Street Children Mentorship

Poor living conditions, abusive families, lack of education and poverty have left many children in Guatemala living and working on the streets in extreme poverty.

These children rarely attend schools and do not have the food, medicine, and love all human beings should have. The kids we work with on this project live in rubbish heaps or on the streets in Xela and are then placed in government-assigned group homes where there is little infrastructure and support for growing children.

You can make a big impact on the lives of these children, and in the overall health of their communities, by giving your time, energy, and love where there is little to go around

Teaching English and Assisting in Schools

English education is lacking in most areas of Guatemala, however it’s important that young people learn this skill because proficiency is required for admission to many colleges. The country lacks the Governmental and qualified English teachers to provide this opportunity.

Volunteering in this project you can expect to work alongside and assist other teachers with instruction to elementary English using games, conversation, simple exercises and written work to engage students in proper pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and spelling.

ANYONE can volunteer in this project. Those with experience teaching, providing childcare, or those who hold TEFL/TESOL/ESL certifications are particularly qualified, but if you can speak English fluently and like to have fun and be creative, this is a great project for you!

Women Empowerment

Ideal candidates to volunteer in this project are inspiring individuals with sensitivity for women’s situations. In addition to poverty and lack of adequate social and medical programs affecting most Guatemalans, women face unique challenges in this male-dominated society. Because of this, new laws have even been put in place to protect women and children, and many groups are now starting to develop empowerment programs for women across the country.

By working on this project, you’ll be able share your ideas and skills for improving the mental, emotional, and physical health of Guatemalan women, and help teach marketing and organizational skills which will help ease the financial burden on so many.

The Development Women’s Project is working to create conditions that will allow disadvantaged women to generate their own solutions to their problems.

Initiative: Education for women to: improve their emotional or psychological health, exercise their legal rights, and access preventive medicine.
In the afternoons, volunteers can help teach handicrafts arts, such as cooking and pastry making

Stove Building for Indigenous Families

Globally, nearly three billion people use inefficient stoves or open flames to cook their food. Exposure to this smoke is dangerous and kills almost two million people each year! With this project, you’ll help build efficient wood burning stoves that prevent smoke from filling the homes, significantly reducing the health risks associated with this traditional style of cooking.

Precious family resources and time are spent on gathering or purchasing wood. Join this Meaningful program to diminish this health hazard, build efficient wood burning stoves with ventilation pipes to prevent smoke from filling the home.

This will be one of the most gratifying programs you will experience and because of the increased efficiency, building the efficient indoor energy stoves are paramount to cut down carbon emission, reduce respiratory problems and protect the local forest.

Sustainable Agriculture Support and Reforestation

Much of Guatemala’s traditional agriculture methods have been lost to the growing global economy which places a large emphasis on mass production and distribution..

Some local organizations or farms work with alternative agriculture assisting farms that are established by progressive farmers that cultivate vegetables, fruits, medicinal herbs, honey, trees that they can sell in the local market. This enables family’s help pay for education, food and other basic needs.

Come join our farmers and with reforestation, care of farm animals, help plant or harvest vegetables, fruits and herbs, and work alongside the local culture in the fields. We welcome volunteers to bring their expertise.

Our team has been working with our local coordinator and host families for many years. Hosting volunteers is nothing new to our Xela host families. In fact this is a major source of income for many of our host moms, Volunteers will live with pre-approved host families within walking distance to most of our projects. Host families are vetted and approved by our local coordinator. You will be living with a host family in Xela where you will have your own bedroom and in some cases might share a room with another volunteer of the same gender if you’re with a group.

All meals will be cooked by your host mom, please be sure and let us know if you have any dietary needs. Vegetarian meals are commonly cooked in Guatemala for those that request this. Enjoy your time with this new culture!

Quetzaltenango offers a welcoming tropical type climate year round.  Typical climate is warm in the evenings and cool at night. Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 36°F to 74°F and is rarely below 36°F or above 78°F. Even in the cold season the weather can be unpredictable and range from 36°F or above 70°F. The warm season lasts from March 24 to April 17 with an average daily temp in the 70’s. The cold season lasts from June 17 to July 13 with an average daily high temperature below 69°F.

There is much to discover in Xela just walking to the town center each day is itself a cultural experience with local vendors displaying colorful art work and traditional clothing, street musicians playing. the local church is one you do not one to miss and the Architecture, you’ll have your pick of Greco-Roman monuments and Italian-designed neoclassical structures to check out. Our coordinator can arrange horseback riding, hikes to area Volcanoes, a trip to lake Atitlan or Guatemala beaches.

You can experience the true Guatemalan Chocolate making experience with a local Grandmother or visit hot a springs, take a walking tour or biking tour. These are just a few of the great experience you can have off the tourist beaten path. Our team is experienced with helping you plan extra activities during your off time!