give back to the world. I think that this is something that is very important for everyone, especially young people to do in their lives. I prepared for volunteering at the project by spending some time living in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina and exploring everything that it has to offer. It is full of food, such as great steak, and culture, such as the famous MALBA Museum. I also prepared by studying Spanish at AMAUTA Spanish School and what I learned was very useful as a volunteer!
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The organization we work with in Costa Rica offer many opportunities for volunteers to get first-hand experience in the health sector.

Depending on your level of knowledge, specialization, and skill, you may check blood pressure, distribute food and medicine, weigh babies, accompany emergency response vehicles, and help with other first-aid procedures.

Examples of places where volunteers are needed are hospitals, senior care centers, the Red Cross and EBAIS (small clinics in individual communities). Assistance with public health community campaigns and other basic education can also be part of the job.
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Volunteer Work Latin America offer many programs for teaching English in South America. Volunteer placements can be arranged at afterschool projects, primary schools and also in the tourism sector. However teaching English in Peru to blind persons is a whole different ball-game!

We work together with a center for social rehabilitation in Peru. This specific institute for adults is set up for, and run by, blind people with the aim of bringing the community of the visually impaired in the Cusco region closer together. The location has a room for massage- and physiotherapy, a small bakery, a greenhouse as well as a computer room.

Besides putting these facilities to use, the organization is also organizing workshops in a variety of trades, such as accounting and marketing, and the English language in order to stimulate independence and more job opportunities. Due to lack of funds as well as staff, these amenities are hardly ever used if it wasn’t for the help of volunteers.

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El Periodico de San Telmo is a nonprofit newspaper that is published every two months. It is run by a small group of San Telmo locals who handle everything from writing stories to recruiting advertisers. The paper’s goal is to celebrate the neighborhood of San Telmo and create an open forum and dialogue for its community.

San Telmo is one of the most colorful neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Historically, it was Buenos Aires’s first industrial area that eventually became inhabited by the well to do. However, in 1871 a yellow fever epidemic swept through Buenos Aires and the rich abandoned San Telmo and moved north to Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano.
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Most volunteer placements include offering help of some sort to the underprivileged. However, in this project you get to work with the hip arty in-crowd of Palermo, also known as the ‘Hollywood of Buenos Aires’.

This small theater prides itself on expressing independent art forms, with none of the commercial blockbuster attitudes that dominate the Hollywood scene. More than just a theater, it is really a cultural center featuring an eclectic program full of live music, theatre plays and art performances. In the afternoons there are also acting classes for children of the neighborhood.

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A fantastic project in the second largest city in Colombia, this venture was founded to provide children affected by poverty, addiction and violence the opportunity to participate in sports, recreational and cultural activities with an aim to guide the process of social integration.

We spoke with Dutch coordinator Ed Veldhuisen about the inspiration behind this project, the challenges that it has faced and the impact that it has had on the lives of so many of the young people in this city.

What was the inspiration behind this project?

I came to Medellin to volunteer with children on the street and instantly realized the difference you can make to their lives.
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