Bolivia: Street Childrens' Home

Project Summary

The childcare center in Santa Cruz is dedicated to reintegrating street children into society. The project needs the support of volunteers as face-to-face level interaction is crucial in reaching out to these children. This is a chance for you to create meaningful bonds and emotional ties with these children and help to change their lives for the better. The center provides a crucial support system that includes home, board, education, health care, social and psychological assistance. By providing them with education and guidance, it is possible for the children to reform themselves and regain their self-confidence so they can manage to subsist on their own. Four hundred children live at the center, aged from infancy to 18. They are housed in 11 buildings, which contain a day nursery, a school, a single mothers' institution, a house for teenage boys and girls, a bakery, a wood shop and a dressmaking business.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks
Start Date:	Every Monday
Arrival Date:	2 days prior to your Start Date (Saturday)
Minimum Age:	18 years old
Volunteer Gender:	Male and Female
Accommodation:	Your accommodation is included in the program price. Volunteers will be staying with homestay families in rural communities throughout the central valley region. Our homestays offer single or shared rooms and three meals a day provided by your host family. Volunteer Visions feels that this is the best way to become familiar with Bolivian culture and practice your Spanish. All homestays are located in safe areas and are within short distances of your project locations. If you prefer to have your own accommodation, we can gladly arrange other types of accommodations (apartments, hostels, hotels etc.). Please inquire about alternative accommodations in advance to get pricing.
Food:	Three meals a day are included in the program fee.
Pick-up Info:	You will be greeted at the Santa Cruz airport and guided to your homestay family by a Volunteer Visions representative. A volunteer coordinator will also take you to your project location the first day so that you become familiarized with the route to your destination. The coordinator will also introduce you to the staff of the project so to ensure that you are properly placed in the program.
Project Schedule:	You will be volunteering at the center for 3-5 hours per day, Monday through Friday with a lunch break around noon. Project Closed Dates and Holidays :: January 1st (New years) :: May 1st (Labor day) :: August 6th (Bolivia's Independence day) :: September 24th (Santa Cruz´s Anniversary) :: December 24-25th (Christmas)

Your role as a Volunteer

You have the freedom to choose where you'd like to work. The type of work and subject matter can vary from teaching English, helping with homework or leading arts classes. In addition, you can become involved in the vocational training program, which involves classes in baking, carpentry and dressmaking cooperatives that also fund the home.

Project Location

The city of Santa Cruz, commonly referred to as the 'tropical paradise of Bolivia', has a population of nearly 1.3 million. It is located in the eastern part of the country. Situated 416 m above sea level, the climate is generally warm and temperate. It is also the economic heart of the country, but has avoided over-development and has managed to maintain its colonial architecture and old-world charm. The easy-going atmosphere, friendliness of the locals and the palm tree lined streets lend to its warm and welcoming feel.

Local Activities & Excursions

Santa Cruz offers a wide range of attractions and activities. A guided tour of the city is included in your program fee. This tour will allow you to become familiar with the layout of the city and give you chance to see some of the major attractions in Santa Cruz. During your spare time, you can visit one of the many beautiful cathedrals, museums, lagoons and parks that dot the city. There are also several opportunities to explore the pre-Incan ruins, 18th century Jesuit missionaries and pristine forest area that surround the city. You may also decide to go swimming, visit the theatres, learn Bolivian cooking, join a local football (soccer) team or even enroll in a Latin dance class.

Suggested Skills and Interests

You should enjoy interacting with children and be open-minded to challenging situations that may arise while caring for the children on a daily basis. Motivation is very important as well and a basic level of Spanish would be helpful.

Suggested Language Level

Supplementary Spanish language classes are offered at the local language school for volunteers interested in practicing and learning Spanish. The classes are run by certified ESL teachers and the groups are no typically no larger than 8 students.

Although these classes are not mandatory, we suggest that you take these classes if you have little or no background in Spanish. Classes start at $500 for 2 weeks with additional weeks available for $210. Classes are held three hours a day from Monday to Friday and accommodation and 3 meals a day are included in the program fee.