Bolivia: Volunteer Care/Orphanage work

Bolivia: Volunteer Care-Work with Children

You can gain work experience on a volunteer Care project in Bolivia whatever your age, abilities or level of experience; whether you are on a gap year - or even a 'gap month' - from further education, or are coming to us during a holiday from work, a career break, or during your retirement. All we ask is that you have enthusiasm for and a commitment to the work, the staff team and, of course, the children!

Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in Latin America. Orphanages and other similar establishments lack the funds required to provide more than a basic level of care, which is why Projects Abroad volunteers have such an important role to play.

Voluntary Community Development and Orphanage work with Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad volunteers work in several orphanages and day care centres in Bolivia, all in the Cochabamba area. Some projects work with just boys or girls, other homes have children with mental and physical disabilities. We also have care projects working with a range of ages, from babies and toddlers to teenagers. Please let us know of any preferences you may have so we can match you to a suitable placement.

Volunteers often work in pairs at a placement which means you can share ideas and perhaps take some of the children out on a trip. Our staff in the Cochabamba office are also always happy to help you with new ideas and materials, and a member of staff at your placement will act as your general supervisor and be available for help and advice.

Volunteering abroad on a Care Project in Bolivia

In whichever volunteer care project in Bolivia you find yourself, you need to be ready for a challenge. Many of the children are desperate for attention and on some placements there are children who have psychological or physical health problems and who need a great deal of special attention.

Your main areas of work will vary depending on the age of the children you are working with. You may be feeding, bathing and generally looking after babies and toddlers, or you may be helping with homework, music, art and sports - really anything you are interested in. On many placements you'll also need to teach life skills like the importance of hygiene, self-discipline and good communication.

Some children don't go to school so basic literacy lessons - in Spanish - are also welcomed. Let us know beforehand if you can help in this area.

At some of the orphanages there is also a need for help with building and fixing up garden areas, buildings and playgrounds. Volunteers have been getting together once or twice a week to work on such community projects, painting walls in the orphanages, creating a garden or helping with clearing up and rebuilding.

You can join a Care project in Bolivia for two weeks if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for short term volunteering for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain a valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone volunteering for a longer period. Volunteers joining the project for just two weeks will be placed in one of our partner orphanages.